Taffney Wilson
That is the question I am often asked by homeowners. Why should they list their home with our real estate team and not just list it themselves? “Anyone can sell a home in this market!” It is true, our inventory of homes is historically low, and homes are selling quickly. What most sellers don’t realize are the pitfalls of doing it on their own.
The first pitfall is pricing the home incorrectly. Agents have access to current Multiple Listing System (MLS) data. Texas is a non-disclosure state. It can be difficult to find accurate sales price without this data. Price is NOT dictated by what you, your family, your neighbor or Zillow thinks your home is worth. Our team specializes in pricing homes to generate multiple offers which drives the price up.
Lack of marketing could also be an issue if you decide to sell your home yourself. Marketing your home in this market is still important! Our team has a full-time marketing specialist ensuring your home is out there for the world to see. 95% of buyer’s find their home online. Not placing your home on MLS, and other real estate sights, will limit this exposure to many qualified buyers. Listing your home on MLS with a limited listing service without professional photos and staging will not show your home in its best light. Wilson Realty will help you stage your home and hire a professional photographer to ensure your home will positive exposure.
The most concerning pitfall of selling without an agent involves your own safety. Would you typically invite someone into your home that you do not know? Are they qualified buyers? How are you going to schedule those buyers? Knowing who is viewing your home, that they can afford it, and showing it safely is part of our job as your Realtor.
You don’t know what you don’t know. For example, there are many required forms, title companies, lenders, appraisers, inspectors, contractors, showings coordination, offers, appraisal clauses, amendments, addendums, and much, much more that come into play. Texas real estate contracts are always changing. There are many pitfalls for a seller as Texas contracts have many “outs” for the buyer. A Seller has certain timelines they must perform, or the buyer can walk away at the closing table leaving the Seller with lost time and frustration. A seller could also have legal repercussions for not providing certain disclosures. Experienced agents understand these pitfalls and have systems and tools to do their best to avoid them. Having representation helps diminish the risks of pitfalls. If selling homes were easy, there would not be real estate professional in the first place. Realtors are schooled on contracts, changing regulations and their local real estate market. Wilson Realty Team is also constantly trained on marketing, technology, and contracts to better serve our clients.
One final thought on using an agent vs doing it yourself: According to National Association of Realtors, For Sale by Owner homes typically sell for 22% less than the selling price of homes listed with an agent. Not only does an agent make your life easier, give you your time back, looks out for your best interest, and knows the contract but they also make you more money. My question to you is…. why wouldn’t you use an experienced agent to get your home sold?
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