Pros and Cons of Agent vs. Owner

Compare The Advantages and Disadvantages

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With the advent of the Internet, more homeowners chose to bypass a real estate agent and sell their property themselves. This is typically designated as FSBO, or For Sale By Owner. There are a number of benefits and drawbacks both to selling your home independently and to enlisting the help of a real estate agent.

FSBO

The obvious benefit of for sale by owner (FSBO) property is that there are no commissions or fees to pay that are normally associated with listing through a real estate agent. This can ultimately add up to thousands of dollars, explaining why so many people would prefer this approach despite its risks and commitments.

Conversely, however, there are a number of drawbacks to selling your own property. Learning all of the ins and outs of the process can be a full-time commitment that most sellers don’t have time to thoroughly embrace. With a day job, doing what it takes to learn how to sell a house properly, list real estate, show property and close the deal can be nearly impossible. More importantly, if the seller does not adhere to every legal obligation in the selling process, he can end up in a mountain of legal trouble. It’s also been noted that prospective buyers offer 6-10% less on For Sale By Owner offers because they know that there’s no added commission. If you’re willing to make the commitment, however, it can be very financially rewarding.

Realtor

The primary benefits of listing with a real estate agent are the ease and assurance of knowing your sale will be handled professionally and knowledgably. Not only can the often overwhelming hassle of selling a house be managed by someone else, but that real estate agent will also safeguard the seller from all of the numerous legal entanglements that property selling brings. Additionally, a realtor brings out the best in any home, making it more appealing to a prospective homeowner. Finally, a real estate agent can advertise your home through multiple home listings, making it more visible and more likely to be purchased in a timely manner.

Using a realtor, however, does have its drawbacks as well. The largest of these is the cost. Realtors not only charge you for their service, but they also take a commission off the top of the profit made from the property sale. It’s also true that, comparatively, it’s now easier for homeowners to sell their own property via the Internet, making the need for real estate agents slightly less dire.

Whichever method you chose, the key is to be well educated on all the real estate issues and either sell your home following all the proper methods or find someone who will take care of the home selling for you.

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