To Use or Not To Use a REALTOR®, That Is The Question?

You are a first-time buyer or a first-time seller, and like everyone in this situation, you may think 'Why would I need a real estate agent to buy, or sell my house? What can they do that I can't?' Well, before you decide to dive alone into this complex, time-consuming and financially perilous real estate transaction process, you should consider these questions:

Do you know the market well enough to get the most for your home or for your money?
Lacking years of experience, the average do-it-yourselfer is merely guessing at their listing price. Often they set the price too low and miss out on thousands of dollars, or they price their home too high and drive away willing buyers. If they are buyers, they have no access to all the exclusive listings a REALTOR® has the access to, and may lack the negotiation skills to get that house for the best price possible.

Do you have the time for it?
Promoting a home is a full-time job, and you may already have one. Will you be able to take calls at any time? How about screening the callers to figure out if they’re qualified to buy your home? Not everybody who calls is even suitable to walk through your home, but how do you tell? When you buy, do you have the time to sort through all the listings and find the best one for you?

Are you familiar with the real estate laws and regulations?
Complicated and ever-changing, the real estate laws govern nearly every phase of selling your home. One wrong move and an entire deal can fall apart, or worse, a lawsuit can ensue.

What about your selling skills?
If the personalities of prospective buyers rub you the wrong way, can you still deal with them effectively? What about your own defensiveness when you hear negative comments about your home? Best to keep it at arm's length through a REALTOR®.
  
Do you have the negotiation skills to keep a deal on track?
When an offer comes in, emotions can run high with so much money on the line. This is why direct seller-to-buyer deals often end in a disaster. REALTORS® keep it professional and are indispensable when it comes to bargaining with buyers.
  
How many potential buyers will you reach?
Selling a home takes more than just hanging a “For Sale” sign. How will you promote your home? Will you write your own ads? How will you use the Internet, knowing that you’ll have no inside access to www.mls.ca and therefore will not be able to post your home on this service?
  
Will you really “save” the real estate commission?
When buyers see a home for sale ‘by the owner’, they see a bargain. They imagine the REALTORS® fee going into their pocket, not yours. You may also lose days on the market, which means extra mortgage and bills paid on the house you could have sold so much faster with a REALTOR® by your side.

I hope this reading helped you be more clear about the path you should take. Let me know your thoughts on this subject or any experience you had as a first-time buyer or seller, good or bad.

 Happy house hunting or selling! ManuelaLovasz.com