This is a topic I’ve been seeing pop up more in conversations and on social media. The residential real estate market currently favors home sellers because of a high buyer demand. Many homeowners are wondering if they need to hire a Realtor to sell their house or if it’s better to try and sell on their own.

As a licensed Realtor, I may be biased here, but I’m going to plead the case as to why you need a real estate professional, even in the midst of a Sellers Market.

Attracting Buyers is just the beginning!

In a Seller’s Market, we have a high demand of buyers, so getting qualified buyers through the door is not necessarily a huge challenge in desirable communities.

I urge you to recognize that finding a buyer interested in your property is just the beginning of the process!

This post is meant to give a bit of clarity into what a Strong Real Estate Agent should and would do for a home seller.

Four points to consider if you are thinking about listing FSBO - For Sale By Owner:

Point 1: Do you know how to price your home?

Instant online valuations are not always the most accurate tools when pricing your home. A real estate professional who knows the local market and can put together a proper market analysis for your home is critical to make sure you price your home properly from day one.

Listing too HIGH can be detrimental to your proceeds. Buyers are anxious to find properties, but they are also scared of an over investment. Their agents will be doing comparative market analysis reports for them, so if you are way off, they will balk. When a house sits too long (especially in a hot market), you lose interest very quickly as everyone assumes something is wrong with the property.

Listing too LOW can leave cash on the table! A Realtor providing you with an EMOTION FREE, PROFESSIONAL price analysis will give you the peace of mind that you are entertaining offers within the appropriate market value range.

On Average, FSBO homes sell for LESS than broker represented homes.

Point 2: can you negotiate with a buyers agent?

Don’t forget… most home buyers are working with an agent!

Most buyers recognize the value in having a real estate professional representing them as a buyer and helping to guide the process.

Be aware that if you want to get all the represented buyers through the door, you will be expected to offer a commission to the buyers brokerage.

You will also need to talk to and negotiate with the buyer’s agent throughout the transaction. This is just one reason why having an agent in your corner to have those conversations can be beneficial.

Point 3: What happens after you find a buyer?

Once you find a buyer interested in your home… what’s next?

Do you know how to analyze multiple offers and determine who the strongest buyer is (HINT: It’s not always the highest bid!).

Do you know what you are looking at when reviewing the contract of sale?

Are you prepared for inspections and possible issues that you will need to address?

Are you comfortable negotiating inspections to make sure that you hold the deal together as well as keeping the conversations fair and amicable?

Are you prepared to work through any addendums that are needed as you move through the process from contract to close?

Don’t forget any township requirements when selling a home.

Do you have the time required to properly coordinate the process?

There’s a reason why real estate is a career! There are many parts to the process behind the scenes and beyond what you may see on TV shows!

Point 4: Can you navigate any speed bumps?

Although the general process is the same, there are twists and turns that can come up along the way.

A real estate professional handles this process for a living and therefore have experienced many of the challenges that can arise along the way. An agent can help make sure any issues are resolved amicably and hopefully keep a deal moving forward.

What am I paying for?

Yes, it’s true… Not every real estate agent is a strong one. This is a fact in any industry. Unfortunately, the poor agents give the strong agents a bad reputation and people may end up feeling scammed after a stressful process where their agent didn’t pull their weight.

This experience is understandably frustrating and would of course leave you skeptical about the profession.

The truth is…

a strong agent is worth every penny.

Here are 10 reasons it is worth hiring a REALTOR to list your home:

1. Your agent will provide guidance to prepare your home for sale. They will advise you on what projects should be addressed to both maximize your profit and reduce issues during inspections. They will also give you insight into what current buyers are most interested in so you can cater your projects and staging choices to appeal to the masses.

2. As an expert in the local market, a REALTOR will put together a comparative market analysis which reviews numbers like: sold prices of similar properties, how quickly properties are selling, and for what percentage of the list price they are closing. These statistics will help determine a realistic expectation as to what the current market value of your property is.

3. A REALTOR pays for MLS access. Entering the property into the Multiple Listing Server is the best way to reach the most home buyers. Not only will the listing be on every agents radar, but it will also populate to all the third party sites where buyers are searching (Zillow, Realtor.com, Trulia, etc.).

4. A REALTOR pays for all the marketing expenses from their commission. Professional photography, ads, mailers, open house materials, etc. Professional marketing provides the best opportunity for the highest offer. Buyers are shopping online and their first impression of a home will be made from the photos and listing description.

5. A REALTOR pays dues to have access to standard state contracts and forms to assure you are protected with language that was drafted and fine tuned by attorneys. Although most agents are NOT attorneys and may advise you speak to one in certain situations, they are well versed on the standard contracts used in a transaction.

6. A REALTOR is experienced in the entire process from Signed Contracts to Close. This is their job. This is what they do every day. They are a resource and guide for you. Their market knowledge, experience, business relationships, and continued education is incredibly valuable to you as a consumer.

7. A REALTOR is your fiduciary and will negotiate and act in your best interest. It’s very difficult to discuss and negotiate prices, terms, and inspections when there is personal emotion involved. Having the agents talk on behalf of their clients is much better for all parties.

8. A strong agent can help maintain your expectations and keep you focused on your goals. Emotions get the best of all of us. A REALTOR will be HONEST with you based on their professional knowledge and experience. You may not always like what they have to say, but honesty is in your best interest!

9. You WILL have questions! Buying or selling Real Estate is a BIG transaction. No matter how well prepared you may feel to tackle the process, there can always be surprises along the way. Having an agent gives you that contact to make sure you get the clarification and protection you need.

10. QUARTERBACK! There are many moving parts in a transaction and many people on the team. Aside from the agents… you have title companies, mortgage lenders, attorneys, inspectors, and the township office. A client recently told me that although they were well versed in the real estate process, they see me as their quarterback. There is a lot of coordination that needs to happen to make sure everything moves smoothly.

    In the end, if the process felt easy… your REALTOR did an awesome job!

In summary…

You are paying for all of the experience, all of the resources, all of the market knowledge, all of the advice, all of the guidance, all of the paperwork, all of the coordination, all of the negotiations, and the peace of mind of having someone who has been there… done that.

You are paying for an expert service that hopefully allows you to relax a bit and trust the professional guidance you receive. You are paying for someone else to do the work and hopefully bring you the best possible profit!

So YES… There is still an immense amount of value in a listing agent… even when we are experiencing a seller’s market.

Contact me today to discuss how my services might help you.