Occasionally, one can see “For Sale By Owner” (FSBO) signs. That’s because some owners believe that selling their own home will not only save them money, but also simplify the selling process.  In fact, the opposite is true. Here are some key reasons why you should not sell your home yourself:

  1. You are limiting your exposure to potential buyers (less than 10% of what a good real estate professional will generate) which theoretically means your home will take ten to fifteen times longer to sell on the market.
  2. The longer a home is on the market the lower the selling price is. Why? Because most buyers think that if the home has not sold after this long… there must be something wrong with the home.
  3. Because of the limited exposure you will very likely end up with a lower selling price. You need the maximum exposure possible, to generate the highest price possible.
  4. Most buyers find it extremely awkward to negotiate or even to talk directly with sellers and therefore avoid FSBO properties.
  5. Lack of negotiating experience and lack of pertinent information often will result in a lower selling price, or worse yet, a bungled contract and possible lawsuits.
  6. Many serious buyers will pass by a FSBO home merely because they recognize that it is not in the real estate mainstream.
  7. As most local buyers now retain an experienced real estate sales person to represent them as their buyer-agency, you will probably be negotiating against an experienced professional.
  8. If you are planning to use a lawyer to help you negotiate the offer, then your lawyer’s fees will be considerably higher.
  9. Only real estate sales representatives have access to the up-to-date market information. Real estate sales representatives are involved in home sales much more frequently than the average homeowner is. This familiarity leads to a degree of expertise that provides an edge on negotiating and successful selling.
  10. Accepting an offer is one thing, ensuring a safe and successful closing is quite another. Real estate transactions usually always have problems on closing. This is the time that your experienced real estate professional, can be the most important. Your Real Estate professional can act as a great mediator. Lawyers must act only on their client’s instructions and are not paid to negotiate.