6 million American houses are sold each and every year.
However, the sales process is far from straight-forward. After all, real estate’s a whole new world for most people! Having the guiding hand of professional support can be a life-saver.
All the same, the costs involved lead many sellers to wonder: ‘do I need a realtor, really?’
We want to clarify matters! Keep reading to discover 5 key benefits of working with a realtor.
1. A Sale Is More Likely
Choosing not to work with a realtor is known as the ‘for sale by owner’ (or FSBO) approach.
It’s becoming increasingly popular with thrifty sellers. However, it’s less likely to work. The statistics say it all: 36% of people try it, but only 11% of them succeed.
In simple terms, opt against working with a realtor and you’re more likely to feel the sting of failing to sell. They know how to navigate the market your in and appeal to buyers – whether that’s socal home buyers looking for a home on the beach, or someone looking for 100 acres of rural land in Pennsylvania.
2. They Understand the Market
Understanding the real estate market in your area is crucial to a smooth sales process.
For one thing, it means you have a realistic idea of how much money to sell for. You know what people pay for similar properties in the area, enabling you to set a fair price.
FSBO sellers have to figure this out for themselves. Alas, that leaves ample room for setting the price too low (and losing money) and/or pricing it too high (and delaying the sale).
Think about it like this:
If I can hire the best realtors in my area, then I’ll get the best bang for my buck.
3. They Do the Work
Hiring a realtor is essentially like outsourcing the sale of your house.
Sure, they charge a fee for the privilege.
But let’s not forget how much you get in return. You can, for all intents and purposes, go on with your normal life while they crack on with the leg work. That’s all-important for busy people who’d rather take a hands-off approach.
4. They Help With Marketing
Selling a house is like selling a product or service.
The consumer needs to know about it first. In other words, it needs to be marketing effectively. Fail in this regard and, lacking an enormous dose of luck, the sale will never happen.
Realtors take the reins here too. They write a professional listing and advertise it on all the best online and offline platforms (including the MLS).
You gain more interest, and sell quicker, as a result.
5. They’re the Experts
Anybody who hasn’t sold a house before has a lot to learn.
Everything from settling on a fair price to listing, staging, and showing the house is an involved process. Then there’s all the bureaucracy and legalese that’s thrown around in the closing stages.
Realtors understand what’s what, and can walk you through it all from start to finish.
Do I Need a Realtor?
This post was designed to help anyone asking the following question:
‘Do I need a realtor?’
As we’ve seen, strictly speaking, the answer’s ‘no’. However, for a pain-free experience that’s more likely to end in a sale, a realtor makes all the difference.
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