In representing you in the sale of your home, there are hundreds of functions I perform based on your specific situation. But the very first thing I do is LISTEN - I listen to you to fully understand your situation, experience, timing, and concerns.
You don’t want someone who’s going to put a For Sale sign in the yard and hope for the best. Look for someone who has aggressive and innovative approaches, and knows how to market your property competitively on the Internet. Buyers today want information fast, so it’s important that your Realtor is responsive.
I will ask you for details about your home - location, size, number of bedrooms & bathrooms, condition, etc. - and use that information to prepare a CMA (or Comparative Market Analysis) that shows what I think your house is worth.
Sales statistics show that properties that are initially priced too high eventually sell for less than properties that were correctly priced in the first place. Also, over-priced houses can take months or even years to sell, while properly priced houses usually sell in a matter of weeks or even days. We will review the market data together, discuss your specific goals, and determine your asking price.
Some homeowners think that selling their own home will save money and give them an advantage over the Realtor-using majority. Before you start down this complicated path, here are a few reasons why using a real estate professional is important:
1. You will be drastically limiting your exposure to potential buyers, which means it can take between 10 and 15 times longer to sell your home. Houses that take a long time to sell usually sell for less because buyers believe there must be something wrong with them.
2. Most buyers find negotiating with sellers extremely awkward, and therefore avoid For Sale By Owner situations.
3. Most buyers use a Realtor in their home search, and most buyers' agents will typically not work with FSBOs because they will not be paid. This means you will have to offer a selling commission to attract buyer's agents, which will cut into your expected "savings."
4. Lack of negotiating experience can result in a lower selling price, or worse, a bungled contract and possible lawsuits. It is probably unwise to pit your negotiating skills against those of experienced professionals.
5. If you plan to use a lawyer to help you negotiate, your lawyer's fees could be considerably higher than a Realtor's commission. Unlike Realtors, lawyers do not get paid for proactively representing your best interests or mediating delicate situations.
6. You only pay a commission to your Realtor if they successfully sell your home at a price you are happy with.