5 Good Reasons to Use an Agent When Selling Your Home

5 Good Reasons to Use an Agent When Selling Your Home

© 2011, Brandon Cornett. All rights reserved.

I recently sold a home in Round Rock, Texas, with the help of a real estate agent. I’ve also sold a home by owner before (FSBO), which allows me to compare the two processes. Out of those two experiences comes the following list.

Top 5 Reasons to Use an Agent When Selling Your Home

1. Objectivity – You are too close to your home to see it objectively. This can prevent you from pricing it realistically, and it can also make you blind to any improvements that are needed. My selling agent pointed out several things that I never would have noticed otherwise. He helped us see the big picture and understand the current real estate market. We had the home under contract in less than two weeks.

2. Pricing — We touched on this in the previous paragraph, but it needs more attention. Overpricing is one of top three reasons why homes don’t sell. (Weak marketing and a lack of preparation are the other two.) In fact, I would argue that pricing is the most common problem for homes that stay on the market for a long time. In many cases, homeowners are simply unable to price their own homes. They attach a lot of emotional value that doesn’t translate into real value. Your agent will help you determine a price based on actual market data, including recent sales and current listings.

3. Marketing — As a homeowner, you can only do so much to promote your house. A selling agent can do much more. Your agent will put your home on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) and other high-visibility websites. If your agent is a Realtor, he or she will also add the listing to Realtor.com. Most real estate agents have large networks to work with as well. This means you’ll attract more buyers, than if you had sold it on your own.

4. Negotiations — When I was selling my house, I was CC’d on a few emails between my agent and various buyers’ agents. This showed me how much price haggling can take place during the process. Over and over again! It sure was nice having someone else do this on my behalf.

5. Stress Factor — When you’re selling a home, there are usually 50 other things you’re doing at the same time. Packing and cleaning. Having garage sales. Making trips to the Goodwill. Working on the details of your next house or apartment. And so on. It’s a lot to have on your plate at one time. By relying on a real estate agent for the selling side of things, you’ll reduce your stress considerably. It’s hard to put a price on this.

These are certainly not the only reasons to use a real estate when selling your home. But they are some of the biggest reasons, and they’re enough to give you a “nudge” if you’re sitting on the fence. Make things easier for yourself. Sell the home faster. Use a listing agent!

Published on: June 24th, 2010 | Category: Home Buying Tips