For Sale By Owners

Hello,
If you are thinking of selling your home without a Realtor, make sure you are prepared! There are a lot of papers, rules, inspections, and disclosures that occur in a deal. And although you may think that by not paying a commission you are passing on the savings to the buyer, keep in mind that those savings you give now may haunt you later!

Let's talk about this pet peeve: Disclosure! A lot of disclosure occurs, and from the last time you were in a real estate deal, do you remember what needed to be disclosed? It can be pretty confusing, and stuff could fall through those cracks!

Does the buyer have a Realtor? As I'm sure there are a bunch of good hearted Realtors in the industry, I'm not so sure that they would work for free. Now that "savings" you are passing just got reduced by half, or more!

How is your marketing? I'm sure that some of the online classifieds, such as Craigslist.com are being utilized. However are you listed in your regional MLS? Are you hosting any Open Houses? Have you checked the comparable properties to see if your asking price is too high (or to low)?

There is a lot of talent out there with Realtors, and there are a lot of people convinced that they can do the job themselves.

I like examples, so I am going to use one. If you were on trial for murder, and were innocent yet there was a stack of circumstantial evidence against you, would you represent yourself to save a few dollars?

Let me know what you think.
John