It is true that homes are selling quickly and in some cases, even buyers offering over asking are losing out on a house. So, do you still need an agent when selling a home?
Absolutely, since getting an offer is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to selling a home.
Here are scenarios to consider:
ADVICE. What happens when you get multiple offers? (It is a nice problem to have)
The best offer may not be the one with the highest price. A good agent can point out the pros and cons of each offer to help you make the best decision for your situation. Maybe you will need to rent back until you find a new place. Can you negotiate that into a counter offer? Can they offer a quick close with no home sale contingency? Will they waive a home inspection? These are all subtle possible differences that make different offers unique. And what if some of the offers have an escalator clause?
EXPERTISE. What happens if the deal falls through?
You will start all over again with a new buyer once you get their attention back. How do you find them? Let’s say the first deal fell through because of defects found during a home inspection. You will need to disclose those defects – you may need to consider a price reduction or an allowance to address the situation. Your agent can advise you on what your options are.
NEGOTIATIONS. Are you good at negotiating? Because you’d be doing it a lot.
You’ve got the buyer, possibly the buyer’s agent, maybe the buyer’s lawyer – they are all working in the interest of the buyer. Plus there’s the appraiser & home inspector who all have jobs to do in relation to the home sale, all before closing. Your real estate agent would be by your side throughout to negotiate and handle everything else that happens after an offer is accepted.
TIME. Do you have a lot of time? Understand complex legal documents? Like deadlines that are all different?
There is a lot of paperwork involved in the real estate process. Plus, much of the paperwork is legally binding. Do you feel competent in representing yourself in something people do seldom in their lifetime – selling a home and major financial asset? Will you be able to take time out to meet with the home inspector and be able to handle submitting any paperwork to the right person – the buyer or the buyer’s agent by the deadline stated in the contract? As for deadlines, they are all over the place: five days for this, 10 working days for that, within 3 working days for this. There’s a lot more to selling real estate than the general public knows about.
MONEY. Think you will save the commission by trying to sell by yourself?
Well, if you do FSBO, you will not pay a listing agent commission. However, your buyer may have a buyer’s agent who will want a commission. And your time is worth money, too, right? You will be devoting a lot of your time to the home selling process. You may even hire a lawyer and they charge by the hour for every single thing they do for you. (Agents don’t get paid until a home closes. They can have hundreds of hours invested without earning a penny until they successfully get you to the closing table with a qualified buyer.)
In addition, studies have shown that homes sold with a real estate agent sell for a higher price. All that work you did and you may not make any more than if you hired someone to help you? Before you try selling your home by yourself to save the commission, please take the time to sit down with a professional real estate agent to see all the value they can offer to you, including the points made in this post. They will likely have some personal anecdotes to share from their experiences in the field.
First Weber sells real estate throughout Wisconsin: Metro Milwaukee and Southeastern WI, South Central Wisconsin, Southwest Wisconsin, Western Wisconsin, Central Wisconsin, Northeast Wisconsin and Wisconsin’s great Northwoods. You can start searching for Wisconsin real estate and Wisconsin real estate agents at firstweber.com
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