Selling a home requires a lot of preparation and hard work. When it comes to real estate transactions, the seller is typically responsible for paying the commissions for the agents representing the seller and the buyer. Due to this fact, some people who are planning to sell their home seriously consider doing a for sale by owner instead of hiring a real estate agent to sell their home. While the idea of saving money on commission can be tempting, doing a for sale by owner is rarely recommended. You are much better off hiring an experienced real estate agent to assist you. Some of the top reasons that it makes sense to hire a real estate agent when selling your home include:
Pricing
One of the keys to selling your home in a timely manner is to price it correctly from the start. It is not uncommon for people to believe that their home is worth more than it actually is, so many people who do a for sale by owner list their home at a price that is too high. When this happens, the home will sit on the market and multiple price reductions will be required. A good real estate agent will do a comparable analysis to determine what similar homes in your area have sold for, and then will recommend a listing price based on data and current market conditions.
Showings
If your home is listed at a fair price, you should have a lot of interest from potential buyers. When you hire a real estate agent to sell your home, you can count on him or her to make arrangements for all showings. Your agent will communicate with the agents of potential buyers to schedule showings and will also follow up to get feedback. Your agent may also conduct showings and open houses.
Paperwork and Documentation
Many people do not realize that selling a home requires a lot of paperwork and documentation. Numerous forms need to be filled out, and after you accept an offer on your house, there is a lot of documentation needed. If you have no real estate experience, handling the paperwork on your own can be quite overwhelming. This is one of the big reasons that it makes sense to hire a real estate agent. Your agent will take care of all of the necessary paperwork and documentation while making sure that everything is done correctly.