Every month I get this question probably more than any other. “Do I need to use a Realtor to sell my house?” Like so many questions in life, the answer is…. well…it depends!
If you are selling your house you must first begin by asking yourself who will buy this house? What kind of buyer will I be looking for? If your house is in great condition and in a nice area you can be pretty certain that you are going to sell to a homeowner. In this situation I think you are crazy to try to sell it on your own. Here’s why.
- Realtors can usually make the house bring about 10% more than you can. They charge you 6% to sell it, so you do the math. Plus they do all of the work for you, which is the best reason of all to use a realtor.
- A good Realtor, and I mean a good one, is an expert on the entire house selling process. You want them in your corner. They can save you time and money and help you avoid a lot of mistakes. Most transactions are not too complicated. Sometimes however, a transaction can become very difficult. It is when things start to go wrong that you really need an expert in your corner. When the ‘fur starts to fly’ a good Realtor is worth his or her weight in gold. Realtors can also help you price your house correctly and give you advice on how to stage it properly. When a house is priced right and staged correctly it is much more likely to sell.
- When you list with a Realtor, your house gets more exposure to potential buyers. Realtors enter your house into the Multiple Listing Service, also known as the MLS. This computer database makes your house available to every Realtor in your area. Now you have hundreds of Realtors working to sell your house. Every time a Realtor searches for a house in your price range they will see your house. All of this exposure will help your house to sell in less time and for more money.
- Realtors have all of the buyers! Well, maybe not all the buyers, but most of them. When most people decide to buy a house, they call a Realtor. They are too busy to look at all of the houses on the market. They need a Realtor to help them narrow down the list. Besides helping them find the house, home buyers need Realtors to help them obtain financing, negotiate the contract, meet inspectors, and take the deal all the way through closing. That is why buyers use them. When you list your house with a Realtor you have access to this huge pool of buyers.
There are a hundred other reasons why it just makes sense to use a Realtor to sell your house. The bottom line is that Realtors are professional house sellers. They can sell your house faster and for more money than you can on your own. If you are serious about selling your house and your house is in good condition, you should consider calling a Realtor.
So when is it not a good idea to use a Realtor to sell your house? Remember the first thing that you need to do? Think of who will be buying your house. What type of buyer will you be looking for? What if you can’t sell to a homeowner? In some cases it may be better to sell to an investor. So you ask, when is it best to skip the Realtor and call an investor?
- Your house needs a lot of work. If your house needs too much work, you will probably end up selling it to an investor. Homeowners do not have the desire or ability to make too many costly repairs. Even if you find someone who is willing to do the work, the house will not pass FHA inspections. This is a real deal-killer. Most homeowners want a house that is in good condition and is move-in ready. There are plenty of nice houses on the market to choose from. Under these circumstances, you need to sell directly to an investor like me. I buy properties in their ‘as-is’ condition. You don’t need to fix anything or clean anything.
- Your house is not in a good area. Some low to middle income areas have been hit especially hard by the recent lending crisis. There are plenty of people who will want your house, but not too many that can qualify for a new loan. Most of these people will want you to owner-finance your house to them. If you own your house free and clear this may be an option that you should consider. If not, you may end up selling to an investor simply because you cannot find a qualified buyer.
- You need to sell your house quickly. One of the biggest problems with using a Realtor is how long it takes to get your house sold! In many areas it is taking between 6 months and a year for a Realtor to sell a house. That’s a long time. Some people need to sell much sooner than that. This is when you should consider selling to an investor like me. I can close a deal in as little as 2 or 3 days, or longer if you want. Basically, we can close on whatever date you choose. Sometimes people face situations where a quick sale is very important. There is nothing quick about using a Realtor.
- You fit two or more of the above scenarios! If you fit more than one of these scenarios I can tell you right now that listing with a Realtor is a waste of time. For example, your house needs a lot of work and you need to sell it fast. Or if your house is in a not so good area and it needs work. You get the idea. If this is the case, you need to call me before you list with a Realtor. I can save you time and a lot of trouble.
In these situations, you need to realize that if you list with a Realtor, you will probably still end up selling to an investor like me. This really stinks. I cannot pay extra just because you have it listed. Why not save the 6% that most Realtors charge and put that in your pocket? Most home buyers will need you to pay an additional 6% in closing costs. If you sell to an investor like me, you don’t have to worry about this. I pay all of the closing costs. Here is what you should do…. If you think you may have a hard time selling to a homeowner, or if you need to sell fast, then give me a call. Let me make you an all cash offer on your house. If my offer is not right for you then I can recommend a good Realtor based on the location and price range of your house.
I hope these ideas are helpful. As you can tell, I think that you have two choices. Either list with a Realtor and sell to a homeowner or sell directly to an investor. From my experience, people who try to sell their house on their own usually don’t have very good luck. You have to decide who is most likely to buy your house… a home buyer or an investor. If you are having trouble deciding, give me a call. I would love to visit with you. You can call me at 806-359-7653. You should also get a copy of my free report “Sell Fast in a Slow Market, 6 Ways to Make Your House Disappear.” It has a ton of good information in it, and it is F-R-EE! Click here for your copy http://www.sellmyamarillohouse.com/index.php