It’s no secret: when the time comes to sell a home or
investment property, a small percentage of owners elect
to undertake the selling job themselves, bypassing the
services of a professional. Some are successful; others
are not.
Here are the Facts:
PRICING: Setting the price correctly is very important.
If it’s set too low, the seller will lose money. If it’s set
much too high, he may lose because over-priced property
doesn’t sell and soon acquires a stigma that makes selling
difficult.
EXPOSURE: Many people are not fully aware of the
importance of the Multiple Listing Service. Through MLS,
a listed property is made available to essentially all the other
brokers and salespeople in the area. In this way the property
is exposed to dozens, even hundreds, of potential buyers -
many, many times the relatively small number who might
respond to the owner’s sign on the lawn or to a classified ad in
the newspapers. More exposure, more money in the sellers
pocket.
SCREENING: Professionals routinely screen prospective
buyers and show property only to those who are qualified to
buy. Do-it-yourselfers must be prepared to open their homes
to everyone who shows up, including curiosity seekers.
SAFETY: When a professional is involved, he/she accompanies
all potential buyers when they inspect a listed property. Without
a professional, the seller may be placing himself or a member
of the family in jeopardy every time a stranger knocks on the door
and claims to be a prospective buyer.
AVAILABILITY: During the hours when nobody is at home,
the do-it yourself seller’s property is off the market for all practical
purposes. Neither a phone call nor a knock on the door gets any
response. The potential buyer moves on to the next property on
his list, and may never return. In contrast, property marketed with
a broker is on the market virtually 100% of the time.
SPEED: If fast action is important, you need a professional.
Because of wide exposure through the MLS and aggressive
selling techniques, property listed with a broker typically sells
much faster than other property.
DO-IT-YOURSELF-BUYERS: Expect to save all or part
of the sales commission. Why else would they respond to the
owner’s ad when it would be so much easier for them to engage
the services of a professional? The do-it-yourself seller must be
prepared for prospective buyers not wanting to pay “full price”.
SALESMANSHIP: The owner is emotionally involved in the
sale of his property. In most cases the owner has no real estate
or sales training. That makes the average owner a poor salesman
for his own property and particularly when negotiating price and
terms.
COMPLETING THE SALE: When a broker has found a
willing buyer, his work is not finished. It’s his/her job to see to
it that the transaction proceeds smoothly and expeditiously
to a successful conclusion. In actual practice, the services
of a good professional, frequently don’t cost the homeowner
anything; he or she is often able to command enough more for the
property to fully cover the cost of the professional service.
To phrase it differently, in selling your home, you might as well
go “first class” because it probably won’t cost more and it might
actually cost less.
Call or email me today for a no-cost consultation, or for our free,
For Sale by Owner Self-Help Kit.
You’ll be glad you did.
443-982-0075 www.baltimore-realtor-gregmoses.com greg.moses@remax.net
