Should you List your Home as For Sale By Owner?

So, you’ve decided to sell your home! Now what? One big consideration that comes up for a lot of people early on is deciding if you want to sell your home yourself or hire a real estate agent to sell it for you. Both choices have pros and cons and we want to help you understand what choice is right for you.  

This week we’re outlining the pros and cons of selling your home yourself when it comes to three major aspects  of the home selling process.  

Money 

The number one reason most people choose to handle the selling of their home is to save money. The average commission for a selling agent is 5 percent of the sell price. That means if your home sells for $250,000 you will pay $15,500 of that to your listing agent. 

Some may view this fee as unnecessary and would rather do the work themselves and pocket the extra cash. While others would view this as money well spent and happily hand it over to the pros in exchange for expert help.  

So, what are the pros and cons of selling your own home when it comes to money? 

Pro: You keep all your earnings from the sell.

Con: You could run into financial hiccups if you don’t have an expert to advise you. 

Calling the Shots  

As the homeowner it may make sense to sell your home yourself since you know your home better than anyone. You also know how much money you would like to get out of your home and selling it yourself allows you to set the price yourself. However, real estate agents are highly trained in setting the right price for your home. Allowing a listing agent to handle this for you will help you avoid pricing your home so high that it doesn’t sell, or pricing it so low that you miss out on money that should have been yours.  

And while you may know all there is to know about your home, chances are you do not know everything about selling it. When you hire a listing agent, you are then able to fully rely on their expertise. They will be your guide when it comes to everything from setting the price of your home to filling out paperwork, to getting your home ready to be toured. You will have someone to guide you thru it all 

Pro: You have control over the listing. Calling the shots over listing price, negotiations, and keeping more of your home value.

Con: It’s going to take a lot of time, grunt work, and research to list your home effectively and get the most value from your sale.

Convenience: 

Selling your own home may seem like the most convenient option. You don’t have to go through a middleman (or woman). You can communicate directly to the potential buyer yourself and be in control of your entire home selling experience. 

However, selling a home takes a lot of time, time that you may not have. When you hire a listing agent you are handing over all the responsibility of selling your home over to someone who does that very same thing all day every day for tons of other people just like you. This can take a huge weight off your shoulders and free you up to continue living your life.

Pro: If you’re not in a rush, you can do everything at your own pace and convenience. 

Con: If you’re ready to sell now, you’re going to have to carve out time to handle showings and negotiations, paperwork, and contacting other professionals. Your agent could do all of that for you! 

Seling your current home and looking to finance a new home purchase? Let one of our mortgage experts help you today!