Before you decide to take on the task of selling your own home - this very important and legally complicated process - remember not even most Real Estate Lawyer's recommend selling your own home yourself in today's market. 

 

Here are a few of the reasons why: 

 

1. You are limiting your exposure to potential buyers (less than 10% of what a good real estate broker will generate) which theoretically means your home will take ten to fifteen times longer to sell on the market.

 

2. The longer a home is on the market the lower the selling price is. Why? Because most buyers think that if the home has not sold after this long there must be something wrong with the home.

 

3. Because of the limited exposure you will very likely end up with a lower selling price. Remember, in order to generate the highest price possible for your home selling means exposure. You need the maximum exposure possible, to generate the highest price possible.

 

4. Most buyers find it extremely awkward to negotiate or even to talk directly with sellers and therefore avoid FSBO properties.

 

5. Lack of negotiating experience and lack of pertinent information often will result in a lower selling price, or worse yet, a bungled contract and possible lawsuits.

 

6. The majority of qualified buyers are working with experienced real estate professionals and realtors tend to avoid FSBO’s.

 

7. Many serious buyers will pass by a FSBO home merely because they recognize that it is not in the real estate mainstream, this can make people wary.

 

8. As most local buyers now retain an experienced real estate sales person to represent them as their buyer-agency, you will probably be negotiating against an experienced professional.

 

9. Expected savings in broker's fees will also be greatly reduced if you offer a selling commission to entice real estate agents to bring potential buyers.

 

10. If you are planning to use a Lawyer to help you negotiate the offer, then your lawyer's fees will be considerably higher than your realtor’s would have been.

 

11. Only real estate agents have access to the up-to-date market information. News reports cannot approach the timeliness or specificity available to agents. Further, real estate agents are involved in home sales much more

frequently than the average homeowner is. This familiarity leads to a degree of expertise that provides an edge on negotiating and successful selling.

 

12. You only pay the commission to the real estate broker if they successfully sell your home at the price you are happy with.