5 Reasons to Hire an Agent versus For Sale By Owner

March 18, 2019


When looking at it from the outside, the For Sale By Owner option, or FSBO, may seem great. Taking into account Realtor commissions, wouldn’t it make sense to save yourself that money? Think again. In most cases, people choosing to take the FSBO route end up losing more than that when they try to sell on their own. Here are a few reasons to consider forgoing FSBO and hiring an agent.

1. Keeping emotions out can be difficult


2. Selling a home can be a full-time job


3. You could be sued


4. Most buyers don’t want to work directly with the seller

Buyers like the safety of working with a Realtor. First-time Buyers need someone to help them navigate the buying process, including loan qualification, inspections, contracts, negotiations, etc. While more experienced buyers may understand the process, they don’t necessarily have the time to deal with it themselves. According to the National Association of Realtors, buyers work with Realtors 88% of the time. Why risk not being seen by the majority of the market?

5. You aren’t actually saving money

When you have minimal knowledge on how to negotiate the price of your home or how to market properly, the fact of the matter is that you are probably going to have to sell your home for much less than you planned. That loss is usually much more than the price of an agent’s commission. You wouldn’t want someone who isn’t a doctor performing your surgery, so why try to sell your home on your own when you aren’t a real estate agent? Let a Realtor save you time and money.
