More and more Charleston home sellers think they can go it alone…. All they have to do is list their property on the Internet and post a sign in their yard – and Ta Da! A buyer will come! Right?.............
Unfortunately, this is rarely the case. According to the National Association of Realtors, more than 70 percent of For Sale By Owner listings fail to sell.
Most people outside the Real Estate industry are not trained in things such as competitive market analysis, proper pricing, and the intricacies of the closing process. Also, how can a home seller possibly expect to reach the right buyers? Buyers that are interested in their property and actually qualified to buy! Even though they might not know it yet, most sellers need a Realtor. The challenge is how to convince them of this before they’ve wasted valuable time and money by waiting too long.
Common reasons that home sellers do not want to use a Realtor:
1. Why should I pay someone a commission to sell my home?
o Based on a recent study, people who use Realtors net 16 percent more than FSBOs who sell themselves – and this includes the typical 6% commission paid to the Realtor.
o What you pay is irrelevant. What is important is what you get and how quickly. Hiring the best Realtor assures you the highest dollar in the shortest amount of time. Selling your Charleston home is one of the most important sales in your lifetime. Why wouldn’t you want to pay a commission?
2. My last Realtor sold my house in 3 days, and got paid for 3 days work!
o Getting a contract is great, but this is just the beginning of a lengthy process - including things such as inspections, appraisals, mortgage work, title issues, encroachment issues, surveys, timing of both parties on moving, and closing.
o In this market, it is an exception to sell a home in three days, and the owner obviously chose the right Realtor. The fact that it sold in three days does not mean that the Realtor did not work hard; perhaps it was the Realtor’s quick expertise in marketing that produced such fast results.
3. I think I can do it myself.
o Statistics shows that only 2% of homes are sold by FSBO and 98% are sold by Realtors. Do you want a 98% chance of selling your home or 2% chance?
o A good agent pre-qualifies buyers before ever letting them into your property, spends the time to market your property, is available seven days a week and handles all follow-up on inspections, financing, etc.
o Especially in today’s Charleston military market, it takes a lot of expertise to get a property sold. An owner can try it by themselves, but will most likely end up turning to a Realtor for help, after wasting valuable time. Every month that it sits on the market costs the owner money, and generally lowers the final selling price.
o When a Realtor brings a buyer, the third party’s interest is being protected….but who is protecting you?
4. Can you at least lower your commission?
o Commission is non-negotiable with agents that sell homes everyday. The commission is only negotiable with desperate agents that are not too sure of the service they are providing to the customer. Now let me ask you, do you want a desperate agent to represent you and negotiate for you or someone aggressive?
o You get what you pay for. We spend the dollars and time to market your property. Again, it is not about what you pay, it’s about what you net. The question to ask is not who will charge less, but who can best sell your property.
Remember - Who is going to pre-qualify buyers, advertise your property, arrange showings, prepare the contract and follow up on inspections and financing? Selling a house for top dollar is an intricate process that is not as easy as it looks. Hire the best Charleston AFB Realtor to sell your property, and everyone wins. You get what you pay for and to get the right exposure, you need the right Realtor. The right Realtor for your property will do everything necessary to get the job done and sell your Charleston home for the highest price.
Torri Jacobsen, Military Homes of Charleston
Buying or selling a home doesn’t have to be hard, but choosing the right Realtor DOES make a difference. I specialize in making first-time home buying a great experience for military families moving to the Charleston, SC area. Call or email today, and let’s make this your best move yet! You’ll feel right at home with me.
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