For First-Time Home Sellers: Do you need a real estate agent to sell your home?

To put it in a nutshell, no. It is no surprise that selling a house is more of a headache than buying one, especially if you are doing it for the first time. Nonetheless, the inevitable need to move out of the house owing to certain factors like work-related issues or family concerns, force people to put up their house on sale. More often than not, first-timers find it difficult to sell a house without the help of a real estate agent and end up paying up a huge amount of commission. With escalating prices and demands, the commission rates have spiked too. While some do not find it too much of a burden, most others prefer to get it done without the help of a realtor.

Real estate agents might be a need but not a necessity

Yes, you heard it right. With the help of real estate agents, you could easily sell your house with no hindrance and burden. For people who have deep pockets, hiring realtors to do their job for them is a seemingly better option. But for those who are not willing to shell out a few extra bucks to get the job done easily would most definitely want to sell it on their own accord, considering that they have time and energy to do the same. This article has been specifically developed for those who want to avoid hiring a real estate advisor to sell their house. Given below are a few tips that could help you in your endeavour.

1. Accurate pricing of the house

This might probably be the toughest thing to do of all the other tips listed here but will definitely help you get the job done efficiently. To start with, analyse the comparable sales in your area and prepare a value estimate. Without a doubt, it is easier said than done. If you are unsure how to proceed, interact with your neighbours and people in your area. For people who possess exemplary interpersonal skills, this will be a cake walk. This process of preparing a value estimate for your property is called Comparative Market Analysis and requires a ton of experience but could be executed nonetheless. This analysis will help you fix an accurate price for your house.

2. Preparing the house for listing

Alright, we understand that you have conducted all necessary maintenance and servicing of the property. But to make the best impression on any buyer, your property must be show-ready before you list it for sale on various platforms. If you think you have completed every possible repairs and renovation, get a home inspector to check the property for you. An inspector’s valuation plays a very important role for prospective buyers, and an approval from the same person will enhance the chances of a successful sale. In case the house does not pass the validation, it is imperative that you conduct the necessary overhaul and then list it for sale. Ignoring to do so will cost you dearly, be warned.

3. Listing the house for sale

The second toughest task on this list and most hated by many is listing a property. Once you are done with the market analysis and house preparation, it is now time for you to put up your house for sale. You could either run adverts on print media or list your property on internet service aggregators and property websites. A golden rule to grab people’s attention is to display quality photographs online, so get a good photographer to click the pictures of your house. If possible, arrange for a virtual tour of your property on the online listings to get a better response. If you are running advertisements in newspapers, make sure to display the exact features and specifications of the house. Expect success only after taking care of such small nuances.

4. Offering home showings

Once you have listed your property for sale, be prepared to show around the house for all potential buyers. Please remember to be flexible while doing so. If it bothers you to have strangers on your property with your family around, it would be better to send them away for the weekend while you stay back to show the house. If your house is filled up with unnecessary items, it is advisable to clear the clutter before offering buyers to show around the house. After all, a clutter-free environment is most probable to impress.

5. Responding to offers

Once your house has been listed for sale, you are bound to receive offers. Regardless of whether you like the offer or not, it is your responsibility to respond promptly to all offers. Some offers are time-bound, so ensure that you never make a buyer wait for your reply. Remember, potential buyers have umpteen number of options to choose from, but you only have to sell one property and arrogance yields no result. If you are selling a property today, it only means that you intend to buy another tomorrow. If you do not want to have a bad experience as a buyer, make sure you do not make other buyers feel the same when it is you on the selling side.

6. Moving out

Often, people who buy a house tend to buy another within a short span of time. Considering that you followed all the above tips and sold your house for a good price, it is important to have a plan of action. If you have not shifted already or are not ready to shift in a short span of time, you might end up in trouble. So, prepare a plan beforehand and act accordingly. Furthermore, moving to another place costs a lot so book moving services well in advance to save a couple of bucks. If you time it right, you might save big in this aspect as well.

Conclusion:

Although it might prove to be a little difficult, it is not entirely impossible to sell a house on your own. With the help of real estate agents, your tasks become easy and stress level lowers drastically but might be outside the budget for many. The above-mentioned tips are particularly helpful to people who are looking forward to selling their homes without the assistance of any realtor. If you are planning to sell your home, you ought to know that this demands a lot of time, energy and knowledge investment so be prepared to give your best. Good luck!