Some people think that just because there is so much information online and it is readily available that they can learn enough about real estate to buy or sell their own home!  It’s true that it is possible.  But what are the tradeoffs?  Well, let’s think about it…

Knowledge:

How much do you really know about real estate?  Do you know what the market is really like or just what you read about in the paper?  How will you come up with a price for your home?  Do you understand all the legal paperwork that has to be organized and executed properly to make it a safe transaction for both the buyer and the seller?

Advertising:

Sure you can advertise your home by just sticking a sign outside and people will come by everyday knocking on your door, right?  Um, probably not!

Well then I could put an ad in the local paper…  Maybe that will work?  Well, what’s the circulation?  How many different newspapers are in your local area?  Do they charge for the ad?  How long will it take, how many months can I run the ad?  How many people will really read it?  Unfortunately not many!

I could advertise online with all those other people trying to advertise their homes online!  Ok, how long have all the other homes been online waiting to sell?

Advertising your home is a very important component of selling it.  Do you have the time to research the best places to advertise?  Do you have the funds available for the advertisement?  These are all things that are handled quite expertly by a real estate agent.  An aggressive agent that is working for you will advertise in many different ways: in print, on the web and possibly on the radio.

Time:

How much time will you spend chasing down the buyers or sellers, or writing and placing advertisements and looking up legal jargon?  If time is money, figure it out.  What is your time worth?  There is a ton of paperwork that has to be done.  Is a lawyer cheaper than the real estate agent?

Negotiation:

Are you a good negotiator?  This is a key element to buying or selling your home.  Again a lawyer could be used in place of an agent, but who will charge more in the end.  Negotiating with a construction company for a new home can be a challenge even when you are working with an agent, builders are in the business to make money not concessions.

Questions after the closing:

There are always questions after the closing regardless of how smooth it was.  Whether it be yours or the other party these questions may have ramifications if not answered properly.  Is there tax liability on either party, what is the correct amount, how was it calculated.  A good real estate agent can answer these and more.

An experienced and reputable agent will take care of all your advertising needs.  They know the market, they have the network of buyers and sellers already.  They have the knowledge to make sure you are protected properly and have all the right paperwork done at the right time, as well making sure you get what you deserve if you are selling or if you are buying, making sure you pay what you should and no more!  A good agent will even counsel you on making the right mortgage decisions.

There are so many decisions to make when buying or selling a home make sure the best decision you make is in hiring the right agent that will work tirelessly for you and your family.