Should You Sell Your Home Without a Realtor®?

If you’re thinking about selling your home, one question may be on your mind. Should you use a Realtor® or manage your listing by yourself?

When it comes to real estate, do-it-yourself is generally not the way to go. Selling a house at the highest amount with a streamlined close is challenging at the best of times. Achieving a satisfactory outcome takes an incredible amount of work in the background, as well as expertise in negotiating, marketing, staging, and home improvement.

In a softer market, it gets even trickier. If you’re planning to try to sell your house without a Realtor®, you should at least know what you’re getting into. Let’s take a look behind the scenes and see what is really required to make your sale a success.

How much will your home earn in today’s market? Find out by booking your free home evaluation right here.

Even a Seller’s Market Isn’t Easy to Navigate

If the market is hot, a simple sign on the lawn might inspire multiple inquiries. However, it’s critical to note that a successful sale requires more than an interested buyer – or dozens of them.

It requires a qualified buyer, one who has the funds and credit rating to obtain financing, as well as the commitment to following through with the purchase.

A real estate transaction falling through at the last minute can really throw a wrench in your plans for the future. Fortunately, this stressful scenario is rare when working under the guidance of an experienced Realtor®.

Want to gain more general knowledge about real estate before selling your home? The posts below will provide valuable insight:

• Real Estate Jargon-What It Really Means
• Know the Real Estate Cycles and Hack the Market
• Is It a Good Time to Buy or Sell a Home in Etobicoke?

Your House May Sell, but for How Much?

When homes are in high demand, you can be reasonably certain that your house will sell – eventually. But do you know how to present and price it so that you earn the highest amount possible?

Whatever your next steps may be, you are likely counting on the proceeds from the sale of your home. Most sellers cannot afford to leave money on the table, which means a high degree of expertise is essential.

You already know that you should make strategic upgrades to your home. The trick question is, which ones? Some repairs won’t have any effect at all, which is simply a waste of time and money. Even worse, some upgrades will actually turn buyers away, potentially leading to a lower selling price.

To top it all off, these trends change all of the time. One minute, gray flooring and light paint is in – the next, they’re completely passé. Unless you spend all of your time immersed in real estate, it’s impossible to know the difference. That’s where your local Realtor® comes in.

An experienced agent will work with you to determine all of the ways you can maximize the price. This often includes fixing small deficiencies and staging your home for sale. This ultimately benefits the seller by increasing the home’s selling potential.

What Happens When the Market Slows Down?

The value of working with a skilled real estate agent is demonstrable in a seller’s market, even when you have the advantage of low supply and high demand. Unfortunately, the good times never last forever.

What happens when the reverse is true and the market cycles back to favour buyers? Now, you’re the one scrambling to make your home stand out.

More than ever, it’s critical that your home presents beautifully. After that, you must bring your listing to the attention of the highest number of qualified buyers possible. There is only so much exposure you can get with a sign on the front yard and by posting on social media.

An experienced agent has a large network of other agents and a marketing plan to promote your home. The more people that see your listing, the more likely you are to find the perfect buyer.

Selling a Home Requires More Effort Than You Think

The tasks of getting your house ready for the market can seem endless. Even if you plan to sell as-is, you still need to clean, declutter, and arrange for marketing materials. If you want to maximize the full potential of your home, you’ll likely need a few repairs and upgrades.

Will you handle these renovations yourself or hire a contractor? If you plan to outsource the work, you have to conduct a lot of research and interview many candidates before finding the right fit – who may not be available for several months.

Once your house finally hits the market, you’ll realize that the real work has just begun. You need to advertise your listing, schedule showings, and then be available to show the home as often as it takes to find a buyer.

Selling a home essentially equates to a full-time job, which is why the best real estate agents work in the industry full time. If you’re already juggling a busy career and home life, you may not be able to keep up with the constant demands.

Today’s market can be especially intimidating for seniors. Fortunately, the resources below can help you or your loved one through it:

• Should You Downsize Your Home in an Uncertain Market?
• How Seniors Can Navigate an Ever-Changing Real Estate Market
• Why Work with an SRES® Agent as a Senior?

The Benefit of a Full-Service Realtor®

Negotiating with potential buyers is arguably the most challenging aspect of selling a home. Great skill is required to ensure you earn the maximum value while still making the buyer feel as though they received a fair deal.

This is not something most people feel comfortable with. Even if you did have the skill, the buyer is still likely to prefer dealing with a neutral third party. Once again, a full-service real estate team can step in to make the entire offer and negotiation process seamless.

Working with dedicated experts means making the most out of your sale while experiencing the least amount of stress. In many cases, you can even enjoy a completely hands-off process.

Thinking of selling your home? Our Etobicoke real estate agents can guide you through the entire process. Reach out today at 647-282-7653 or email contact@thompsonsells.com with any questions or to get started.