Risk 1 –Your Home May Be Priced Incorrectly.  How much are you asking for your property?  Is the price too high or not high enough to reflect the true value of your home?  Did you base the price on local market conditions or just choose a number?  What is your strategy?  Must you sell immediately or do you have time?  Do you know how to price for short or long-term selling?
Remedy: Price is one of the most important factors in selling a home.  Realtors® are experts in selling homes and have access to the latest local market trends and pricing information to help sellers receive top fair market value for their homes.  Realtors will also discuss strategies with the seller and make price recommendations accordingly.

Risk 2 – You May Be Wasting Your Money on Ineffective Marketing.  Are you effectively marketing your property?  Are you reaching enough qualified potential buyers? How much is it costing?  Simply purchasing an ad or putting up a sign is not enough.
Remedy:  By listing with a Realtor, sellers place a professional property marketer on their team.  From customized brochures, open houses and signage to advertising, online showings and more, Realtors ensure the seller’s property receives maximum exposure to numerous buyers.  In addition, Realtors offer the seller access to the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) where the property can be posted and viewed by hundreds of other Realtors and countless buyers.

 

Risk 3 – You May Be Wasting Your Time with Non-Qualified Buyers.  Anyone can respond to a classified ad – even those who are not even interested in buying.  FSBO sellers may show a home countless times, but who is looking at it?  Is the prospect qualified to make an offer?  Is s/he just looking out of curiosity… or for the purpose of committing theft/damage while you’re not home?
Remedy: Realtors pre-qualify prospective buyers by evaluating their financial position and their needs.  In addition, Realtors typically do not show properties to clients unless those buyers are financially qualified and potentially interested in making an offer.

Risk 4 – You May Not be Disclosing Enough.  What are you required to tell the buyer about the structural/environmental condition of your property?  Must you mention current or past termite infestations, flooding problems, roof leaks, etc.?  If you don’t properly disclose, you could be responsible for significant legal and financial losses.
Remedy: Realtors are familiar with disclosure laws and can guide you through proper procedures for disclosing underground oil tanks, well-water contamination, structural and other issues to ensure that you’ve met necessary obligations.

 

Risk 5 – Do You Understand the Paperwork and the Process.  What documents are required? Do you understand the implications of the paperwork?  How do you close the sale? Do you know what legal requirements are necessary to transfer ownership or what the attorney review process involves?  Do you know when to accept a deposit and for how much?  What financial protections should you include in the contract to protect you if the transaction falls apart?  How do you deal with the home inspection and what are your obligations to the buyer?
Remedy: Realtors personally guide and advise sellers through the entire selling process – from setting a price, establishing a selling strategy and marketing the property to matching a buyer and a seller, handling negotiations, finalizing an offer and closing.  Realtors manage the transaction so all parties involved are protected.