Occasionally, you may see "For Sale By Owner" signs. Some owners think that selling their own home will not only save them money, but they believe they have an advantage over the sellers who have their home listed with a reputable Realtor©.  Before you decide to take on this very important and legally complicated process…remember...even most Real Estate Lawyers DO NOT recommend you sell your own home yourself. Here are a few of the reasons why:

1. You are limiting your exposure to potential buyers (less than 10% of what a good Real Estate Broker will generate) which theoretically means your home will take ten to fifteen times longer to sell on the market.

2. The longer a home is on the market the lower the selling price is. Why? Because most buyers think that if the home has not sold after this long…there must be something wrong with the home.

3. The selling/buying process begins AFTER the buyer leaves your home. Most sellers think that all it takes is for someone to see their home, fall in love with the great decor, and the offer automatically will follow.  Remember...the buying process begins after they leave your home. If a Real Estate Agent does not represent the buyer, and they are looking on their own…they usually leave the home and begin talking themselves out of the buying process. Professional Realtors© are trained to help buyers through this process so that the results are positive for all parties.

4. Due to the limited exposure you will be able to give your home, you will very likely end up with a lower selling price. Remember, in order to generate the highest price possible for your home… selling means exposure. You need the maximum exposure possible in order to generate the highest price possible.

5. Most buyers find it extremely awkward to negotiate or even talk directly with sellers and therefore they avoid FSBO properties.

6. Lack of negotiating experience and lack of pertinent information often will result in a lower selling price, or worse yet, a bungled contract and possible lawsuits.

7. The majority of qualified buyers are working with experienced Real Estate professionals.

8. Many serious buyers will pass by a FSBO home merely because they recognize that it is not in the real estate mainstream. This makes some buyers wary.

9. As most local buyers now retain an experienced Real Estate salesperson to represent them as their 'Buyer-Agent' through signing a 'Buyer's Agency Agreement', you will probably be negotiating against an experienced professional.

10. Expected savings in Broker's fees will also be greatly reduced if you end up offering a selling commission to entice Real Estate Agents to bring potential buyers.

11. If you are planning to use a Lawyer to help you negotiate the offer, then your legal fees will be considerably higher.

12. Only Real Estate Agents have access to the up-to-date market information. News reports cannot approach the timeliness or specificity available to Agents. Further, Real Estate Agents are involved in home sales much more frequently than the average homeowner is. This familiarity leads to a degree of expertise that provides an edge on negotiating and successful selling.

13. You only pay the commission to the Real Estate Broker if they successfully sell your home at a price you are willing to accept.

14. Accepting an offer is one thing. Ensuring a safe and successful 'closing' is quite another. If there are any problems with real estate transactions, they usually appear on or just before 'closing'. At times, expecting the buyers' and sellers' Lawyers to fight it out or resolve the problems can sometimes mean the deal is lost. This is the time when your experienced Real Estate professional can be the most important. Whereas Lawyers MUST act only on their client’s instructions, your Realtor© can act as a great mediator.