4 Reasons Why Hiring a Professional Real Estate Agent to Sell Your Home Means More Money in Your Pocket (& Peace of Mind)

It may sound counter-intuitive but hiring a real estate agent to sell your home is the smart choice!

In fact, if you decide to try to sell your home on your own, statistics show that it will probably take longer to sell AND the sales price will be LESS (in many cases significantly less) than the sales price had an agent been involved.  (There’s a reason why well over 90% of people who try to sell their home on their own ultimately hire a professional agent.)

Here are 4 reasons why hiring an agent means more money in your pocket & peace of mind:

1. Marketing & Exposure

A professional real estate agent in today’s marketplace is savvy in marketing.  She invests in herself and her business to make sure she’s up on the latest technology, software & platforms to ensure that her listings appear all over the Internet (which is where well over 90% of buyers begin their search).  

In addition, a professional agent is a master networker.  That means she’s a part of a community of other professional agents with whom she regularly communicates – including sharing homes about to come onto the market.  That often means your home is in front of other agents, even before it officially hits the market and on the MLS! That’s powerful…and can result in getting your home sold quicker than you thought possible.

1. Savvy Negotiation Skills

A professional real estate agent knows contracts.  She has honed her negotiation skills and knows how to best protect her client’s interests.  She has experience working through inspections issues (which can, at times, be difficult to navigate) and how to handle the buyer’s agent to keep the transaction on track.  A professional agent has been well trained and keeps emotions out of the negotiation (which results in a better result for her client)!

1. Valuation Advice

A professional agent knows her market and, therefore, knows how to best price your home.  Much to many homeowners’ surprise, the Zestimate is often inaccurate – at times far below market value and at others far above.  An agent will educate you on the recent comparable homes that have sold (and can tell you whether the seller paid any of the buyer’s closing costs, so you have a 100% true picture).  Finally, an agent can present different pricing strategies for you, giving you the best opportunity to choose the strategy that makes sense for you and your particular market. For example, one viable strategy may be to price your home slightly under value in order to foster multiple offers.  Only a professional agent can best advise you on the many pricing strategies and which are viable under the circumstances.

1. Avoid Costly Mistakes

So much can go wrong – big time – in a home sale!  Sometimes to the tune of tens of thousands of dollars.

As just one example, if you miss a deadline, you may be required to move forward under terms that are not ideal.  As another example, if you fail to disclose a known defect (simply because you mistakenly thought disclosure was not required because you fixed the problem), you may face costly problems down the road.  (Problems that could have easily been avoided had you known of your obligation under the law.)

Having a knowledgeable agent by your side to guide you through the twists and turns of the homeselling process not only saves you money, but it gives you peace of mind knowing you have a professional, working in your best interest, overseeing the entire transaction.