The main reason people give for trying to sell their homes themselves is saving the commission paid to a REALTOR®. While that may initially seem to be a considerable savings, many find that they actually do not realize any savings by acting as their own real estate agent.
One reason sellers do not actually save money is that, based on a recent study, the average homeowner selling their home alone gets a purchase price of 15%-16% less than that for homes sold by professional REALTORS® and does not sell the home as quickly. In such cases, the seller would have received more for their home by using a REALTOR®, even after paying the average 6% commission, and would have been able to close the deal more quickly.
Any potential savings may also be offset by a variety of other factors including the time and effort required to sell your home alone, the potential legal liabilities that may be encountered by those unfamiliar with the myriad of legal mandates associated with real estate transactions, the cost of effectively marketing the home, and the unease many prospective buyers feel regarding negotiating directly with the homeowner.
Should you encounter difficulties in selling your home or wish to discuss how being represented by a professional REALTOR® could benefit you, please call me at [PHONE]. I'd be happy to schedule a free, no-pressure meeting to explore the possibilities of working together.
Sincerely,
[NAME]
[TITLE]
