Reason #2: You Might Not Need A REALTOR IF….
You Don't Mind Leaving A Little Money On The Table
It may seem that I am being facetious when I say "...IF you don't mind leaving a little money on the table", but I am not. While most sellers are looking to get the highest and best price possible, some aren't, or it is not their priority.
They may be looking to turn a profit, and if they are happy with that profit, and the transaction doesn't present risks, then taking the quick offer may be the right move. For example, a current client of mine is a land investor. He bought a lot for $5,000 and quickly resold it (FSBO) to my dad for $10,000. He was very happy. My dad did nothing to improve the lot and sold it, through me, a few months later for a $45,700. The original investor, even knowing what my dad got for the property, was not unhappy - he still make $5,000 very quickly, and at that time, he needed the cash very quickly to roll it into another investment which ended up returning him a much greater profit.
The owner could be looking to dispose of an estate quickly and expeditiously, for any number of reasons.
Or, perhaps the seller doesn't get to keep more than "X" of the profits anyway, so if the offer on the table provides that, then that is all he needs. I have seen this in divorces. One spouse is being forced to sell, and he/she only gets a flat amount from the sale, and in order to limit the profit of the other owner, refuses to list it with a REALTOR.
I am not being silly, ALL of these situations apply to some people, even though they do not apply to most of the people most of the time. If one of these scenarios (or something similar) describes you, and you've got an offer that meets your needs, or you can get an offer that meets your needs (without the assistance of a real estate agent) then take it.
Why pay a real estate agent to offer full service when they won't have to do any pricing or staging strategies, any marketing plans or showing, or any serious negotiations? Again, in this circumstance, just like in the prior one, FSBO (For Sale By Owner) may be the way to go.
You will still need some help - (see description of legal or limited service real estate assistance needed in REASON #1), but that should be far less expensive than hiring a full service agent.
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This is reason #2 of a list of the TOP TEN REASONS NOT TO HIRE A REAL ESTATE AGENT TO SELL YOUR PROPERTY.
Make sure you don't miss any of these posts... so stay tuned to THE REAL ESTATE WHISPERER for the rest of the posts in this series.
In the mean time, if you are looking for a honest feedback about whether or not you should hire a real estate agent, feel free to contact me. I work in the Dulles and Loudoun areas, and I am happy to spend a few minutes with you on the phone to help you recognize the facts so you can make a good decision.
Vicky Chrisner
Ofc: 703-669-3142
Email: VChrisner@KW.com
