Should You Sell?

It's a question some homeowners ask themselves every year. If you're one of them, you have some difficult decisions awaiting you. Because selling your home can be a long and complex process. So it's important to think about all the potential implications both positive and negative before choosing to go it alone.

To help you make the decision that's right for you, below is a list of some of the duties and responsibilities you would face as an independent home seller.

Pricing Your Home

• Your first responsibility as an independent home seller is assigning your home an accurate value, meaning the highest price a ready, willing and able buyer will pay.
• As part of that decision, you need to consider comparable properties in your area, current market conditions, as well as the cost of financing and availability.
• Remember that your listing should be in line with comparable properties and market trends ? you don't want your home to linger on the market or sell for a lower price than you might have otherwise received.

You should also remember that "For Sale by Owner" homes typically attract bargain hunters who may expect you to lower your price since they, too, are looking to save money on brokerage fees.

Marketing Your Home

• Putting up signage that is consistent with local ordinances
• Developing and paying for display and classified ads in your local newspapers
• Holding open houses
• Working to ensure your home gets good word-of-mouth exposure among your friends, neighbors and community organizations.

Showing Your Home

• As an independent home seller, you would be responsible for all showings of your home.
• With that in mind, always encourage prospects to make an appointment, and discourage drop?ins.
• Work to screen the "buyers" from the "lookers" — curiosity-seekers are common at "For Sale by Owner" homes.
• You should also pre-qualify potential buyers to ensure they can afford to buy your home.
• When the time comes to negotiate, you'll need to be prepared and informed.
• Try to resolve any doubts your buyers might have, work to keep their interest high and make a find agreement as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Once an offer is made, agree on the price and terms, respond to objections and try to be responsive and flexible to legitimate concerns.

Drawing Up Contracts

• Every independent home seller should have an attorney or another qualified individual to preside over all agreements.
• That individual will draw up the contract and manage the sale proceedings and closing. He or she might also help you set the closing date and time.
• You should be sure to include a list items you want written into the contract, including any personal property that is to remain with the home (like the refrigerator, microwave oven, dishwasher, etc.), or items excluded in the sale.
• Also remember that as the seller, you are obligated by law to disclose any material defects in your property to the purchaser.

Is a Real Estate Professional a Better Choice?

Selling your own home takes a lot of hard work and know-how. Making even a small mistake can spell serious trouble.

By working with a Real Estate Professional, you gain the services of an experienced professional. Not only does that free you from the time consuming tasks involved with selling your home, it gives you the added expertise to help maximize the profit from your home.

A Real Estate Professional can help you sell your home faster and for the best price by:

• Pricing your home accurately by conducting a Comparative Pricing Analysis. This research will help support the price with comparable facts and statistics.
• Advertising your home in the most visible outlets in your area
• Holding open houses
• Accessing out-of-town buyers through the nationwide network of Real Estate Professionals.
• Recommending ways to make your home more attractive to potential buyers
• Exploring alternative financing methods that can help relieve a potential buyer's financing concerns
• Scanning the Multiple Listing Service to locate active buyers through a special nationwide network of resources
• Acting as a third-party negotiator between you and the buyer, making sure the selling price and buying price are optimal for both parties
• Screening prospects so you don't have to expose your family to any stranger who knocks at your door