If you are trying to sell your house, you can probably recite the three ways you can sell a property. You are aware of them because you are knee-deep in the selling process. However, if you are just at the beginning stages of putting your house on the market, you may have questions about the three methods and which one will be the right one for you. Here is some quick information on the three ways and you can make the final decision based on these facts.
Real Estate Agent/Broker- This is the most common way to deal with a real estate transaction. Because the agent is knowledgeable about real estate, they can help determine the best price, actions for a success, and even provide you with the contracts and paperwork. While this method may seem like the easiest way to sell a house that is not always the case. You are completely dependent on the agent and even if you provide a buyer, the agent will be paid. You could do more than 80% of the work, yet you still have to pay a commission to the agent who did the rest. This can seem unfair to many sellers because many times the listing price has to be lowered to be accommodating to buyers in this market. It may be necessary for you to pay the agent commission out of your own pocket or to balance the lowered price with concessions taken from the overall profit you stand to make. Not only can this feel unfair, it may not be financially possible for you at the time.
An agent is a great option when you are in another city or travel. If you cannot arrange the showings and the questions, the agent can take over and be your representative. Even if you find a buyer, the agent will arrange the showing, the paperwork, and you will feel as though they have done their job and should be paid. If you are not a people-person and do not want to work with other people, you should probably hire an agent to help you.
For Sale by Owner- This option is becoming more and more popular. With the increase in inventory, having an agent that will do their best for your property is getting harder and harder to find. They are swamped with listings but can't devote their time to each one. You may not even be able to get an agent to host an open house. You could easily do the work and use a lawyer for the contracts side of things. The cost of a lawyer for the real estate contracts will be minimal. When you find a lawyer who practices exclusively in real estate law, they will have available contracts and will just merely have to personalize them for your situation. This will take only a couple hours and that price in comparison to a commission for an agent is minimal. You will definitely save money by using this option but if you not around due to work or travel obligations, this is not a good choice for you. When you do a FSBO type of sale, you have to be able to have showings, answer questions, and have the ability to work with potential buyers. If your work or life keeps you too busy, this would not be the preferred method for you.
Investor or Investment Company - This is an option that many people may not consider. There is a fear of the unknown and this process is not as well-known as the traditional ways. Many sellers feel that this option is only for those properties that are "ugly" because they have seen signs stating "we buy houses." In reality, investors like any and all types of houses. If a house is in good condition, they can turn it around in a shorter amount of time and while the profit may not be as large, it can give them leverage for other, future deals. Don't discount this option because you don't know much about it. It can be the fastest way to sell your house and give you the highest dollar amount as well. Just because you use the other methods, you are not guaranteed the listing price you want. You may have to lower the listing price and wait around a lot longer than you had planned. This basically means every day you are losing money so why not start off with an investment company and move on quickly?
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