Don't Go It Alone: Use A Pro To Sell Your Home

When the time comes to sell your home, you must decide whether to seek assistance from a real estate professional or attempt to sell it yourself. Take a tip from the use: You can save yourself a lot of time and trouble by listing your home with a broker.

People who try to sell their own homes are denying themselves the benefit of a real estate professional who is trained to sell real estate on the terms most advantageous to the party he or she represents. "An efficient real estate broker keeps the clients' interest in mind at all times, provides frequent status reports and has a clear understanding of the housing market and financing terms.

According to a 1991 survey from the National Association of Realtors, nearly 80 percent of the respondents sold their homes through a real estate professional. The majority of those who decided to "go it alone" had misgivings about doing so again. Among the major problems cited were the inability to sell in the length of time desired, the inability to sell for the price sought and difficulty in understanding and processing paperwork.

To maximize exposure and minimize problems, enlist the services of a broker. Your peace of mind and a great deal of money are at stake. With professional assistance, the home selling process can be made much easier. The following guidelines can help you find a broker to meet your home selling needs.

Once you have narrowed your selection of potential listing companies to five or less, contact each for an interview. Look for the sales professional who takes copious notes on decorating, construction, landscaping and any personal property to convey with your home.

The following questions may be helpful in selecting a broker:

Additionally, be sure to ask whether the company is active in the relocation business. Transferees and others moving into your area from out of town often have little information about the new community and little time in which to find a home, so they typically work with real estate brokers. As a result, if the company you select has a relocation division, the number of prospective buyers for your home could be substantially increased.

The size of a company, as well as its status as a franchise, independent firm or conglomerate, are all variables you should consider. However, your choice generally will be a matter of personal preference. Each variable has certain advantages to offer, but the reputation of a particular company is based on the knowledge, competence and professionalism of the individuals who work there.