Reasons to Avoid FSBO (For Sale by Owner) – Consult with a Vancouver Mortgage Broker
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Reasons to Avoid FSBO (For Sale by Owner)
For Sale by Owner or FSBO might sound like a good idea on paper but it could it end up costing you big time.
One of the major appeals of FSBO is that people believe it will make them more money because you don’t have to pay a commission to a realtor. Sounds like a great idea, because how hard can it be?
You probably think all you have to do it advertise the home on some website, put a “For Sale” sign on the yard, or an ad in the local paper. Prospects drop by and someone falls in love with your house and you sell it. It sound simple but here a few hard facts you should consider before you attempt to do so.
You Will Not Get a Good Real Estate Listing
Realtors have one significant advantage over you and that’s because only a licensed real estate broker can access the Multiple Listing Service which is also known as the MLS for short.
You can’t! And, that is a big disadvantage because this is actually what most serious homebuyers use when they are looking to buy a home. Also, if you think you’re going to be avoiding out of pocket expenses then think again. Listing you home on any other website or in the papers is going to cost you money.
FSBO’s Aren’t Very Reputable
Credibility is a very big concern when you are investing $500,000 in buying a new home. The Vancouver real estate market is hot which means home prices are high. Buying a home is the biggest single investment that most people make in their lifetime.
Let’s face it – is a new buyer really going to believe you when it comes to making a full disclosure about any issues they should know about when they are buying a house from a complete stranger? Although I have no doubt that most people are relatively honest, it’s just bad business if you don’t disclose everything that’s negative about your home.
You could end with more costly litigation issues because you could end up being sued, and it might not even have been your fault. The issue or problem might only have appeared after you sold the house and you had no legitimate knowledge about it. You might escape having to pay a judgement, but there’s still no avoiding the costly legal fees involved.
Do You Have the Time It Takes to Sell a Home?
Real estate agents work wacky hours. They work when their clients need them and not the other way around. From evenings and weekends, when a client wants to see a house, it’s their job to do their best to accommodate that client.
And, if you and your partner are working, will you be able to take the time from work to show someone your home? Are you prepared to give up your evenings and weekends to accommodate a prospective buyer?
Are you really going to be getting quality viewers or just a bunch of time-wasting curious tire kickers who have nothing else to do? A real estate agent gets a feel about their clients and in most instances their clients are serious about buying, looking at and possibly putting in a bid on your home.
Another question you might want to ask yourself is whether you really know what it takes to prep a home for sale? If you don’t know what you’re doing and what it takes to sell a home, then you could end up wasting a lot of your valuable time and getting nowhere in the end.
Real estate agents are trained at their job and know what they’re doing so save yourself a bunch of headaches and hire a professional to the job for you.
