I've seen people trying to sell their home by themselves. What a slow long lingering headache that is. When we've used a real estate agent, it's been fast and friendly and it's done.

My mom went through a realtor and she sold her house in 24 hours. Do the math or should I say, let them do the math.

I would definitely use a realtor. They have much better resources for getting a house sold quickly. It just would not be worth the hassle for me to try to sell it myself.

Seeing as how I have the real estate experience, I'd do it myself and save the thousands.

I would let my brother in law sell it...he is a realtor.

I have sold a few myself and have made out like a Bandit on those deals. In this market though, I'd leave it to the pros.

A would use a realtor in a good market or bad, because statistics show they get you 10% more than if you were to sell on your own. Plus they are there to do all that dirty work for you. I know its worth it!

Selling it yourself will net you less than using a Realtor. If you take into consideration of even a modest amount of time involvement (6 weeks) you will come out ahead using a realtor. Think about the time investment... 3 open houses (3hours each), refreshments for the open house. Advertising of the home in at least 3 different papers. Buying the For Sale By Owner signs along with directional signs etc.. Answering the phones at all hours - worse yet- missing that phone call that could sell your home. Letting unknown people, unescorted through your home not knowing if they can afford the house (not pre-aproved thru a lender). Answering the SAME questions over and over. Buyers using a Realtor in which you will pay AT LEAST 2 percent for that AND the fact that buyers who look at FSBO's are loking for a deal and will offer AT LEAST 6 percent less than the asking price. Not to mention making sure the title company gets the right paperwork to transfer ownership. ANYONE with 1/2 a brain will realize that NOT using a Realtor will cost you dearly. LEAVE ITTO THE PROFESSIONALS!!

I would you a real estate agent. For many reasons. The best analogy I can give is.. you wouldnt stand trial without a lawyer. A real estate agents knows your rights and protects you from making mistakes or being mislead.

We would use a real estate agent.

The key in this market IS marketing. If you don't have a website, access to MLS, multiple venues to advertise in and attract the buyers good luck. Also, if you are trying it yourself make sure your price is bang on - even a little inflated will cost you dearly in the long run. I may be biased - I am a Realtor - but I work with alot of ppl that have tried it on their own, lost six months in a falling market and now their home is worth even less. Obviously, I do not work with the ppl that successfully sold on their own (I am sure there are some) so I do not have that information. I only see the downside later on. Best of luck to you!!

I too am a REAL ESTATE Agent...But my opinion is this. By selling your own home, you are opening your door to complete strangers. They may be criminals, casing out your home, they may be just looking around and not qualified to buy, or they may be investors and they know the "game"....and they are aware that you don't. You are gambling and the stakes are high. Legally speaking, it is best to have someone represent you so you don't make a mistake or misrepresentation. Law suits are rampant in the industry. Best to use someone with the knowledge and skills to make your transaction go smoothly and get more money for your property.

I am sure that you are tired of hearing from agents. However, I am an agent also. I have always been a do it yourselfer with just about everything. Once I took the class i am glad that I never attempted to sell a home on my own. There are far to many in's and out's and you are opening yourself up to liability if there are any mistakes. Let the agent have all of the liability and make you move to your new home as smooth as possible.

I would probably hire a real estate agent, but I would get one that has a flat fee commission. http://www.flatfeerealestateguide.com

Use a Realtor, but do NOT pay full commission. Everything is negotiable, particularly with lots of Realtors out there and a slow market. In Denver, you pretty much have to offer 2.8% to the buyer's agent or no one will show your home. Many seller's agents (the one who represents you) start by asking for 7% (4.2 for themselves, 2.8 for the buyer). If you are buying another house, you should be able to get them to accept 3.8 at the worst (1 for your agent, 2.8 for the other) because your agent will also earn commission on the house you are buying. I've had agents sell my house for free based on getting a bigger commission on the house I'm buying. FYI, I'm not an agent, but an investor. GOOD LUCK!

OK, I admit...I'm a Real Estate Agent too. I was going to pass on this question, but just couldn't. A few times a week I come across someone who thinks they can sell their house better on their own. I would say that at least 95% of these people end up listing with an agent...be it me or someone else. I know this because I track them. Bottom line is that if you have a GOOD agent, you will get the valuable tools that you wouldn't get without one. All agents, are not created equal, though. It's not about a big name company, a flat fee or a bunch of useless open houses and caravans. It's about 2 things: 1. Internet Presences and 2. Communication If your agent doesn't have a presence on the web...and by presence I mean high in the Google search terms, you are missing out on your biggest marketing tool. 80% of buyers use the Internet 1st before they purchase. If you're agent's website is not on the 1st page of Google, you might as well hire someone else. All of my business comes from the Internet(aside from referrals) and I get many listings because of this. Communication. Try calling your realtor at 8pm a few nights before you hire them. If they don't answer...don't hire them. Accessibility is huge in this business! Another aspect with communication is to "avoid the sales pitch". We're trained by nature to bring our little notebooks with all our flashy brochures and promise you lots of open houses and caravans. What a crappy business plan. The only year I didn't do well in this field was my first year....when I used all of these archaic marketing practices. Both of these are a big waste of time and waste of your money. Choose a realtor that brings the paperwork and talks to you on your level, rather than being all "salesy". That person will be a much better advocate for you. If you care to check out more info on Real Estate please go to: http://www.my-real-estate-resource.com for more info. Hope that helps!

We are planning on selling in a few years and I have a brother in law who is an agent....we will use him.

Try on your own first. Be creative.

I'll answer your Q, by asking 3 of the many Qs you should have the answers for: 1] How much do you know about the real estate business? 2] In these times of mortgage crisis, do you know how to properly qualify a buyer? 3] Do you know about title? The Qs go on and on. IF you are going to attempt to sell your property yourself, here are some suggestions: A] On an hourly or fee basis, retain the services of a knowledgeable rea; estate broker or real estate attorney. He/She should be familiar with the finer parts of the sales contract/Agreement of Sale and with the laws and customs in your area. B] IF you think either one or both of those methods may be too costly, you could retain the services of one of those "flat fee" offices or brokers. IF you still think that is too expensive, I'll ask you a Q my family's office asks those folks who insist on trying to sell their own properties ["FSBOs"]: "How long can you afford to tie-up your prooperty with an unqualified buyer?" When Buyers want to make life miserable for sellers, they can prevent you from selling for months or even years! They msy be able to sue you for "specific performance". This is very time-consuming AND expensive! It frequently happens. BUT then again, it only has to happen to you one time, doesn't it? Thanks for asking your Q! I enjoyed answering it! VTY, Ron Berue Yes, that is my real last name! Sources: My wonderful family! In the real estate business over 34 years in Pennsylvania. My wonderful coaches & mentors. Yes, after all these years I continue having them in my corner! THE ABSOLUTE BEST, MOST WONDERFUL real estate investment group in the world, which I was very proud to be a member of! "THE University of Hard Knocks"

Realators will have you believe that only a "professional" can complete such a complex transaction - then again, there are a lot of dumb blonds working in real estate. If your willing to invest the time/effort, and your not brain dead, you can sell it yourself and pocket the commission. Realtors -who needs 'em.

what if tomorrow comes and goes and you still ask it again, I guess the question would still be here....

Why anyone would consider using an agent is a testament to why you should not. Agents are great for selling those rare properties that are very very expensive or rare and therefore the owner may wish anonymity, but there are better and safer alternatives to using an agent. Here are some things that may help you debunk the myth of agents: (1) Selling yourself means you remain in control - Agents generally ask you to sign an exclusive agreement that precludes you from selling it yourself. Why? If they are so good at their jobs why is this an issue for them? (2)No one is better suited to sell your home than the person who lives in it. You spend more time in and around your property than any agent. Why give it to someone that has a general knowledge of the area - at best? (3) Knowing the market is all about ensuring you sell it for the right price. Simply engage the services of a property valuer and they will ensure they give you an accurate price or value for your home. Once you know this what else is there to know? An agent will tell you they know the market, but that isn't the truth, they know as much as you, if that in most cases. If you walk around your suburb weekly on one of your weekly walks then you have probably gained more knowledge than the average agent - Don't bee fooled. (4) Most FSBO websites allow you to advertise on the major real estate portals. The simple fact is that 80% of all leads come from the website or the for sale board. The rest are random walk ins or drive bys. No agent has an exclusive buyer becuase all buyers register themselves with numerous agents in the area and all buyers us the internet to find and look for properties. (5) Agents don't give your property the best chance to sell. Agents who have more than one property need to split their time between all their properties. This means your open inspections are convenient for their client schedule but not for your home (Afterall they have to hold a number of OFI in a single day). You not only have more time to keep aplace open but you are more engaged becuase you know the benefits of living in your property. You also know if things go missing before an agent does. (6) Agents are better at Price Negotiating is a rubbish statement. Hire a good price negotiator regardless fo whether you are using and agent or not. Simply put an agent always negotiates for two people, (1) you the vendor and his need to be paid that month. He tries his best to find the best balance, but it is never to your favour to use only an agent for price negotiating. (7) Ask everyone you know about their experience with an agent. The majority tell you they had a bad experience. Why? Agents are mostly interested in their own financial endeavors, not your outcome. For them its just another house, for you its your home. (8) Most properties are sold faster through FSBO websites than through agents. Not sure why this is the case it must have something to do with the fact that people get more money becuase they don't pay large commissions, so they are willing to sell when they get the right price. (9) Buyers prefer to deal directly with the vendor rather than an agent. Ask again - why? (10) Did you know that you can list to sell it yourself and list with an agent? If you have concerns about selling yourself always dual list. That way if you sell the agent gets nothing and you save a fortune. Think about this last point carefully. What have you got to loose? If an agent really thinks he is that good then this should not be a problem, after-all he knows the market and can get a buyer off his books - right? Most agents reject this idea outright! Wonder why? I would always suggest try selling it yourself first, then only as a last resort consider an agent. buyMyplace.com.au