6 Reasons Not To Do A Sale By Owner

Here are 6 reasons you should reconsider a For Sale By Owner (FSBO) and let Knot6 list your home:

  1. FSBOs can’t list their home in the MLS. FSBOs aren’t permitted to put their home in the multiple listing service (MLS) because these industry membership organizations are open only to licensed real estate brokers and agents. FSBOs are also locked out of many home search engines and web sites, including Realtor.com. Sure, a determined FSBO can put a for-sale sign in his or her front yard and run a tiny advertisement in the local newspaper, but the home won’t receive nearly as much exposure as it would using Knot6 Real Estate Services.

  2. Availability for showings. Because FSBOs don’t have lock boxes, that means the home owner will need to be present for every showing. There are numerous challenges with this situation, the most important of which is safety. Is the person who wants to see your house legitimate or not? Even if you accept an offer from a potential buyer, how do you know whether the person meets the income and credit requirements to close the deal? – Knot6 can help.

  3. Agents won’t show FSBO homes. In a typical home sale, the buyer’s agent receives a percentage of the commission that the seller pays the listing agent. Without a listing agreement, there’s no guarantee that the buyer’s agent will be compensated for his or her services, unless the buyer has signed a buyer’s brokerage agreement that specifically provides for such compensation. Even if a FSBO offers to pay the buyer’s side of the commission, most agents won’t want to go through a transaction with an unsophisticated, self-represented seller across the table. That means the pool of potential buyers for FSBO homes is limited primarily to unrepresented and probably unqualified prospects. Knot6 will find qualified potential buyers.

  4. FSBOs usually overprice their home. Like most homeowners, most FSBOs honestly believe their own home is worth more than comparable homes in the same neighborhood. Usually, they’re wrong. A real estate agent can provide an update on market conditions, an assessment of the likely selling price of the home, and tips for improving the home’s buyer appeal. Overpricing a for-sale home is a sure way to deter potential buyers.

  5. FSBOs are likely to stumble into legal trouble. Real estate transactions are fraught with potential liability for unwary sellers, particularly in states that have extensive disclosure requirements. A FSBO who overlooks even one required form or legally mandated disclosure could face a protracted and expensive buyer lawsuit after the transaction closes.

  6. Buyers want the savings. Even for those who do search for FSBOs, most buyers automatically deduct 6 percent from the sales price because they want the savings in their pockets, not the seller’s. The result is that many FSBOs end up selling for up to 20 percent less on average as compared with sellers who hire a  Knot6 Realtor. – Knot6 Agents are experts in Negotiation!

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