10 Reasons You Absolutely, Positively Need A Real Estate Agent To Sell Your Home

Putting your home up for sale is a major event, with many important consequences hanging in the balance. Don't leave the process to chance, by trying to handle it all on your own. While nobody knows your home better than you, nobody knows how to sell it like a professional real estate agent. Here's why.

1. An Agent Will Know The Right Price

Calculating the precise value of a home is essential to a successful sale, but the process is complex and dependent on many variables. To agents, though, it's just part of the job. Whereas the actual owners of a house may lend sentimental value or reflect on their purchase price and how much money they've sunk into a structure, real estate agents use scientific methods to determine value and the most enticing price for current conditions.

2. Real Estate Agents Market With Unmatched Expertise

Selling your home is far more involved than simply hammering in a "for sale" sign on the front lawn. Marketing real estate today means listing it online in its most favorable light, with numerous professional-quality photographs attached. A sign can't reach someone a few states over, who is looking to move into your area and a sign can't communicate all the amazing features your home has to offer.

3. A Real Estate Agent Will Work With Your Home Inspector

A home inspection can be one of the most nerve-racking aspects of selling your home, but you don't have to really worry about it when you have an agent working for you. They'll meet with the inspector themselves and cover every base that needs to be covered. If you're required to do anything based off the inspector's report, your agent will explain it and offer advice on the best way to meet those requirements.

4. The Appraisal Process Will Go Smoother With An Agent

Another often anxiety-inducing event in selling a home is the appraisal, but again, this is where having an agent takes the burden off of you. Although you will need to inform the appraiser of all the upgrades and improvements you've made to the home over the years, along with other important data, the agent will likely be the one to speak with the appraiser, keeping you in the loop, but not dragging you through it.

5. They'll Qualify All Your Potential Buyers

You only want people who are actually qualified to buy your home coming in and looking around, otherwise, you'd simply be wasting your time showing it off. A real estate agent knows who can afford what and how likely they are to get the lender's stamp of approval.

6. You'll Have An Amazing Negotiator At Your Service

Real estate is usually a negotiable industry; therefore, the price of your home and other important numbers are subject to fluctuate. Getting the best offers means having the best negotiator working for you and this is something you probably wouldn't be comfortable doing yourself. Haggling requires base knowledge of many things, including the structure, neighborhood, current market trends and much more. Have someone who knows how to negotiate working hard to sell your home for the right price.

7. An Agent Will Help You Stage Your Home Professionally

If the thought of strangers parading through your home at all hours gives you a migraine, take comfort in the fact that an agent will know how to properly set your home up to shine it in its best light and will also handle the process of showing and/or an open house. These aspects of home sales are also down to a science, but you need not worry about any of it when a real estate professional is on the job. Keep all your showings noted on your fridge or somewhere else you're likely to see them, so you're never surprised by the ringing of the door bell. You want to be prepared for every potential buyer coming through.

8. They'll Work Around Your Schedule

Even though you can expect a parade of people coming to look at your home, don't think an agent is going to railroad your life. You can tell them when the best hours and days are for you and find common ground to open the doors to prospects. Understand that buyers may have their own schedules to work around; thus, you may need to accommodate a straggler or two during odd hours. All this cooperation should pay off, though, in the form of a successful sale.

9. Real Estate Agents Know How To Close A Deal

It's one thing to impress a potential buyer with your beautiful home and all its features, quite another to get all parties involved to sign on the dotted line. Closings can be a stressful time, with disputes and further negotiations necessary to satisfy everyone involved. Don't let the thought of this overwhelm you, as your real estate agent will be right there to handle everything.

10. The Stress Is On Them, Not You

Of course, going through the process of selling your home, even when it's handled by a competent professional, may not be the easiest thing in the world, but for the most part, the stress is on the agent, not you or your family. Ask many questions, provide complete and honest answers to their questions and between you and your agent, you've got this!

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