The Homeowner Who Represents Himself is Dumb and …

by THE KCM CREW on APRIL 24, 2013 

With the housing market beginning to heat up, we are afraid some sellers may consider trying to sell their house as a For Sale By Owner (FSBO). This week we will be posting on the reasons that we believe trying to sell on your own may be a mistake. – KCM Crew

A well-known legal profession axiom:

“The attorney who represents himself is dumb and has a fool as a client.”

We believe this also applies if you attempt to sell your own home as a For Sale by Owner (FSBO). In today’s volatile market, you need an experienced professional!

You and your family need a skilled negotiator

In today’s market, hiring a talented negotiator could save you thousands, perhaps tens of thousands of dollars. Each step of the way – from the original offer, to the possible re-negotiation of that off after a home inspection, to the possible cancellation of the deal based on a troubled appraisal – you need someone who can keep the deal together until it closes.

Here is a list of some of the people with whom your agent will potentially negotiate on your behalf:

• The buyer
• The buyer’s agent
• The buyer’s attorney
• The home inspection company
• The termite company
• The buyer’s lender
• The appraiser
• The title company
• The town or municipality
• The buyer’s buyer
• Your bank (in the case of a short sale)

How do you know if an agent negotiates well?

Realize that when an agent is negotiating their commission with you, they are negotiating their own salary; the salary that keeps a roof over their family’s head; the salary that puts food on their family’s table. If they are quick to take less when negotiating for themselves and their families, what makes you think they will not act the same way when negotiating for you and your family? If they were Clark Kent when negotiating with you, they will not turn into Superman when negotiating with the buyer in your deal.

Bottom Line

You need a great negotiator. We believe that famous sayings become famous because they are true. You get what you pay for. Just like a good accountant or a good attorney, a good agent will save you money…not cost you money.

If you are ready to sell your home and wants the best marketing plan instead a sign in the lawn and a picture on a local magazine, give me a call and let's make your home shine and get it SOLD!

Noemi Cardoso
William Raveis Real Estate
911 Main Rd - Westport MA 02790
Serving Bristol County Ma & Ri
Fluent in Portuguese and English
www.DistinctiveHomes-NE.com
Cell 508-558-1945
Noemi.Cardoso@Raveis.com

FSBOing May NOT Be the Answer

by The KCM Crew

With the housing market beginning to heat up, we are afraid some sellers may consider trying to sell their house as a For Sale By Owner (FSBO). Here is an article we ran last summer that sellers should consider. – KCM Crew

This blog prides itself on the quality of real estate information we deliver each and every day. We try to gather empirical evidence to validate the positions we take. We do not use just an anecdotal story to make a point. We also do not get caught up in the sensationalism of the moment.

However, today will be different.

We can’t resist commenting on the story which recently appeared in the Wall Street Journal regarding Colby Sambrotto, the founder and former CEO of forsalebyowner.com. It seems the founding father and lifelong evangelist of the concept of selling your home without a real estate agent was forced to hire a broker to sell his home after failing at what he preaches others should do.

After failing to sell his NYC apartment on his own as a For Sale By Owner (FSBO), Sambrotto hired a broker and paid a 6% commission in order to get the job done. His personal experience helps refute some of the myths Sambrotto has been espousing for over a decade. Let’s look at two of those myths:

Myth #1 – You Will Pocket More Money Selling on Your Own

Most FSBO sites say you can save the commission by selling on your own. What happened in Sambrotto’s sale?
From the WSJ article:

“The broker, Jesse Buckler, said he told Mr. Sambrotto the apartment in the Lion’s Head building on West 19th Street near Sixth Avenue was priced too low and wasn’t drawing the right buyers.
By May, it went into contract, he said, after attracting multiple offers. It closed in the last few days for $150,000 more than the original asking price.”

Myth #2 – The Internet Alone Can Sell Your Home

Many have said that, with the introduction of home search on the internet, hiring an agent is no longer a necessity. What happened to the FSBO guru when he attempted to only depend on the internet?
From the WSJ article:

“Looking to move his family to the suburbs, [Mr. Sambrotto] said he carefully staged his apartment for sale himself, and put it on the market. But after using a mix of websites to publicize his apartment, he said he had only ‘middling success’ and switched to a broker because many buyers were so reliant on brokers.”

Bottom Line

There is a reason the real estate industry has been around for centuries: it performs a valuable service.

If you are thinking of buying a home in Westport MA visit www.DistinctiveHomes-NE.com for a free list of homes for sale in Westport MA.

If you are thinking of selling your home contact me for a FREE Current Market Analysis and to learn about our Market Plan to get your home SOLD!

Noemi Cardoso

RE/MAX Welcome Home

Cell: 508-558-1945
Home Office (Westport) 774-264-9085
www.DistinctiveHomes-NE.com
noemi@DistinctiveHomes-NE.com