Stephanie and Tim Moore put their home in Wilmington NC on the market in 2017 as a FSBO, trying to sell their home on their own to avoid paying the real estate commission. The home sat on the market for 4 months without an offer, so they decided to hire a real estate agent to assist with the sale of their home. That agent was Leigh Saunders in our CENTURY 21 Sweyer & Associates Landfall office!
Less than a month later, the home sold for more money than they expected, $200,000, with the assistance of Leigh and the CENTURY 21 Sweyer & Associates team. In fact, they were interviewed by USA Today (read full article here) about their experience and had great things to say about Leigh and the selling process.
“We wasted so much time and it was so stressful to open our home to buyers when we didn’t even know if they were qualified,” says Stephanie Moore. “We wish we had worked with Leigh from the beginning.”
The Moore’s are now living the dream, traveling in an RV and managing an Inn in Bodega Bay, California.
FSBO (for sale by owner) represented about 8% of sales this year, according to the National Association of Realtors Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers. That is down from 15% in 1981. Sellers often opt to sell their own home in order to avoid paying commission to a listing agent, though that may hurt your profits in the long run.
According to Roslyn Gauntt, a real estate agent with Century 21 Judge Fite Co. in Texas, “A lot of FSBO sellers price too high and they may be putting themselves at risk if they’re opening their home to someone who hasn’t been vetted.”
The USA Today article also stated, “In addition to helping with pricing and security issues, Gauntt says agents can evaluate a home’s condition, and also stage, photograph and market it. They ensure the contract gets completed.”
Here are a few things that an agent can bring to the table when selling your home:
- Making phone calls to prospective buyers
- Holding showings and making appointments
- Advertising your home to buyers
- Holding Open Houses
- Managing contracts and scheduling appraisers, inspectors and repairs
- Saving you time!
Other Benefits to hiring an agent:
- Properties sell faster with a realtor
- Agents are trained in negotiation
- Agents are not personally attached, they just want to get top dollar
- Agents have errors and omissions insurance for legal issues
- An agent is a member of the MLS system, where 95% of the buyers are
- Agents work only with pre-qualified buyers
- Potential buyers are always accompanied by a REALTOR
We would like to take this time to congratulate Leigh Saunders on her sale and the amazing service she provided her clients. If you or anyone you know is considering selling their home, contact an agent at one of our offices today so we can help you through the process.
Wilmington Landfall Office
1612 Military Cutoff Road – Ste. 200
Wilmington, NC 28403
(910) 256-0021
Hampstead Office
16406 U.S. 17, #5
Hampstead, NC 28443
(910) 270 3606
Jacksonville Office
301-C Western Blvd.
Jacksonville, NC 28546
910-353-7755
Holden Beach Office
3446 Holden Beach Rd #3
Holden Beach, NC 28462
(910) 842-5500
Carolina Beach Office
123 Harper Avenue
Carolina Beach, NC 28428
(910) 458-3739
Historic Downtown Wilmington Office
21 B Market St
Wilmington, NC 28401
(910) 342-0155
Morehead City Office
4644 Arendell St B
Morehead City, NC 28557
(252) 240-2100
To read the full article in USA Today, click here: https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2019/12/03/homes-sale-selling-your-home-without-agent-worth-risk/2586107001/