Am I required to use a real estate agent?

No. You are not legally required to be licensed sell your own home. If you have in-depth knowledge of the area, know how to determine property values, can research the sales trends for houses in your particular area in the last few months, feel comfortable drafting and/or signing legal contracts, are confident during financial negotiations and have the time, energy and desire market your own home, you can. If you do decide to sell your own home, be sure to use the AlphaHomes FSBO resources available on this site and you may list your home on our For Sale By Owner page, free of charge. AlphaHomes.com is here to serve you.

Why should I use a real estate agent or Realtor®?

Using a real estate professional makes selling your home easier. As experts in the field, professional agents will offer you up-to-date information to help determine the best price to market your home. They also recommend changes, repairs and/or improvements to make your home more appealing to buyers. On average, using a real estate professional means your home sells faster. A real estate agent will help you reach a larger number of qualified buyers by using the FMLS (First Multiple Listing Service, the MLS (Multiple Listing Service) along with other specialized marketing tools. An agent will also:

• Advise you of your house’s current value based on recent sales for similar homes in your area, the condition of your particular property, and the supply and demand of the current market
• Develop a marketing plan customized for your particular home and current market conditions utilizing Internet resources, traditional marketing techniques, and multiple listing services to increase your home’s visibility
• Recommend quality professional services — from lawyers and financial officers to contractors and inspectors
• Field phone calls and inquiries from interested buyers and buyers’ agents, ask pre-qualifying questions of potential buyers before showing your home to eliminate unnecessary disruptions to your family’s schedule, schedule and conduct home showings without requiring additional effort from you and follow up with potential buyers after the showing and answer any additional questions they may have
• Provide escrow services to accept and hold a potential buyer’s earnest money
• Manage the contractual paperwork, forms and other necessary documents
• Guide and advise you during the negotiation process and assist you with determining how to handle any items listed on the buyer’s inspection amendment
• Attend the closing and verify that the HUD 1 Settlement Agreement is accurate and follows the agreed terms

Jeff’s Note: Determining the sales price is the singular most important aspect of successfully marketing and selling a home. It is also one of the most difficult tasks for a homeowner to determine on their own. If the sales price is too high, there will be no sale and if it is too low, the homeowner will lose money.