As you may be aware, there are two primary ways to sell and buy Santa Cruz homes. One, FSBO (For Sale By Owner), means just what it says – the owner sells the home. The second, of course, is selling the home through a real estate agent. What you may not be aware of is the main reasons why so many choose to hire an agent, whether selling or buying Santa Cruz homes.
Should you hire an agent? Of course, I’m going to say yes. However, what I really want you to do is make up your own mind after reading. Only you can answer this question because only you know your situation, but you need to know the facts:
Fact #1, for buyers – Real estate is one of the biggest areas of fraud in the U.S., and a fraud in which the scammer is less likely to be caught. Instances abound where an unsuspecting buyer has bought a home that still belonged to someone else. Someone else who had no idea their home was up for sale in the first place. You won’t be able to get your down payment back, because the con artist will be long gone with it. Agents deal directly with the homeowner whose name is on the title. If a licensed real estate agent represents a home, you know it’s really for sale.
Fact #2, for sellers – Real estate agents have access to many marketing venues that individuals don’t. FSBO sellers are limited to a few websites on the Internet versus the multitude of websites agents use to advertise homes for sale. With the knowledge agents gain through training and experience, the marketing available to agents, and the resources agents have at their fingertips, you have a much better chance of selling your home with an agent than on your own. If you don’t mind having your home sit on the market for awhile, FSBO may be the way to sell. However, if you need your home to sell sooner rather than later, you need an agent.
Fact #3, for buyers and sellers – Selling or buying a home isn’t as simple as “yeah, I’ll take it” and throwing money down. Selling real estate includes everything from negotiations and contracts to assessments and legalities. If either side doesn’t complete the steps correctly, actually closing the deal may be impossible. To be blunt, real estate agents are trained to handle the pitfalls of selling or buying a home and ensure that the sale goes smoothly.
Should you hire an agent to sell or buy Santa Cruz homes? To me, this isn’t the real question. The real question is: Can you afford not to?
If you’d like to work with a knowledgeable, experienced agent to buy or sell a home, I’d love to have the opportunity to interview for the job. Call me at 831.662.6522 or email me at Lauren@LaurenSpencer.com.
Links:
Real estate is one of the biggest areas of fraud
Pitfalls of selling or buying a home
I completely agree with many of the points that has been raised in this article. Kudos for posting such an informative blog. Selling, or buying, a house is an extremely big money investment. It is ranked as one of the biggest events in life. The experience, knowledge, and expertise of a real estate agent are a valuable asset.
Posted by Investment Hanoi on Friday, October 29th, 2010 at 1:47amReal estate agents do exist for a reason. A home transaction involve one of the biggest financial investments most people will ever make in their lives. And the consequences, if not done correctly, can last a lifetime. If the commission really is the issue. Then you show know that the majority of home sellers are able to accomplish their financial goals even with the commission computed in numbers. And, in the overwhelming majority of home purchases, the commission does not come from the buyer. This means there really is no reason for a home buyer to not use a real estate agent. Especially the first time home buyer.
Regards,
Ray
Ray,
Thank you for your positive and insightful feedback.
Best Regards,
Lauren
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