When the vast majority of Americans think about selling their property, they usually default to thinking of getting in touch with a real estate agent. Certainly, agents can be very helpful to the average property owner when it comes time to sell – however, selling on market with an agent is not the only strategy a property can use. With some hard work, research, and motivation, the average property owner can sell their home on their own, and avoid some of the fees that come along with selling with an agent. Below in this blog post, we’ll discuss some of the common considerations & costs associated with a traditional listing, so you can be armed with the info you need to determine if selling with an agent is the right move for you.
Pre-Listing Considerations
It is very important that before you decide to put your home on the market, you look at comparable sales information on the MLS, otherwise known as “comps”. You want to see what other people are paying for properties in your area, especially properties that look similar to yours (same number of beds/baths, square footage, etc). How exactly does your property compare to other properties?…it it nicer and more updated, making it stand out relative to other properties, meaning you can potentially list at a premium. Or is your property slightly more outdated, with some more repairs needed compared to other properties, meaning you may have to price your property at a bit of a discount relative to other properties to ensure your home sells? You always want to look at other properties through the lens of another buyer, because the buyer is going to want to get the most for their money. If your listing price for an outdated or distressed property is too high, your home will likely sit on the market for a long time, and buyers will start to think there is something wrong with the property…so you want to make sure you’re pricing your property so that it can be perceived as a good “value” for a buyer.
At Bluff Pointe Properties, we use a simple formula to determine the value of your home, and the price at which it would make sense for us to purchase. You can check out our site here to learn more info about our home buying process.
Costs Associated with Hiring an Agent
If you do decide to work with an agent, there are absolutely fees that you need to be aware of. Of note, some agents work especially hard to help you sell your property, and therefore earn the associated fees. However, you need to be wary of the agents that will try to do the minimum amount of work for you to sell your property. And of course, you should know the standard fee rate. In [property city], the standard fee for commissions on the sale of a property is 6% of the sale price…usually 2.4% goes to the buyer’s agent, and 3.6% goes to the seller’s agent. However, the total commission % and split between agents will vary market-to-market. There can also be other fees associated with working with an agent, such as marketing, charges for listing photos, etc. It is definitely a good idea to ask each agent what the total costs will be when going through the process to sell your property. If working with a listing agent, there is often a listing agreement that codifies this information, and you should definitely vet this info before you sign on the dotted line. Our site has more detailed information about this process.
Costs That You’ll Incur When You Get to the Closing Table
Once the closing date comes around, in addition to paying fees to your agent in the listing agreement, you will also have to come up with the closing costs. Sometimes this can be estimated to to be approximately 2% of the final sale price. Examples of closing costs include things like appraisal fees, taxes, deed recording, title search, deed recording, credit checks and more. With a direct sale to Bluff Pointe Properties, all of these costs are covered for you, because we pay them.
Time Considerations
When you list your house with an agent, there is some risk you assume. For example, you don’t know the exact price you will get for your house, because your listing price doesn’t always match the offer (or offers) you will receive….there can be a whole lot of variation here. Furthermore, you don’t know what the exact closing date will be…this date will be scheduled, but there can be many things that alter this date, such as issues that come up during inspection, issues with buyers getting approved for financing, and even issues with getting all the different parties (agents, attorneys, etc) to line up their calendars. This can make it difficult to plan ahead and move on with your life. Additionally, you will have to continue paying the monthly costs for the home such as insurance, taxes and monthly utilities. An agent can list your house for any price they want, however, that doesn’t mean you will get it. With a direct sale to Bluff Pointe Properties, you will be able to know the exact amount you will receive as well as the closing date before signing anything. We aim to make the process as clear and as simple as possible. We have many reviews from satisfied customers who are completely pleased with the process of selling their home to us.
Condition of Property at Sale
Finally, if you don’t want to make updates to your property before you sell, and you want to sell “as-is”, often times you can crowd out the retail buyer who is looking for a turn-key solution. There is nothing wrong with selling homes “as-is”, especially if they need updates or repairs, but retail buyers…aka, regular buyers looking to purchase homes on-market with an agent…will avoid “as-is” homes because they don’t have the time/money/motivation to facilitate a renovation, especially if a lot of work is required. In such circumstances, working with a direct homebuyer like Bluff Pointe Properties can be the ideal solution for you, since such companies buy the vast majority of homes “as-is”, and have a lot of experience working with homeowners in these situations.