Many reasons presented not to try to sell your own home

Full-time Realtors have the resources to market your property

By Mark Schadenberg

When you borrow, you make something which is old – new again.

When you borrow someone's writing you graciously ask for permission because you want to recognize another person's viewpoint and research. Often, you could say it's not new, but something you previously knew, and required a reminder.

Mississauga rep for Royal LePage, Louise Cote, has written on her website (www.louisecote.ca) some advice for someone considering selling their own home. She presents many good ideas as if a present to anyone presently thinking about marketing their own property. 

I believe, a 'For Sale By Owner' or FSBO treads dangerous waters, just like someone who wants to tinker with their own car or install their own hydro breaker because it's time to stop fussing with fuses. In an email to me, Cote admits to borrowing info from a REM magazine (Publication circulated to Canadian Realtors) piece as well.

Enjoy the link below and keep in mind that the average consumer looking to purchase a home wants the expert advice of a Realtor and often would specifically avoid 'private-for-sale' homes as they are apprehensive about looking at them without a Realtor. Understanding negotiations, the requirement for conditions in an offer, and the true ability to access overall local sales stats (and in specific price ranges) is very important. A full-time Realtor knows the market.

I'm a successful full-time Realtor with 15 years experience and all with Royal LePage. It's a profession with crazy hours, but rewarding in assisting people find and sell homes.

Be sure to also peruse the REM magazine story below as well. As I mentioned it's a Realtors' publication, but with full access to its information by the public. REM discusses the importance of the fact that real estate agents working under a strictly defined 'code of ethics', and always receive more and more training with on-going credit courses.

The 7^th point in the story below about why you should not hire a private-for-sale company is most poignant:

You pay them, so you can do all the work.

Since these companies are not licensed to trade in real estate they are not permitted to represent you in a real estate transaction. This means they can’t answer buyer inquiries for you, show your home, host open houses, handle paper work, mediate negotiations, advise you on market conditions…and the list goes on and on.

Two more quick points from me.

I only get paid when your home sells, and usually about 10 days after closing, but in the meantime many bills have been paid including the pro photographer who conducts the narrated video tour, plus advertising costs, and the wonderful Wendy and other administration staff at our office(s).

Also, a Realtor's task is not only to promote your home to prospects, but also attempt to keep it top-of-mind with other Realtors. I certainly don't flood out emails every day to the local folks at Re/Max, Sutton or C21, but through our Woodstock-Ingersoll real estate board (WIDREB) and its daily bulletin (hot sheet) of price changes and new listings (etc), along with some gentle reminders to agents, it's all part of the machine we call Multiple Listing Service.

LOUISE COTE Blog Link:
http://www.louisecote.ca/4a_tips.php?topic=news_stips

REM Magazine Link:

http://www.remonline.com/9-things-fsbo-companies-dont-want-consumers-know/

Mark Schadenberg, Sales Representative

Senior Real Estate Specialist (SRES designation)

Royal LePage Triland Realty

757 Dundas St, Woodstock

www.wesellwoodstock.com

(519) 537-1553, cell or text

Email: mschadenberg@rogers.com

Twitter: markroyallepage

Facebook: Mark Schadenberg, Royal LePage Triland

Discussion . . . Direction . . . Determination . . . Destination