Why to Use an Agent When Selling Your Central California Home

Central California Home Sellers
Selling Your Central California Home

Are you ready to sell your Central California home? Are you wondering if you should use the help of a Central California real estate agent, or try to For Sale By Owner (FSBO)? As an agent, I highly suggest you use an agent! But since I’m probably biased, I’ll summarize some advice that KCM Crew recently shared on why home sellers should use the help of an agent.

1.  Negotiations. Unless you have professional experience with negotiating, you should probably leave it up to your Central California real estate agent, who does have extensive, professional knowledge and experience on the negotiating process. Even if you think you’re pretty good at it, keep in mind just how many people you have to negotiate with! The list includes buyers, buyer’s agents, home inspection companies and appraisers. It can definitely get overwhelming!

2.  Exposure. When you sell your home FSBO, you can put up a sign in your yard and put an ad in the paper, but recent studies show that only 21 percent of buyers look at newspaper ads. In comparison, 88 percent of buyers search online! Unless you use an agent to help you sell, you’ll be left off of a lot of the main MLS sites. Also, agents have internet strategies used precisely to ensure that potential buyers see your listing!

3.  Results. While 88 percent of buyers look to the internet for a home, 43 percent actually purchase a home they found on the internet. This is compared to 9 percent from a yard sign and 1 percent from a newspaper. That’s a big difference! The days of putting a sign in your yard and hoping for the best are over. A strong internet strategy is crucial, and that is exactly what Oak Shores Realty does for you!

4.  Paperwork. FSBOing didn’t use to be as difficult as it is now. Besides the internet strategy and negotiating, the paperwork involved in selling a home has dramatically increased! Industry disclosures and regulations have become mandatory, and as a FSBO seller, it’s very overwhelming to try to follow the rules and to not miss any of the mandatory paperwork. This is one reason why FSBO sellers have dropped from 19 percent to 9 percent of buyers over the past 20 years.

5.  Money. While Central California home sellers often think they’ll save money by not using an agent, sellers actually net more money when using an agent! Houses sold by the homeowner sell for an average of $208,000 while houses sold by an agent sell for an average of $235,000. This is where all that negotiating power and internet strategies come into play!

The best thing you can do, when ready to sell your Central California home, is to contact me, your Central California real estate agent! I can answer all of your questions, explain the process to you, and make you feel comfortable and confident with the steps ahead of you.

Grace Borzini
Your Local Lake Nacimiento Real Estate Expert
Oak Shores Realty

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Oak Shores Realty specializes in Oak Shores at Lake Nacimiento properties. Please contact us today to get more information on Lake Nacimiento lake homes. Oak Shores Realty can also provide you an insiders “Lake Nacimiento Buying Guide” with great information including maps and market information.

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