On any given week, I usually talk to 50-100 homeowners who are thinking about selling their home By Owner.
One of the most used lines a For Sale By Owner typically will say when a real estate agent calls them is this:
Bring me a buyer for my home and I’m willing to pay you 3%.
Do you realize that what you’re REALLY saying is that if I find you a buyer for your home, you’re willing to pay me 3% in order to represent the buyer, work against you, and help you LOSE money?
Here’s what I mean:
There are 2 sides to every real estate transaction (the buyer and the seller). Both people usually have an agent representing them, except in your case, you’re representing yourself and acting as your own agent.
When real estate agents represent homebuyers, we have a written agreements with them that states we are going to help them find a home, at the best deal, and negotiate the best real estate transaction…for them…not the seller. Our job is to get the best deal for the buyer.
The seller usually has their own real estate agent, who’s job is to protect their interests and help them get the most money for their home as possible.
So if I’m representing a buyer who’s interested in your home, I’m obligated to getting the best deal as I can, for my client (the buyer). That includes:
- Helping the buyer get a GREAT deal on the home they like. Once they find a home they like, my goal is to get the seller to drop their price as much as possible so my client can get an even better deal.
- Make the seller pay my client’s closing costs (usually 3% of the purchase price).
- Make the seller fix anything that needs to be repaired in the house.
- Make the seller give my client a home warranty at no cost.
- Negotiate ALL the terms of the sale, in the buyer’s favor.
- Writing all the paperwork, contracts, amendments, stipulations, and contingencies in favor of the buyer and not you.
And you say you’re offering to give a real estate agent a 3% commission to bring you a buyer, even though that means we’ll be working against you and your best interests???
Does that make sense to you?
With over a decade of experience in the Atlanta real estate market, my team is filled with expert negotiators who are specialists in getting the best terms for both the buyers AND sellers we represent clients.
Do you really want to pay us (or any other agent) to work against you?
Exactly. It doesn’t make sense, yet hundreds of for sale by owners continue to run around offering 3% commissions to real estate agents, until I help them understand what this REALLY means.
Be careful what you wish for. Selling a home is serious business. There’s too much at stake to be unrepresented, especially since your home is likely the biggest financial asset you own.
Unlike other agents, I won’t sugarcoat things nor try to hide the facts from you, especially when these things can cost you money. Whether you decide to use my team to help you with your real estate needs or not, my goal is to help as many people as possible, no matter if you’re my client or not. Hopefully you can respect that.
I understand the reasons why homeowners try to sell their own homes without help. Usually they don’t understand what all’s involved in getting a home sold. It’s a lot more than simply putting a sign in the yard and posting pictures on the internet.
That’s why only 2-3% of For Sale By Owners ever succeed, and those that are lucky, usually end up selling their homes at a drastic price reduction.
As a real estate agent, I would never sell my own home as a For Sale By Owner, and that’s because I’ve seen firsthand what usually happens to unsuspecting homeowners. There’s just too many risks involved, and too much money at stake.
If it were up to me, I’d probably tell you, “Why don’t you do the right thing and let us help you sell your house quickly, safely, and for more money. You have nothing to lose.
But the choice is yours. If at any time, you decide you could benefit from the services of a client-focused real estate team, dedicated to selling your home for top dollar, please give us a call.
We would love to sit down with you, help you explore your options, and see how you could get your home sold for top dollar, even with a great real estate team on your side.