benefit from not hiring real estate agents. Buyers seeking to purchase a home sold directly by the owner may think they can save money by excluding an agent from the process, leading them to concentrate solely on FSBO (For Sale By Owner) listings. They might assume they can save money and make an offer based on that assumption. Unless the buyer and seller agree to share the savings, they cannot both save money—and that assumes the listing price hasn’t already been reduced to make it more attractive in the market. In my experience as both an agent and an investor, FSBO properties often have unrealistically high prices because many owners selling their homes confuse emotional value with actual market value. Even worse, some FSBO homes have significant issues that the seller knows a listing agent would be legally obligated to disclose.
Here’s a short list of the advantages that using a real estate agent can bring to your buying experience:
• Education and experience • Neighborhood knowledge • Price guidance • Market conditions information • Negotiation skills and confidentiality • The ability to handle paperwork • The ability to handle closing questions
• Assistance with arranging inspections, surveys, etc. • Guidance on contractors, cleaning services, and other pros to assist you after your purchase • Relationships for future business It’s imperative to know the positives and negatives associated with real estate agents before you bring one along to help in your search for a home so that you know what to expect and what will
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