independently assessing the buyer’s financing, your own financing of the deal, house warranties, the closing attorney, and negotiating a deal with the buyer.
COMPARING FSBO TO USING AN AGENT
Choosing whether to sell your house FSBO or through a real estate agent depends on your situation and how motivated you are to take on this process by yourself. There are plenty of options and resources available to you that can help with selling your house, but as seen in the previous section, costs can become quite hefty, even without paying for an agent. When you use a real estate agent, most of those fees are covered in their commission rate. Even though 6% seems like a lot, when you break down the costs individually, it isn’t that much, and it can be counted upon to expedite the selling process. All in all, selling FSBO is likely to net you a lot less money saved than you might expect, in return for a lot more work, time, and stress.
UNEXPECTED COSTS
If you start planning ahead of time, you may find ways to reduce some of the costs involved, either by handling the tasks yourself or getting competitive bids. There will always be some sort of unanticipated expense involved—that’s just the way of the world—but there are plenty of costs than can be predicted and prepared for. Before the sale, here are some expenses you should expect: • Cosmetic repair, whether that means painting, window washing, carpet repairs, landscaping, or other fix-ups. • Staging your house to help impress buyers can be very valuable, but can cost you in storage fees, rental trucks, or new furnishings. If you choose not to stage your house 25
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