In tough economic times, saving the money that you would have to pay a real estate agent to help you sell your home can be a tempting idea. Sale by owner has become a fairly common practice in many locations, and in some cases it can be successful. But before you consider trying to sell your home without any professional help, there are a few things you should keep in mind-the downside to a sale by owner.

• Legal Details

Selling a home is a complex legal process, and there is a lot of paperwork that needs to be filled out, signed, and filed properly. While showing the home and hosting an open house by yourself are relatively easy to do, some of the more legal aspects of the home selling process might be a bit complicated for the uninitiated. When you let a real estate professional help you sell your home, you can be confident that all of the paperwork is in order and everything is filed properly.

• Tricks Of The Trade

A real estate professional has the experience to know the right thing to say to a potential buyer in order to pique their interest, and how to get more people into your home for an open house. It's that practical knowledge and inside expertise that makes it possible for a real estate professional to sell your house a lot faster than you might be able to on your own.

• A Matter Of Time

Selling a home is time consuming. Can you leave work to show it during the day? Can you accommodate people who want to see the house on weekends or other odd hours? Can you spend a whole day hosting an open house? Think about the time commitment that is involved in being your own agent, and be realistic about your abilities. Your real estate professional can do all those things and more, because it is his or her job to do them.

For sale by owner sounds like a good idea on the surface but make sure you consider all of the details involved before you decide to go it alone.

Having a professional by your side through all of the ins and outs of selling a home can make things a lot easier on you, and you can sell your house more quickly and more profitably after paying the commission. Contact us for more information.