Here are five tips for how to tackle a home sale without enlisting a sales agent:
1. CONSIDER IF YOU'RE UP FOR THE TASK
Selling a home on your own means handling a lot of tasks that an experienced real estate agent would normally take on, including listing the home, reaching out to a network of buyers' agents, preparing the home for viewing and dealing directly with prospective buyers.
In broad strokes, selling a home requires pricing the property, promoting it until you find a buyer who makes an offer and sealing the deal.
If you don't have the time to devote to stay on top of the process, it could take you longer to sell the house and maybe result in a lower sales price.
2. GET HELP DETERMINING YOUR ASKING PRICE
Figuring out the best price to list your home requires knowledge of the local market trends. It's the type of information that agents have at their fingertips, but it's not exclusive to them.
"You have to take an honest look at what you're selling, and establishing price can sometimes be the most difficult thing," said [CFP Board Ambassador] Paul Jarvis, a [CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™] based in Fargo, N.D. Read more >
Associated Press
Alex Veiga
September 19, 2013