Why Buyers Won't Deal With FSBO's !

    Many Sarasota homeowners believe that to maximize their profit on a home sale they should sell it themselves. At first glance, it seems as though selling a home is simple. Why pay a broker's fee for something they can do themselves ?

    Many For Sale By Owners (FSBO’s), after one experience of trying to sell a home by themselves, say that they would hire a professional the next time. Many say they weren't happy with the results they achieved by choosing the FSBO route. Why?

    Many Sarasota Florida area FSBO’s feel that the time, paperwork and day to day responsibilities just were not worth the money they saved in commissions. For others, the savings they had expected were largely offset by the fees they paid for advertising and to outside inspectors, appraisers, title lawyers, escrow and loan officers. They feel they would have been better off paying a Sarasota real estate broker fee which would have included many of these costs and charges.

    Selling a home in Sarasota or elsewhere requires an understanding of the Sarasota real estate market and its dynamics. If a home is priced too high, it will sit on the market and become "stale" and develop a reputation for being a "problem property." If the home is priced too low, then you lose money that should have been yours.  Some FSBO’s discover that the money lost as a result of poor pricing decisions and their lack of experience at price negotiation more than offset the commission they would have paid.

    Don't forget your potential buyers. Sarasota real estate buyers tend to distrust FSBOs for a number of reasons. First, it is common knowledge that many FSBO homes are badly overpriced. Why would a buyer negotiate price without knowledge of what comparable properties sold for recently. They can easily determine that with the help of a Sarasota Realtor. And, haggling over price isn't something most people like to do over something as personal as your home. With a Realtor, they know they've got a professional negotiator working for them.  Finally, what assurance does that Sarasota home buyer have that the myriad details will be taken care of. On what basis should the buyer trust that the FSBO seller will "cover all the bases" and "do the right thing." The FSBO seller certainly isn't looking out for the buyer

    Before you decide to sell your Sarasota real estate property by yourself, consider these questions and weigh the risks of assuming all the responsibility versus employing a professional.

Questions To Consider Before you try selling a Sarasota home by yourself

Am I capable of handling a legally-binding contract on my own and can I handle any buyer disputes before or after an offer?

    Are you well schooled on Florida real estate laws?Can you handle all the kinds of buyer/seller disputes that can occur between offer and closing. Most home sales that fall through do so over disagreements over what one party or the other "thought" had been agreed to. There's an old saying (and its also the law in most states) in real estate circles that's worth knowing: "If it ain't in writing; it never happened !"

Do I have the time and energy to devote to selling this home?

    A key to selling your home is "accessibility" - being prepared to "show" the home anytime, any day, any evening, and all through weekends.  Many homes remain on the market longer than necessary because the owner was unavailable to show the property when a prospective Buyer wanted to see it.

Am I prepared to deal with all the Sarasota home buyers who see FSBO’s as easy targets for low-balling?

    One of the challenges of selling a home is screening unqualified prospects and dealing with professional low-ballers, not to mention the unsavory characters who may just case your home for a future break-in.  The time, effort and expertise to spot these problems is not something you learn overnight. Sarasota real estate agents have spent years learning how to recognize and screen them.

Am I offering the right financing options? Can I answer questions about different financing options?

    Another key to selling a Sarasota area home is to have all the information the potential buyer needs to suit their needs or priorities. The last time you purchased something like a car did you decide to buy before you knew the financing options? By offering financing options, you allow the home buyer to pick one and buy your home quickly. Without it, they may wander off and see another home almost as nice as yours except that it came with a professional Realtor® who offered easy-to-understand financing options. A professional Sarasota real estate agent has a complete team, from lenders to title companies at their disposal.

Do I fully understand the legal ramifications and necessary steps required to sell a home?

    Many Sarasota home sales have been lost due to incomplete paperwork, poorly done inspections or failure to meet Florida Disclosure Laws. Unless you know all the steps to sell real estate, a professional real estate agent would be a wise choice for this reason alone.

    If these questions have raised concerns, speak with a licensed and professional listing agent before you try "going it alone."