Obviously as a real estate agent, I think everyone should list their homes for sale with a REALTOR®, and if they are in the Asheville area, I believe they should list with me.

A recent study by the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) showed

The median home price for sellers who used an agent was $247,000; the median price for a FSBO-sold home was $187,200.

This same study concluded that for 2006, only 12% of homes sold are sold FSBO with 88% being sold using a real estate agent. Many of those who do sell their homes FSBO, actually paid a buyer’s agent to bring them a buyer so they had no representation for themselves but the buyer did. They don’t often tell their friends, family or those conducting surveys that they were unable to sell their home without the help of a buyer’s agent. Some estimate that less than 8% of all home sales are truly conducted with no agent involved.

The NAR study also indicated

Twelve percent of recent home sales were completed by the sellers themselves. Of those FSBO transactions, 40 percent of sellers knew the buyer. Sellers in small towns and rural areas are more likely to sell without the assistance of a real estate agent than are those in urban, resort or suburban locations.The most frequently cited reason given by FSBO sellers (51 percent) was that they did not want to pay the real estate agent’s commission. A significant share (22 percent) did not use an agent because they sold their home to a friend or relative. Among sellers who sold their home without ever using an agent, 22 percent noted that the main reason for selling as FSBO was that they sold it to someone they knew.

The study also went on to say

While the survey data does not explain the price difference, FSBOs face challenges that agent-assisted sellers do not. Agents know best how to prepare a home and maximize its value; they provide broader exposure to the market and thus the homes are more likely to generate multiple offers. In addition, sales that are between private parties are likely to be at a lower price than those on the open market.FSBO sellers must make many key decisions about how to price and market their home, often based on limited experience. The most difficult task, cited by 18 percent of FSBOs, was preparing or fixing up the home for sale. Other major problem areas included understanding and completing paperwork (16 percent), selling within the length of time planned (15 percent) and setting a right price for the home (11 percent).

For Sale By Owner (FSBO) is tempting when sellers don’t have all of the facts and statistics. More often than not, FSBO just doesn’t work. Statistically, when it does work, it costs the seller more money than in saves.

Don’t make the same mistake. When the time comes to sell your home, call or email me, together we will help you make the right decision.