by: Albert Apfelle
Realtors are not indispensable
In recent years, it has become a necessary evil for the budget conscious to find new ways to save money. Putting up a house for sale by the owner rather than a realtor is a more recent phenomenon in the art of cost cutting. People who have homes for sale are beating realtors at their own game by salvaging their hard earned money and selling their homes in a do-it-yourself manner.
Traditionally homes for sale have been placed on the market with the help of a realtor who attracts a commission for their time and expertise. This commission is on average 6% of the homes sale price. Some homeowners view this as a fee for convenience with the added bonus of the realtor managing the risk, however for the vast majority of people this fee has proven to be an unnecessary burden with budget conscious homeowners relishing in keeping the extra money for their own pockets.
The trend for putting up advertisements 'For sale by owner' is growing in popularity. There are websites for such properties in almost all the states of America. You can learn everything from beginning to end about putting your house on sale through the comprehensive information provided by these websites. Many times this information is given free of charge because the websites can make money by selling other marketing material such as web space and signage to help make a successful sale. The information given by these sites is so user friendly and easy to understand that the homeowner feels confident to do everything independently and finds the role of the realtor quite redundant and unnecessary.
Money is the chief consideration for deciding to list homes for sale by owner, but it is not entirely a bed of roses and one has to tread very carefully. The owner of the house has to teach himself all the aspects deemed necessary to list homes for sale by owner. The owner should also make sure that he or she has all the necessary documentation legally essential to make a successful transaction. Otherwise, this entire operation could well turn into your worst nighmare.