When you're ready to sell your home, ask the following questions: Do you have the time, energy, sources of information, and contacts to do the job yourself? Will the results be better if you have professional assistance? Will the transaction go smoother? Will you receive a better price if a real estate agent is involved?

The following information will teach you how a real estate agent can help!

Pricing
Your real estate agent can give you up-to-date information on what is happening in the marketplace and the price, financing, terms and condition of competing properties. These are key factors in getting your property sold at the best price, quickly and with minimum hassle.

Monitoring, Renegotiating, and Closing
Between the initial sales agreement and closing, questions may arise. The required paperwork alone is overwhelming for sellers. Your agent is the best person to objectively help you resolve these issues and close.

How Do Real Estate Agents Get Paid?
Real Estate agents generally receive compensation through the sales commission paid by the seller when a transaction closes.

Negotiating
Your agent can help you objectively evaluate every buyer's proposal without compromising your marketing position. This initial agreement is only the beginning process of appraisals, inspections and financing ~ a lot of possible pitfalls. Your agent can help your write a legally binding, win-win agreement that will be more likely to make it through the process.

Marketing
The next step is a marketing plan. Your agent can recommend repairs or cosmetic work that will enhance the salability of the property. Marketing includes the exposures of your property to other real estate agents and the public. Over 50% of real estate sales are cooperative sales; an agent acts as the marketing coordinator, disbursing information about your property to other real estate agents through a Multiple Listing Service, open houses, etc.

You Be The Judge!
Real Estate transactions involve one of the biggest financial investments most people experience in their life time. Transactions today usually exceed $100,000. If you had a $100,000 income tax problem, would you deal with it alone? If you had a $100,000 legal question, would you deal with it without the help of an attorney? Considering the small upside cost and the large downside risk, it would be foolish to consider a deal in real estate without the professional assistance of a Realtor!