If, like most people, you think you need an agent to sell your home, be prepared to be proven otherwise. There are many advantages to selling your house in Baltimore yourself—without using an agent. Here are a few we’d like to highlight:
NO COMMISSIONS!
Generally, a real estate agent can charge 6% or more upon the sale of your home. Think about it: This is in addition to agent fees, administrative fees, marketing fees, closing costs, etc. When you sell your house yourself, you will save thousands of dollars.
The idea of spearheading your own advertising/listing and house showings may seem daunting, but when you move into your new home with that additional cash, it could save you a ton of extra stress down the line!
There are always additional costs when you are moving, that’s just life. However, keeping some hard earned money in your pocket will make everything go smoother.
You Run The Show
You don’t want showings this Saturday? Ok, don’t schedule any. When you are working with an agent, often times they will be the one calling the shots. Of course, you are ultimately the owner, but if you hire an agent to sell your home, (hopefully) they will do their job and bring lots of people to see it.
This means weekend and evening showings where you will be asked to leave, for example. Any and all of these can occur at the drop of a hat, so you will have to keep your home in tip-top shape while it is on the market. The added stress of hoping you straightened up enough for the clients and didn’t leave that dirty dish in the sink evaporate when you’re the one scheduling and planning things out, which brings us to our next point … run your home sale on your own terms!
Your Terms, Your Way
An agent will always be looking at what they can make off the sale of your home. This could mean they may stand firm on the price in situations where you might be open to negotiation. Even if you are eager to sell, an agent is always going to be trying to make as much as possible. Will they really have your best interest at heart when so much money is laying on the table? They want to have a happy client, but they too have bills to pay.
In addition, you can decide all of the dates: when the new homeowners can move in, when you have to be out, when you close, and so on. You can set the terms as to what you will fix, what you won’t, and how much you are willing to spend to fix things. When you choose to sell on your own, you call the shots when it comes to the contract, without any other influence.
Few Cash Sales Fall Through
As they always say in real estate, “cash is king.” If you are able to find a cash buyer for your home, you will save ample time and money. Closings typically take only a couple weeks as opposed to a couple of months when you work with a bank. Plus, you won’t be waiting for your buyer to secure financing. A cash buyer will pay directly, without any red-tape from the banks. These deals rarely fall through, and you end up saving a fortune on things like repairs, staging, and other sales-related expenses.
Selling your home yourself will save you time, which equates to money saved. Think about all the extra cash you will save on taxes, utilities, insurance, and the mortgage by selling your home faster! While a cash offer might be lower than what you would list it for, many times you end up with more money in the long run after all of the fees, commissions and other costs are taken out—not to mention the stress and headaches of having your home on the market. (Imagine people driving by constantly some even peeking in your windows! It happens!)