Very, very few people are qualified to sell their home without the help of a real estate professional. And, unfortunately, many people who believe they are saving money... aren't. In fact, they may be surprised at just how much it's costing them to go it alone.
Here are some of the reasons that a professional Realtor is invaluable: 
1) Pricing in this market is tricky. Setting a price on your home takes an insightful analysis of not only past sales, but current pending sales. Many for sale by owners are actually over pricing their properties right now, because they don't have the experience or access to the right data in order to accurately determine market value.
In addition, we are also seeing approximately 1 in every 5 appraisals coming in low, sometimes thousands of dollars. A good Realtor can assist with appealing an appraisal, or working with the appraiser or underwriter to get a value adjustment, potentially saving the seller thousands of dollars.
2) Realtors are expert negotiators...an absolutely essential need in today's buyers' market. With the leverage of the Multiple Listing Service and in-depth knowledge of available loan programs, a good Realtor can insure that buyers and their agents are attracted to your property first.
3) The name of the game is not finding a prospective buyer for your home, but finding the right prospective buyer. The biggest mistake a private seller can make is taking their home off the market for an unqualified buyer, or one who has allowed a loophole in the contract. They are fooled by supposed "pre-qualification" letters that aren't worth the paper they are written on. Realtors are diligent about checking out the qualifications of potential buyers, knowing the right questions to ask, and how to identify potential trouble spots. Because Realtors prepare, negotiate and process sales contracts every day, they know what to watch out for in contracts.
4) There are at least a dozen junctures in the real estate transaction where working with a professional Realtor saves the seller money. Insuring that their clients don't pay excessive "junk fees" (fees charged by lenders that the buyer is, by law, not permitted to pay), coordinating timing to avoid duplicate or unnecessary mortgage payments, limiting liability and repair exposure, the list goes on and on. For many, simply access to their Realtor's network of reliable and affordable affiliates saves clients hundreds of dollars and a lot of headaches.
And, of course, this is not to mention the time involved to market, sell, and close a home.
Good Realtors are expert problem-solvers, and have the necessary training and experience to make sure that your home sells for top dollar, and gets to the closing table. Before you risk going it alone, you owe it to yourself to interview a professional.
I hope that I have enlightened & informed you!
Yvette Smith
Williamsburg's Preferred Realtor!
