How to Sell Your House Without a Realtor

How to Sell Your House

The buying and selling of homes and houses is a multi-billion dollar industry. The easiest way to sell your house might be to use a Realtor, but if you are determined to save some money in the process, stick around. This article will cover the basics of how to sell your house without a Realtor.

A Realtor is a licensed and usually bonded person trained to deal with all the details of selling a house, from its presentation to the legal requirements. For this, most Realtors expect a 6% to 12% commission upon sale. Commissions are earned, to be sure, but it is not required that anyone use a Realtor to sell one’s house. Selling a house can be done without a Realtor.

However, first time house sellers are warned to do proper research not just for cost savings, but also for due diligence. Since the buying and selling of houses requires legal documents, one must be completely sure that one is within the law in all aspects of selling one’s house. It would still be a good idea to retain the services of an attorney, particularly one experienced in the field of real estate. Should there be any problems, you will need a reputable attorney’s help.

Every house requires an inspection before sale, so you may as well go ahead and get that done, first thing. If there are any major concerns, get them fixed before you put the house up for sale. Termite inspections are also required in most states. To ensure that you get top dollar for your house, all problems need to be brought up to code. A professional inspector will provide you with a list of items that need attention.

It is important to find the right price point at which to place your house. Do some market research and find out what the houses in your area have been selling for. You can contact the local County Treasurer for this information. Given that you know what comparable houses in your area are selling for, you should be able to come up with a nice figure for the sale of your home.

Presentation is everything, and there are certain tricks to making a house as appealing as possible. The home should be clutter-free and clean. If at all possible, any tenants should be out of the house during the time of presentation. Also, as a little psychological encouragement, bake some bread or cookies just before potential buyers arrive, filling the house with wonderful aromas. Your potential buyer will want to know things about the house, the neighborhood and the area in general. Bone up on these facts and be ready with any information they might need.

In order to actually finalize the sale of a house, an escrow company will be used to broker the deal. All parties will gather and the escrow agents will see to it that all legal documents are in order and signed.

As a quick guide on how to sell your house without a Realtor, we have only scratched the surface. Be sure to continue your education in order to get the best price for your house.