The key benefits of using a Real Estate Agent to sell your home

The key benefits of using a Real Estate Agent to sell your home

By Heather Chilvers, Coldwell Banker Bermuda Realty

You don’t have to use an agent if you don’t want to. However, there are several reasons why it would benefit you.

1. Real Estate Agents discuss finances and the pre-approval process with their buyers before they show them properties, therefore saving you endless time and energy having to do the same. Buyers may assume owners selling their house are unskilled in negotiation process and because they are not using an agent, immediately try and get a ‘deal’. Often times a Real Estate Agent can get you a better net price, even taking the 5% commission into consideration.
2. You aren’t just selling a house, you are selling your ‘home’.  Your own blood, sweat and tears, happy memories and not so happy! The gardens you’ve planted, the lawns you’ve mown, the roof your son painted, the kitchen your husband put in. You are selling all your hopes, dreams and accomplishments. In many cases owners put value on the emotional attachments and price their ‘home’ higher than the true value of the ‘house’.  A good Real Estate Agent will help you price your house correctly for the current market, and help you get the best possible price in the least possible time. 
3. Its very difficult to be objective, when someone comes to look at your home.  What happens if you take an immediate dislike to someone? What happens if they are derogatory about the color of the paint, the tile in the bathroom, the door the dog chewed, your teenage son’s messy bedroom, your husband’s unfinished but much loved ‘project’ in the yard?  Sometimes people say negative things in order to negotiate the price down, and it hurts! Your Real Estate Agent can remain neutral and professional sometimes turning a negative into a positive.
4. People are quite prepared to work within a 24hr notice when a Real Estate Agent is involved! Not so when you live in the house! “Well” they say “You live there so you won’t mind if we come round on Sunday afternoon?”  They automatically assume you will always be available for viewings! Sometimes buyers will stop by unannounced. One seller I had who had tried (unsuccessfully) to sell her house on her own, had a man came over unannounced when she was sunbathing. To her astonishment, he proceeded to have a conversation with her about the house, which she thought was extremely inappropriate!
5. When people see a For Sale by Owner sign, they drive straight into the yard, not up to, INTO! Another seller who was trying to sell his house by himself  had a car drive into the yard, and the lady wound down the car window and yelled  “Hey, is this house for sale?” when he said yes, she said “oh can I come and have a look?”. .  
6. Time is very a precious thing these days and yours can be valuable. Take this into consideration. Emoo, Sun Shopper etc. don’t get me wrong these are wonderful inventions and are great at selling everything in Bermuda . . . except HOUSES!  Do you really want your house up in cyberspace with all the pots and pans! And many of the people that call have never heard of ‘financing’  ‘pre-approval’, or ‘mortgage’ they just want to come and have a look!

I could go on . . but bottom line if you really want to SELL your house, put it up for sale with a reputable Real Estate professional, who can add value and manage the process for you, believe me when I say, you’ll be glad you did!

Heather Chilvers is amongst Coldwell Banker Bermuda Realty’s Leading Sales Representatives. She has been working in Real Estate for 25 years. If you have a question for Heather, please contact her at hchilvers@brcl.bm or 332 1793. All questions will be treated confidentially.