| If you have a home you need to sell right away, | | | | expect it to take even longer than it would if you |
| there a re a few ways to go about doing so. | | | | used an agent. You will be dealing with unqualified |
| Below is a list of several ideas that can help you | | | | buyers wasting your time tromping through your |
| sell you home quickly along with the positives and | | | | house who have probably never bought a home |
| negatives of each way. | | | | before and cant get financing to do it now even if |
| 1) List your home with a real estate agent- The | | | | they wanted to. Using the FSBO (for sale by |
| positive side to this choice is you are trying to get | | | | owner) is O.K. if you are in a very hot market, |
| full price for your house and have a chance at | | | | can afford to wait and know how to screen your |
| doing just that. The negatives could make up a | | | | potential buyers. However, if you dont know how |
| very long list, so I will just name a few. First, you | | | | to thoroughly screen your buyers, you are setting |
| will have to pay a commission, usually 6% to the | | | | yourslef up for a whole lot of headaches and |
| agent. This is a fee that in my opinion is rarely | | | | frustration. |
| justified. Most real estate agents will simply put | | | | 3) Sell to a real estate investor or investment |
| your house on the Multiple Listing Service and let | | | | company- There are several positives to this |
| it sit until another agent brings a buyer. This is | | | | method, but a few negatives to pay close |
| good for them because the agents are making | | | | attention to as well. First the positives. When |
| thousands of dollars for doing next to nothing, but | | | | selling to an investment company you may get |
| bad for you because you are paying them. The | | | | the benefit of a fast sale on your home with no |
| next negative is, as you may already know, real | | | | contingencies for financing and the home can be |
| estate agents are notorious for overpromising | | | | left in as-is condition. What this means to you is |
| and underdelivering. That is not to say that every | | | | the buyer has all cash so he doesnt have to wait |
| agent will overpromise ad underdeliver, but the | | | | 30 + days to wait for a decision from the bank |
| chances of that happening are high. It is very hard | | | | to say whether or not he can qualify for a loan. |
| to know if this is what is happening until its to late. | | | | Also, when dealing with an investment company |
| Once you sign the contract to list your home with | | | | you can expect to sell your home as-is with no |
| a real estate agent, you can expect to have to | | | | repairs made. In other words, these companies |
| pay them thousands of dollars when it sells, | | | | will by an ugly house or yucky house just as |
| whether they find the buyer or you find the | | | | quickly as a pretty house. The negative side to |
| buyer. The third negative may actually be the | | | | this route is that you will not usually get full |
| most important to you, which is youre probably | | | | market value for your house. Its similar to trading |
| much less likely to get a quick sale on your home | | | | in your car for a new one. You dont deal with the |
| if you use an agent. See, agents get a | | | | headaches of selling that car on your own, but |
| percentage of your home sales price. The higher | | | | youre going to get less money for it too. Also, |
| that amount, the more they make. A real estate | | | | when you deal with investors make sure you are |
| agent is usually there to get the highest price | | | | dealing with a reputable, established company. You |
| because that way he gets paid the most. | | | | really have to watch out for the mom and pop |
| However, if you really need to sell fast this is a | | | | type establishments. Late night real estate gurus |
| disadvantage because you can probably expect | | | | combined with the recent sizzling red hot real |
| your house to sit for several months or longer | | | | estate market have made a ton of people think |
| before selling. | | | | they can call themselves real estate investors and |
| 2) Stick a For Sale By Owner sign in the yard- | | | | runout and get rich quick. These "seminar |
| The positive to this is that you stand a chance to | | | | graduates" end up wasting your time because |
| end up putting more money in your pocket from | | | | they really arent cash buyers and dont know |
| the sale of the house than you even do with the | | | | what they are doing. When the time comes, they |
| real estate agent. The negative is that you can | | | | wont be able to buy your home. |