Okay you’ve made up your mind to sell your home in Hernando County Florida. Perhaps it’s time to upgrade, to downsize, or go back north to be with your family. Maybe you have thought about another way to sell your home without using a real estate agent and avoid paying commissions.

Over the past several years there has been much hype about FSBO, short for "for sale by owner.” In fact many homes in our cities of Brooksville, Ridge Manor, Istachatta, Nobelton, Masarkytown, Spring Hill and Weeki Wachee are FSBO’s.

I’ve heard that over 90% of FSBO’s usually wind up being sold eventually by a REALTOR®. In my experience, here’s where FSBO’s, (pronounced fizz bows) loose their fizz.

There are significant drawbacks to selling your house without the benefit of a seasoned real estate agent. Many drawbacks are coupled to the actual sales process that is normally handled by an agent. This is where the multitude of considerations attributed to the sale of your home is where owners can find themselves at a loss, literally.

The best asset that a seasoned agent can offer you is the certainty of presenting your house to only bona fide buyers. Any real estate professional realizes that showing a home to non pre-qualified buyers can be a total waste of time and money for everyone involved.

It is for this fact that agents present homes only with buyers who have been pre-qualified for mortgages or who are genuine cash buyers. Many FSBO’s who have attempted to sell their homes on their own have disappointed their sales outcome by connecting with a prospective buyer who does not qualify for a mortgage.

As both a real estate agent and a mortgage broker, I want to be certain that I have a prospect that is ready, willing and able to afford the homes that I am showing, before I show them. I want to spend non-productive time relaxing with friends and family.

Another area where owners can find themselves overwhelmed is in the nitty gritty of negotiating the price and contracts. Good real estate agents are trained in the writing and execution of contracts and the paperwork that go along with the sale of a home.

This process can be very tedious and in some states requires the services of attorneys, and notaries. However not in Florida where our contracts are framed by the Florida Association of Realtors and the Florida Bar Association.

Contracts are time consuming and frustrating to deal with for an unlicensed homeowner attempting to use the FSBO method. If you are a home owner attempting to use the FSBO method, are you sure footed enough to execute all parts of the contract to put your house on the selling line?

I’m not saying that it cannot be done by an individual untrained in contracts and real estate law, but done properly, the sales process is streamlined and handled by a trained professional. Also a trained professional will ensure that the contract stays on track to the close. FSBO’s have a notorious reputation of failing to keep contracts together for a myriad of reasons, usually legal posture and financial considerations. The days of a handshake and verbal commitment are unfortunately gone. That is why we have contracts that are written by professionals and that is just one service a seller receives when working with a real estate professional.

Remember, unless your home sells, the agent does not earn anything. It is in the best interest on an agent to make things happen quickly for the highest profit possible for your home. We save the owner much time and worry when things do not go as planned.

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