I have not sipped the entire glass of Realtor Kool-Aid and hope I never do, but I am confident a strong Real Estate adviser can still add some value when selling your house.  With the access of Realtor.com and Zillow.com and FSBO.com to every homeowner under the sun comes the ability to also stop trying to sell a service that for the most part does not exist anymore.  You used to hire a listing agent to tell you the ins and outs of marketing your property.  You used to hire a listing agent to share your property with the “buyers” out there because they had the best reach.  Well we can kiss that thought process goodbye and I accept that.  What I am not willing to write-off is the part of listing a house most homeowners don’t have the time to deal with or the experience and this is how a modern day agent swoops in and adds value.  I in particular have 3 steps in listing a house that make it personal and I take alot of pride in knowing that these are my expertise.

1.  Forms-Why do you hire a painter to paint and not a plumber?  Not because they could never do the job, but because the painter paints everyday and understands the little things that make the job go smoother and easier.  I look at Purchase Agreements and Inspections reports everyday and for a homeowner to suddenly take that responsibility on, is absurd.   Question 17 on a purchase agreement has cost many fsbo’s thousands of dollars by checking the wrong box and a good agent can help you avoid that.

2.  Home inspection-Have you seen a homeowners face when they first review a home inspection report?  It takes many deals to understand what critical really means and a FSBO or newer agent may not have that experience to move forward.  Many deals fall apart because an inspection report finds too many “problems” with your house.

3.  Support services-I know you can find a kid to mow the grass, but can you find a lender, appraiser, title company, insurer, inspector, licensed contractor, home staging pro, landscaper, Real Estate attorney and moving company?  An established full-time Realtor can usually do this seamlessly and honestly.

I am not saying that FSBO is not the way to go necessarily, but I will always argue its “pros” against a part-time lazy agent.  A new listing agent is evolving and the sellers are demanding this.  A happy space between FSBO and Exclusive listings can exist and will, even if we do it kicking and screaming.

-curt