For Sale by Owner (FSBO) vs. Real Estate Agent

Selling your home without the assistance of a real estate agent may seem tempting, but this is a decision that needs to be weighed carefully. Saving a bundle on commissions certainly sounds good, but the FSBO route involves much legwork. According to the 2017 NAR report, FSBOs only accounted for 8% of real estate sales in 2016, and their average sale price was well below that for agent-assisted sales. If you’re still considering going for FSBO, here’s what you need to know.

What does FSBO mean?

For sale by owner (FSBO) is when a homeowner lists their home for sale without the assistance of a professional real estate agent. You’ll need to come up with your price, handle the marketing, the staging, pre-screening buyers, negotiations, paperwork, and closing with only your wits to guide you. It will mean cutting out the seller’s commission and being responsible for everything from start to finish.

When you should choose FSBO

Whether FSBO is the right choice or not depends on the person. If you tick all the boxes below, it could be the one for you.

You want to avoid paying a listing agent commission

People choose FSBO to avoid paying a commission, which, in NYC, averages 5-6% of the purchase price. Remember that you’ll still need to hire a real estate attorney to close the deal, as NY State is one of several states that makes this a legal requirement.

You have the time and motivation to sell for top dollar

FSBO requires a lot of time and inspiration if it’s to pay off. Just putting your listing online won’t be enough. You’ll need to do home staging, and open houses and arrange visits by prospective buyers. Without enough motivation to sell, FSBO will only end up being a waste of time and money.

You’re an expert on your home and neighborhood.

Another reason people choose FSBO is that they don’t trust an agent to know their home as well as they do. That can be a big selling point if you’ve been living there for many years and know everything about it. The same goes for knowing your neighborhood just as well.

When you should choose a real estate agent

The reason 92% of sellers hire an agent can be summed up in one word, experience. Here’s when to select a listing agent.

You don’t understand the pricing strategy.

The reason why most homes don’t sell is due to overpricing. A good agent will know how to price a home correctly based on its condition and the current market. They know what buyers are looking for and what kind of price will grab the attention of most of them. This is very hard to avoid without a thorough knowledge of pricing strategy.

You don’t have the time or recourses to market properly

Successful marketing isn’t just about putting enough time in; it’s about having the proper remedies and contacts at your disposal. An agent will have access to local MLS, name recognition, connections with other agents, and relationships with all the right people. All good reasons why agent-assisted sales sell much faster and for a better price than FSBO.

You’re not good with paperwork or negotiating.

An experienced agent knows how to spot serious buyers and help guide them toward the dotted line on the contract of sale. They know the entire sales process and the current market, which puts them in a strong position for negotiating and making counter-offers. Also, they know the ins and outs of all the required paperwork for sale. Mistakes or forgotten paperwork could torpedo a deal, making an agent’s expertise near a close invaluable.

Summary

With so much information and services available online now, it’s easy to think you can go without a listing agent when selling your home. You certainly can. But it comes with a lot of tradeoffs, responsibilities, and risks. Even today, most people still chose to hire a real estate agent; the statistics alone on FSBOs bear this out.