Why Your Biggest Upset Of 2021 Has Nothing To Do With Your Basketball Bracket
By Patrick Burgan
The brackets are all set and, if you’re like me, after the first two days of the tournament, the only basket I care about is which one to toss my tournament bracket in to. But the biggest upset this in 2021 is not going to happen to your bracket during the tournament. Instead, it will be in the decision to sell your home without the help of a Realtor®. The decision to not use a Realtor® has more implications on your path to victory than you think.
Safety is Always a Top Seed
With what we just sent through last year, your safety should be at the top of your priorities. If you are selling your home, especially in the market we are in now, it can be challenging to manage people entering your home. Realtors® can not only regulate when and how many people enter your home, but leverage proper protocols and sanitization methods to protect your belongings, your health and well-being
Everyone is Watching Online
The National Association of Realtors®, or NAR, have always stated that 43% of all buyers first looked online for the home they ended up purchasing. However, given last year’s changes, that number has now ballooned to 97%. Making sure that your home has a comprehensive social media and digital strategy, leveraging all of the channels people are using to find your home, ensures that you are able to connect with buyers better than by relying on your own means.
Who’s Qualified to Be In
Just because someone is interested in buying your house doesn’t mean they can afford it. When selling your home by yourself, you are unable to be involved with the buyer as they secure their mortgage. A real estate agent has the training and connections to not only ask the questions to find out if a person is qualified to buy the home, but also see how the process is moving along to keep you informed. Realtors® work with lenders, title companies and brokers every day to make sure the people you are attracting to your house as an interested buyer are qualified to be there.
Money in the Bank
In today’s market, most homeowners believe they are better off selling the home on their own because they think they’ll save on the commission that a real estate agent earns. However, what these types of sellers fail to realize is that buyers looking for homes that are excluding agents from the transaction also believe they can save on the transaction. The buyer and the seller can’t both save on the commission. Actually, homeowners who sell their home on their own don’t actually save anything by forgoing the help of an agent. According to information from the National Association of Realtors® website, homes sold by owners typically sell for less than the selling price of other homes, selling in 2019 at a median price of $217,900 versus agent-assisted homes, which sold for a median price of $242,300.
While you choosing that 12 seed in the tournament to upset the 5 seed may pay off for you in your bracket, the only upset you will experience by choosing to sell your home without the help of a licensed Realtor® is that in a more challenging and less profitable sale of your home.
Patrick Burgan is the 2021 President of the Youngstown Columbiana Association of REALTORS®
Copyright 2024 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
