It may seem to be a bit predictable that a real estate agent would advise you not to sell your house on your own, or FSBO (For Sale by Owner). But it really is in your best interest when selling a home to consider why using an agent to sell your home in Beaufort really will get you more money and sell your home faster.

Selling your home will no doubt be the largest transaction in your life. It’s one thing to sell something large like a car on Craigslist or Facebook for a few thousand dollars. But we’re talking about hundreds of thousands of dollars here, possibly millions. Plus there’s far more than just exchanging money to consider. There’s legal considerations, mortgages, mounds of paperwork, and more than a few people to negotiate with. Also, do you know how much your home is really worth in the market, especially here in the Lowcountry?

The thing to remember is that real estate agents have many years of experience and training in selling homes. Sellers usually do not have this experience. Your ability to negotiate will determine if you get the best deal for you and your family.

Here is a list of some of the people you must be prepared to negotiate if you decide to FSBO:

• The buyer who wants the best deal possible
• The buyer’s agent who solely represents the best interest of the buyer
• The buyer’s attorney (in some parts of the country)
• The home inspection companies, which work for the buyer and will almost always find some problems with the house
• The termite company if there are challenges
• The buyer’s lender if the structure of the mortgage requires the sellers’ participation
• The appraiser if there is a question of value
• The title company if there are challenges with certificates of occupancy (CO) or other permits
• The town or municipality if you need to get the CO permits mentioned above
• The buyer’s buyer in case there are challenges with the house your buyer is selling
• Your bank in the case of a short sale