Selling a home involves much more preparation and work than simply putting a “For Sale” sign on the front lawn and calling it a day. If it were that easy, everyone would do it. In today’s digital world, homebuyers find listings by more means than just walking down the street and seeing a sign. And that’s before we get into the weeds of contracts, agreements, showings, and closings.

It often takes real estate agents years to establish themselves in the local market, gathering wisdom and experience to make selling a property easy and profitable for clients. Despite this, in some cases, sellers might be tempted to list their own home instead of working with an agent.

In the industry, we call this an FSBO sale, or For Sale By Owner. If you’re thinking about selling your home FSBO in Utah, here are some key things to consider.

There is a Science and an Art to Pricing Your Home

One of the most important aspects of selling your home is the pricing. As an experienced real estate team, we look at numerous factors that all weigh into the final valuation of your property. We look at things like comparable sales, market activity, seasonality, current inventory, the type of home, location, the condition of the home, and more.

In most cases, a typical homeowner does not have access to the data we can pull, and therefore, pick a price based on elements that may not be as accurate or important when it comes to pricing.

A home priced incorrectly will either sit on the market unsold or worse, sell for way less than it’s worth. If you’re worried about leaving money on the table, a professional real estate agent can help you price the property to sell quickly and for the maximum price.

This is backed up by statistics too. The National Association of Realtors says homes sold with the help of agents in 2023 sold for almost $100,000 more than those sold by owners.

Thinking about selling your home soon? We have a few more posts you might find interesting. Read these blogs next:

• How Much Does it Cost to Sell a Home in Park City
• How Long Does it Take to Sell a Park City Vacation Home?
• When is the Best Time to Sell a Home in Park City?

What’s Your Marketing Budget?

The same article from NAR reported that most FSBO sales were not marketed as successfully as they would have been with an agent. When you’re an individual selling your home, you don’t have as much access to resources or a budget to promote your listing to a wide audience.

Most FSBO sales rely on yard signs, friends, relatives, and neighbors’ word-of-mouth, or third-party FSBO websites.

Alternatively, a professional real estate team has the experience and budget to run full marketing campaigns including print media, digital advertising, social media marketing, and email marketing, not to mention the agent’s own expansive network of colleagues and buyer clients.

At the end of the day, when you sell with a Realtor, your home will be seen by significantly more people.

Is privacy a concern for you when selling your home? Read our blog about selling your Park City home with discretion right here.

How Much is Your Time Worth?

Preparing a home for sale is arguably the most time-consuming part of selling. Cleaning, decluttering, repairing, staging, and photography are just some of the pre-listing tasks required to successfully sell a home, and all of these things have one thing in common: they take time.

FSBO sellers are often not doing this full-time. When you layer in work, family, and other responsibilities, the time left over for preparing your home for sale is pretty slim. As a result, some preparations may not be completed to the best degree, while others fall by the wayside entirely.

When you work with a professional Realtor, your time is maximized. Your agent is there to advise you on the preparation items that will result in the best return on investment. Additionally, a professional real estate team has access to fully vetted contractors and service providers who can make the process even easier by completely taking it off your plate.

Keep reading these blogs next and get answers to all your selling questions:

• How to Create Curb Appeal in Park City
• Should I Update Before Selling My Home in Park City?
• How to Sell Your Park City Vacation Home when You Can’t Be There

Are You Protected?

When you hire a real estate agent to sell your home, they act as your firewall. They are there to protect your interests, and to a certain extent, your family.

The number of forms and contracts Realtors must know is hefty. As a layperson who doesn’t work with this kind of paperwork every day, you might miss something important that could result in legal issues down the road.

Selling a home also comes with legal and tax ramifications such as capital gains, if you’re not up-to-speed on the latest regulations and laws, you might find yourself in hot water.

Other aspects of the property such as entity of ownership, encroachments, lot lines, and disclosures all must communicated and handled with accuracy, otherwise, you could face years of disputes or legal action.

Sellers need to ask themselves: Do you want to live with the buyer for the rest of your life?

Additionally, when selling your home, you should expect some people to ask to take a tour of it. Showing your home to strangers comes with a slight risk. A Realtor vets buyers before showing your property, adding another layer of reassurance that your property and your family are protected.

Looking for the best Park City real estate team to sell your home? Read more about how to find the best of the best right here.

Working with a Realtor Adds Value

The idea of selling your home FSBO might seem enticing at first. You’re the one in the driver’s seat. You’re in charge of your own results. However, at the end of the day, the value a Realtor brings to your sale is worth far more than the commission fee you’ll save by not working with one.

Here are just a few ways Realtors add value to your home sale:

• We save you time and money by recommending repairs and improvements that will actually result in a higher sales price for your home.
• We can help organize home preparation including cleaning, decluttering, staging, and even packing when the time comes.
• As full-time agents helping homeowners in Park City for over 40 years, we have the experience, knowledge, and data to accurately price your home so it stands out.
• Your home will also be presented to the widest possible audience with our stellar marketing strategies.
• Your property will be respected and protected throughout the entirety of the listing, especially during showings.
• We vet all potential buyers so you never have to worry about strangers in your home.
• Agents are legally bound to act with your best interests in mind. Not only that, but we also truly care about your family. We work hard to get the results you want.
• When it comes to contracts and legalities, you’ll have peace of mind knowing everything is taken care of by a professional who knows the documents front-to-back.

At the end of the day, your time is worth a lot. Here at CFH, we’ve been helping homeowners for over 40 years. At every step of the process, we know what we’re doing and can save you time, money, and hassle all while giving you peace of mind and a stress-free experience.

Give us a call today at 435-647-8035 or email info@CFHparkcity.com to learn more about selling your home with CFH.