SAVE MONEY, Sell Yourself or Use a Discount Broker?

Some People Refuse to Use a Realtor.

• 
• By Nancy Smith
• Qualicum Beach REALTOR®
• Published: Feb 29th, 2020 at 9:26 pm

He wonders out loud why anyone would want to try to save commission money either by selling a property themselves or listing with a discount broker. It just seems obvious to him, that the greater exposure one has when selling, the better chance of selling quickly and receiving fair market value. He has bought and sold six homes and every time he used a realtor. "It just isn't worth the hassle and stress," he repeats often.

As a Realtor, of course my perspective is different when helping clients with their real estate transactions. Even the best laid intentions of buyer and sellers, more often than not, there are issues. Financing is a big issue, not the job of a real estate agent, but since most people seldom tread the buying path, often their ducks are not in a row, and delays in acquiring financing can cost a deal. Seller will often dream of riches when they sell, as a 'home of lesser quality' just sold down the street, so they expect more! The Realtor's job is to provide relevant information to set market value.

The job of an agent seems simple and a quick way to make huge piles of cash (what my husband thought before he was exposed to the real life of an agent, me). According to one statistical report, apparently the average licenced agent will sell only three homes a year. There are many reasons for this, so we will be sure not to take this out of context. My point here is this, the commission charge is a pie divided into many pieces, and often the take-home pay is one of the smallest sections of this pie. Each agent is also self-employed, so they must provide their own benefits, pay fees and marketing costs, and taxes, etc. The commission exists at this rate because the market demand can sustain this, with people willing to do this job for fair pay.

My husband still prefers to engage the services of a real estate agent, and it is a personal choice. And he is still wondering if that home will sell. Maybe he should load the dishwasher instead.