The Wall Street Journal recently reported that Colby Sambrotto, founder and former CEO of ForSaleByOwner.com and longtime proponent of owners selling their homes without the help of a local real estate agent, spent 6 months trying to sell his property himself before turning over the listing to a real estate broker with a 6% commission. Sambrotto learned firsthand the value of hiring a real estate broker to list his property and reach serious buyers working with buyer brokers. He received multiple offers and contracted to sell his home for more than his original asking price.

The article and comments from Mr. Sambrotto and his agent seem to dispel two widely held myths:

Myth #1 - You will do better financially selling on your own because of the saving on commission to the real estate firm.

Mr. Sambrotto's agent immediately recognized the home was underpriced, and not reaching the right buyers. After listing with an agent, Mr. Sambrotto ended up selling for $150,000 more than he was asking for the home on his own! After paying his agent, Mr. Sambrotto still came out ahead.

Myth #2 – All you need is an internet listing to sell your home.

While advertising a home in the best possible light on the Internet (professional photography, exposure on multiple websites, etc.) is critically important, it is only one part of the complete marketing strategy needed to sell a home quickly and for the best price.

Now more than ever, homeowners trying to sell need the expertise of a real estate agent who knows the local market inside and out. Pricing strategy, professional staging and knowing the habits of local buyers are vital to success. At Kline May Realty we provide our seller clients with these tools in addition to services such as professional photography, enhanced coverage on Realtor.com, exposure on multiple public real estate websites, television advertising, 24 hour recorded information about the home for buyers and the most productive team of agents in our area!