But Do I REALLY Need a Realtor®?

You’ve heard it before.

You may have even heard it from good friends or your own family.

“What do I need a real estate agent for? I could buy and/or sell on my own and save a few bucks.”

As a real estate professional, you know what you bring to the transaction and how beneficial working with someone like yourself is. But how do you communicate that to others? What is your worth as a Realtor®?

“Buying or selling a home can be an extremely emotional and stressful time,” said Joshua McKnight, president of the Tri-County Suburban Realtors®. “When things become too emotional, our ability to make good decisions gets clouded. Having an experienced professional that can negotiate on your behalf will help to protect and maximize the equity in your home.”

Pocono Mountains Association of Realtors® President Yarrow Wilkins said the forms alone are enough of a reason to work with an agent. “We mainly focus on the disclosures that even some attorneys are not familiar with, such as the Seller’s Property Disclosure Statement, contingency timeframes, etc.,” she said. “We have seen that some attorneys have antiquated forms, so even with attorney representation, the clients are not always as protected as they think.”

Sondra Keith, president of the Lawrence County Board of Realtors®, said it’s hard to beat the marketing, exposure and access to buyers that Realtors® provide.

Finally, Bob Moncavage, president of the Realtors® Association of Metropolitan Pittsburgh, likened selling or buying without a Realtor® to changing your own oil without a mechanic.

“I can change my own oil,” he said. “But should I? Is there really a cost savings? If so, is that savings worth the risk of all the things that can go wrong?”

“One’s home is the largest single purchase most people will ever make,” he said. “Selling it can have financial implications much greater than the worst botched oil change could ever have.”

“If you wouldn’t do an oil change yourself, why would you ever undertake an endeavor with so much downside risk and so little downstream return? A few thousand commission dollars would be nothing compared to legal and other costs for an improperly handled transaction. Take your house to your local neighborhood professional with the knowledge, experience, tools, insurance and license, just like you would your family car.”