How to Sell Your House Without a Real Estate Agent

Apr 16, 20180 comments

Homeowners have a lot of choices these days. When it comes to selling your house, you have a few different routes you could take. Your first instinct may be to get online and search for reputable real estate agents in the Seattle area. After all, the right realtor will fight for your market value, help you stage and market your house, and partner with you through the whole journey from listing to closing.

Yet, working with a realtor comes with its own challenges. You may be fighting for the time and attention with other home buyers and sellers and have to pay commission. Plus, depending on the condition of your home, they may not be able to help you sell it in its current condition as fast as you need.

Fortunately, in a market as competitive as real estate, there are other options. If you’re considering selling your house without a real estate agent, you can either sell by owner or sell to a real estate investor. Let’s explore both options.

Sell by Owner

Some people are do-it-yourself people while others are hire-a-guy people. Depending on where you stand, the FSBO (for sale by owner) option may work well for you if you don’t mind putting a little bit of work into selling your house yourself. It essentially cuts out the middle-man of the process and allows you to take the process into your own hands.

Opting for FSBO means you’re in charge of the staging, photography, marketing, and the selling process for your home. Not only do you need to do all the paperwork and research to get your home sold at the right price, but you also need to find your own buyers. It can turn into a full-time job very quickly. And if you don’t understand the forms and contracts, you may have to invest a little bit of money in a real estate attorney.

Related Article: The Guide to Selling Your Home Fast in Seattle

Because homes are likely the biggest asset homeowners ever own, people can be wary of this DIY method. It’s like working on your car when you’re not quite sure what you’re doing. It could turn out fine after consuming a few YouTube videos and blog posts, but it is a risky endeavor.

If you have a little extra time, energy, patience, and savvy on your side, you might just very well succeed at FSBO. However, there’s no guarantee of a sale and the process of selling your house may end up taking longer than you’d like, therefore costing you more money in the end.

Sell to an Investor

What if you want to save on commissions but need to sell quickly? Or, maybe your home just isn’t in the best condition to sell as is and the idea of renovating and cleaning it up overwhelms you? Fortunately, there is one more option: selling to a trusted real estate investor.

You may have heard common misconceptions about real estate investors and are understandably wary of the process. To break it down, here’s a basic outline of how it works:

Step One: Research a trusted real estate investor. Opting for a local, family-owned and operated company will ensure the neighborhood is left in good hands. Find someone who’s grown up in the area and has deep roots connecting to Seattle’s charm and character. Not only will they make sure you’re taken care of, but they’ll also find a way to do what’s best for the community as a whole.

Related Article: What Seattle’s Hot Housing Market Means for Homeowners in 2018

Step Two: Request an offer. Most investors will have a way for you to easily reach out with your basic information and get an up-front offer on your home. This will give you a chance to decide whether this is the right method for you.

Step Three: Schedule a private evaluation. For some, selling traditionally is too public. If your house isn’t quite up to code or you have lots of personal belongings strewn around, it can be difficult to show off to strangers. A representative from the company will come to take a quick look at the house to find out about all of its amenities, such as a view, the neighborhood, and overall charm. It’s quick, painless, and gives a better understanding of the true value of your home.

Step Four: Receive a final offer. Once the investor has all the information in hand, they’ll come up with a finalized offer that takes all considerations (i.e. renovations and repairs) into account. Then they’ll send you a fair, all-cash offer that you can accept and close on your timeline.

Related Article: What To Do When a “Client Wants to Buy” Your Property

Not only is the process often quick and painless, but it also saves you time and money in the long run.

Selling to a real estate investor is not always the right choice. Before you make up your mind, take a look at these pros & cons to selling your home as is versus fixing it up and selling traditionally.

Whatever you decide, we’re here to help. Reach out to us if you’d like a consultation or an all-cash offer on your home. Why not see what it’s worth to sell today?

About Beachworks

Beachworks LLC local, family-owned company in north Seattle committed to improving the value of our community. For those who need to sell their homes quickly and privately, we we provide an all cash offer and close on your timeline.

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How to Sell Your House Without a Real Estate Agent
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How to Sell Your House Without a Real Estate Agent
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Whether you're thinking about selling or already have your house listed on the market, you can still sell your house without a realtor. There are a few different options when it comes to selling your house.
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Beachworks LLC
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