We are no doubt in a seller’s market right now. Prices and demand are high, and inventory is precious. Durango is the place to be! But before you snap a few pictures and post a For Sale By Owner sign in the front yard, we’d like you to take a moment to consider the benefits of working with a realtor.
We at Team NorthStar have been around long enough to see successful sales by owner, but we have also seen friends, neighbors, and fellow community members struggle through the challenges and wear themselves out while trying to sell their home.
Whether you choose to work with our team or another local real estate agency, we’d like to point out some of the advantages of working with a realtor as you venture forth in selling your home.
Local Expertise – First and foremost, the realtors here in Durango and Southwest Colorado know the area, not just from a local’s standpoint, but specifically from a real estate perspective. We know the rates other homes like yours have gone for. We know the buyers who are hoping to purchase a house here in Durango. We already know all of the steps, paperwork and legalities particular to our area. While there are many great resources out there to help you sell your home, we have done this hundreds of times and our familiarity with the process saves you time and stress.
Local Connections – In addition to knowing our local market, we also know our community. Of course, if you are selling a home here, then you likely have connections in the community as well. Do you know someone who wants to buy your house though? We probably do. Being connected is in our job description. Any good Real Estate Agent will have an active contact list of other realtors and of interested buyers. Our network can spread the word about your newly listed home faster than a rumor on the playground.
Negotiation Experience – With the market as competitive as ours here in Southwest Colorado right now, the negotiation game can be fierce and intimidating. Are you prepared to negotiate rationally and unemotionally the terms of selling your home? A realtor will approach the negotiations with local insight and experience and can prepare you for what to expect from potential buyers in this specific market. We know the tricks hiding up the sleeves of the buyers’ agents and we know how to recognize offers that may look too good to be true.
Marketing Resources and Experience – Second only to negotiations, marketing your home can be one of the more daunting aspects of selling. First and foremost, if you want your home to be visible online, you’ll have to get it listed on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS). This is the number one site for real estate listings, and once a home is included on the MLS it is also sent out to numerous other searchable listing sites as well as to local realtors. Even once included for-sale-by-owner homes don’t always get the same attention from buyers.
Furthermore, once your home is listed, you’ll want to spread the word. Do you have professional photos, a perfectly crafted description, a social media plan, a newsletter and/or physical mailing list with thousands of interested contacts, time to field inquiries and show your home, resources for a virtual tour and funds for print advertising? You by no means have to have all of these things to sell your home, but any local real estate agent will already have a marketing plan prepared and can help you spread the word about your home thoroughly and with ease.
Unbiased, Unemotional Resource – Finally, and possibly most importantly, we are here for you. Selling a home is a big task, and it can become overwhelming surprisingly quickly. As your real estate agent, we are not only your business partner, we are your friend, your support team, your cheerleaders and we are here to offer emotional support and to keep you grounded and focused when the process throws you curve balls. We are also here to help you set reasonable expectations and to help you make unbiased and unemotional decisions.
Selling your home is a big step and we would love to help you take it with ease and confidence.