5 REASONS TO WORK WITH A REAL ESTATE AGENT

• Reason 1: Setting the right price. A Realtor can give you up-to-date information on what is happening in your local marketplace, as well as the price, financing, terms and condition of competing properties.

• Reason 2: Marketing expertise. Marketing exposes your property to the public as well as to other real estate agents through a Multiple Listing Service, other cooperative marketing networks, open houses for agents, and so on. An agent will also know when, where and how to advertise -- which medium, format and frequency will work best for your home and your market.

• Reason 3: Negotiation skills. Your agent can help you objectively evaluate every buyer's proposal without compromising your marketing position. This initial agreement is only the beginning of a process of appraisals, inspections and financing.

• Reason 4: Monitoring, renegotiating, and closing. Between the initial sales agreement and the closing (or settlement), questions may arise. The required paperwork alone is overwhelming for most sellers. Your agent is the best person to objectively help you resolve these issues and move the transaction to closing.

• Reason 5: Getting expert assistance. Finally, consider the scale of your transaction. Selling your home is one of the biggest financial decisions you'll make. Transactions today usually exceed $100,000. If you had a $100,000 income tax problem, would you attempt to solve it without the help of a CPA? If you had a $100,000 legal question, would you deal with it without the help of an attorney? Considering the relatively small cost of hiring a Realtor and the large potential risk of not hiring one, it's smart to find a professional to sell your home.

REFERENCE: Realtor.com