Valerie Keener

I drove by a "For Sale By Owner" property yesterday. It caught my eye partly because I rarely see them anymore.

Most people are very cognizant that the online and offline marketing needed to help sell their home is best done by a professional. Someone who does it full time. A Realtor.

Property search website Trulia posted an article to that effect yesterday. Here are the reasons cited by Jovan Hackley of Trulia:

1) Online Marketing Takes Coordinated Constant Effort

Agents have access to a plethora of online marketing tools that most homeowners do not know about. Sites to set up individual listing websites, syndication sites to host listing information, sites to attract buyers, etc. Experienced agents have systems in place and a go-to plan for marketing properties 24/7.

2) Having data doesn’t mean you understand it

The Trulia article quoted a homeowner saying that he knew his home better than any agent (and therefore could sell it more effectively). True that! Homeowners do know their homes better than the Realtor. They've lived in it.

But knowing ONE home does not mean you know the market. I hear buyers and sellers toss about the word "comps" and for the most part, they have a basic understanding of what comparables are. However, that's only one piece of the market puzzle. Comparables must be current, meet criteria that an appraiser would utilize to determine value and be a property that has actually sold. In addition, understanding market absorption rate has an affect on how a home might be priced and how quickly it will sell.

Again, experienced and full-time (can't emphasize that enough) Realtors know how to find the appropriate data for each home they list and how to read and understand it.

3) Showings and Connections sell homes

While a homeowner might have a sign in the yard and an ad on Craigslist, he's probably not out there every day previewing homes and connecting with potential buyers. Realtors know who to target and typically have systems in place to attract buyers 24/7. We're way ahead of you, homeowner. What we bring to the table is valuable to get your property sold more quickly.

4) Even the smartest use an agent for expertise

The homeowner in the Trulia story ended up hiring a Realtor. One of my favorite stories is the one about Colby Sambrutto, the former CEO of ForSaleByOwner.com. In a Wall Street Journal article, Mr. Sambrutto attempted to sell his New York condo through ads and FSBO websites and ended up hiring a Realtor and paid full commission for the results. Do-it-yourself is great for many home maintenance projects but not usually the best approach with the sale of your residence.

Aside from the above reasons, selling on your own can jeopardize your safety and waste a lot of your time trying to screen buyers who are not qualified to purchase.

My best advice to people wanting to sell their home is to hire a Realtor. Trulia agrees.

Temperatures don't drop below freezing too often in Dallas, Texas compared to how many days are over 100 degrees. But when they do, I'm still surprised at how many people operate their sprinkler systems in freezing temperatures.

While there might not be a risk to the sprinklers, you could be damaging your landscaping (not inexpensive to replace). More importantly, you could be creating a road hazard if water accumulates on the road.

Per Billy Jack Sprinkler Company, if you have a relatively new home with sprinklers or are planning to install a sprinkler system, "all cities in the state of Texas now require a rain/freeze sensor that will stop your sprinkler from running on rainy or freezing days".

The device stops the sprinkler from coming on when there is 1/8" of rain or the temperature drops below 34 degrees. As the sensor dries out or the temperature rises, the controller will automatically go back into normal operation.

It's also a great water conservation device. Many cities -- Plano, for example -- offer rebates for installation of these devices if you don't have one already.

If you do have one installed, it's a good idea to test it at least once a year to make sure it's operating as intended.

As always, any time you need help with home repairs or home decor, give me a call. I'm happy to put you in touch with some of the greatest contractors in the area.

I hope you will take two minutes to view this video. It's specifically directed at each and every client and referral partner. In this thank you message, I share one of the reasons I continue to work in residential real estate. It's not what you might think. Watch now and learn the hidden reason:

This is from a previous blog post from J. Philip Faranda. It bears repeating:

"Here's the reality: If you are multiple listed, staged well, tidy, and have been on the market for 60 or 90 days with no offers or few lookers, the market has spoken; you need to reduce your price. You aren't the McClotchkees down at the end of the cul de sac who sold in the first 30 days. They had something, or ten things, you don't have. And the only adjustment you can make to the buying public is price. A feature ad won't do it. A newspaper display ad won't get it done. Busting your agent's chops to chase down Gladys Pflarphlingston for feedback on a showing 2 weeks ago won't do it. If you are on the MLS, I can show you how many people have clicked on you online and clicked off every week since we listed. You aren't a secret. Quite the opposite: with public searches, serious prospects can tell me their opinion of your toothpaste.

If we are in showing condition with my marketing and you aren't sold, the faster we address price the faster we'll sell. The money you are asking for is not on deposit in the bank of buyer opinion."

Sellers, wherever you live, it's most likely NOT a sellers' market.

Beware the nagging voice in your head saying, "well, we'll just TRY this higher price and see if we get any offers".

If your home isn't priced right at the beginning, it will fall to the bottom of the pond and STAGNATE, while other homes come on the market priced correctly and they sell. If you need to know where your home fits in "the pond", let me know. I'll provide you the market absorption information you need so that your home doesn't stagnate on the market!

"The Pond" courtesy of ZanMonroe.com