5 Reasons Why You Should Use a Realtor to Sell Your Home

The Urban Land Institute ranks San Diego one of the ten hottest real estate markets of 2011. That's good news if you are trying to sell your San Diego home. You might even think you can sell it yourself and avoid paying a San Diego Realtor. Why not? You can lower the asking price and you and the buyer both save money. A win-win situation, right? Well maybe not. Your home is may be your most valuable asset so place the sale of this asset in the hands of a professional.

San Diego may be a hot market, but that doesn't necessarily mean a quick and easy sale. It is still a buyer's market and you deserve the competitive edge that only a professional Realtor can give.

There are numerous reasons to use a Realtor. Here are five of the best:

1. Realtors know the area. They know all the market conditions of your neighborhood and have access to what other homes in the area have sold for. That information helps you set the right asking price.

2. Realtors have marketing expertise. Along with pricing advice, professionals know how best to show your home to prospective buyers. Prospects want to come into your home and imagine them living there. Realtors know how to stage your property in ways that draw attention to the best features, and then turn those features into benefits for the buyer.

3. Realtors are skilled negotiators. Putting a price on the house that is both fair to you and competitive in the marketplace is just one tool in the Realtor's kit. These professionals can advise when to accept an offer and when to counter. They negotiate other issues with the buyer as well. These can include such things as whether appliances and window treatments are part of the deal, along with any other items you or the buyer may wish to include in the overall package.

4. Realtors have contacts. They have access to the Multiple Listing Service database. This means that your home is automatically on the radar of all the member agents in your area. That's just the beginning. As insiders they are privy to the industry chatter, knowing for example, former clients who may be at a stage of life where they need to upsize or downsize to a home just like yours.

5. Realtors are experienced in handling all the closing details. It's after the buyer signs the dotted line that the real work begins. This includes arranging inspections, and negotiating who will pay, and in what amount, for recommended repairs. A Realtor will be invaluable here, as well as in navigating the sea of paperwork involved in the actual closing.

There are even more advantages in working with a real estate professional, but these five alone are reason enough to enlist help from someone who knows the industry and the local market inside out. He or she will do a better job than you could do on your own. The bottom line is that even in an improving market, your San Diego home will sell faster and at a better price if you give yourself an advantage and sign with a San Diego Realtor.

Paul Caparas, your San Diego Realtor specializing in buying or selling homes many neighborhoods such as Mira Mesa Homes.