In today’s digital world, it is understandable why most people would assume that listing properties for sale online would be pretty simple. Unfortunately, with continual innovations in real estate, an ever-changing plethora of real estate websites, and access to real estate markets worldwide, as soon as you start to dive into the online real estate world, you’ll find that in some ways, it is more complex than ever. The fortunate news is that you can avoid some of the most costly pitfalls by looking out for a few major red flags from the beginning.
Here are the top 5 misconceptions about listing your home for sale online and how you can avoid them.
1. You Can Save Money Without An Agent
While one of the biggest draws to listing a property online is being able to avoid commission fees by doing all the work yourself, the truth is, the initial savings will cost you more in the long run. Not only are you giving yourself more work throughout the process, but you can also be costing yourself a good chunk of change in the negotiation process.
2. You Don’t Need to Have an Open House
Even though you’re listing your property online, people are still going to want to physically visit their potential home before signing their name anywhere. One option to consider if you want to narrow down your buyer pool before opening up your house to strangers is to hire a photographer to post a virtual tour of your property.
This is a good thing to have even if you do have an open house. You never know who may be interested to move into your property from across the country. MSN Money reminds us that open houses are in the DNA of real estate, and the more you make your home available to potential buyers, the better chance you have of selling it.
3. All House Listings And Home Listing Sites Are The Same
While many online real estate websites offer similar services, they all vary in one way or another, and limiting yourself to just one site is a recipe for disaster. Digital marketing allows you to access markets across the entire globe, so make sure to do your research and post to the best sites that charge the fairest commission prices.
Also, Forbes points out that since most online buyers will try to flip houses, there is an inherent risk every online buyer takes on with each property purchase: the risk that the home actually will sell at a higher price. To offset the risk, online buyers charge a number of fees that are absorbed by the seller.
Some listings have assets and liabilities that are different from other homes for sale. If your home has a fireplace and chimney for instance, that is usually an asset to selling a home and increasing home value. However, if you don't use a service like ChimneyScientist.com, if it fails a home inspection, or appears unsafe it will detract from property valuation instead of add to it.
Real estate agents and realtors put themselves in the shoes of homebuyers and understand how to personalize a listing and showing. They can perform storytelling of homeowners waking up in their beautiful large master bathroom and using their OuttaSight Hair to make their hair equally as beautiful. Agents can talk up home benefits like the mudroom where you keep your kids mess out of your way and where you could use Sleek EZ to groom your clean pets. Realtors can talk about how the kitchen island with the granite counter tops are perfect for family gatherings and dinner parties. You will lose all of that experience, personalization, and storytelling if you list your home for sale on most websites.
4. You Can Trust The Accuracy Of Online Home Value Estimates
This is another area where people can lose out big without the help of an expert. Online estimates can vary from site to site, and each site uses different formulas to determine different values. If you utilize multiple services, it can be mere guesswork to determine how much your asking price should be. Professional real estate agents understand what they are doing and know how to find you great deals and increase your value through their experience.
5. The Information You Get About Your Neighborhood Is Accurate
The biggest gamble with online real estate is trusting the accuracy of the information that you receive. US News and World Report reiterates that the danger with believing everything you read or hear online is that real estate myths can cost you a ton of money in the long run. Make sure you cross-examine the figure you get and do a deep dive into and online real estate agency that you do decide to work with. It is easier than ever to fall for a scam online, but doing a little bit of digging can help you make the distinction between a real and fake site.
Learn To Do The Legwork On Real Estate Listings Online
When all is said and done, it is hard not to appreciate the convenience of the online real estate market. If you’re moving out of state, it is easy to see the massive importance of being able to do most of your searching from afar. However, it is also important to view your online listing as a tool rather than an entire strategy. Do as much as you can to have your property listed online, but don’t forget to do your local legwork, as well. Approaching your sale from multiple angles will net you more in the long-run, and will help ensure a quick and easy sale.