The biggest and most common mistake homeowners and homebuyers make is trying to buy or sell a property on their own. The concept of FSBO – For Sale By Owner – is nice in theory, but with the real estate market as complex as it is, it is almost impossible to depend on a real estate transaction that does not involve a professional. Case in point is the town of Arnold, CA, a popular resort town that offers wonderful second homes and vacation homes, but requires a skilled navigator to uncover the best available properties.
Arnold is about 3 hours away from cities like San Francisco, whose residents have turned to the town as a getaway for generations. This means that most buyers will be buying a home remotely – unable to just quickly stop by to check on a property or deal with escrows and other requirements like inspections. In such cases, an FSBO makes no sense. You need a real estate professional that is on site, who can handle all of the elements of a purchase – from the search to the negotiations, to the paperwork – and this is why experienced buyers always prefer to work with a realtor.
Sellers who decide to go FSBO are greeted with an even harder challenge – marketing their home. While there are many free resources, the internet being the primary one, buyers are wising up and realizing that they can’t always trust what they find on a web search. Information can be outdated, inaccurate, or misleading, and the degree of trust is dwindling. Realtors are the only reliable source for up to date information, and buyers always respond to their tried and tested marketing techniques that maximizes the potential of a home sale.
In Arnold, real estate companies like Cedar Creek Realty are available for buyers and sellers who are looking for effective, professional guidance. If you’re considering to FSBO, think twice – making bad real estate decisions is that last regret you need.