If you’re looking to sell your house or investment property in Fort Myers without using a real estate agent, we can help.
Although we do cooperate with brokers, sometimes it’s best to avoid paying someone to be in the middle.
After all, paying 5-6% of the sale of a property in a commission is a lot of money. In certain situations, Florida brokers and real estate agents can be very useful and earn their commission. Not always.
How Do I Sell My House Without An Agent in Fort Myers?
There are a few ways to avoid paying high commissions in your Florida sale.
First, there’s a tricky custom that you’ve gotta know about.
In most sales in Fort Myers, roughly half of the commission you pay as the seller goes to pay for the buyer’s broker.
Doesn’t make much sense, right?
Why should you pay for the agent on the other side of the table?
Truthfully, it defies logic – it’s just what’s typically done.
You can use that to your advantage in a few ways.
First, factor in the commissions paid when you’re looking at the comparable sales. If the properties similar to yours sold for prices that included commissions, take that into account.
Don’t underprice your property – be aware that a savvy buyer may expect to take a discount too. If you’re doing the work of one agent, you can expect to save that money.
Sometimes in Fort Myers, buyers who aren’t represented by an agent won’t remember to negotiate the buyer’s side commission out of the price for themselves, so don’t remind them if you don’t want to pay them. Just don’t be surprised if it comes up during the negotiation.
You may want to consider offering 2.5% to buyer’s agents who will bring their clients to show your property. Sure, it’s a lot of money. If you’re pricing your property including that commission, you can always negotiate a better deal for a purchaser who comes without an agent.
On the other hand, if you don’t leave room for the buyer’s agent’s commission, you’ll be excluding most of the buyers in the market in Fort Myers.
Over 90% of transactions happen through the MLS – that’s the Multiple Listing Service. It’s the main database that all the brokers in Fort Myers use to access information for their clients on the houses, condos, land and investment properties for sale, along with data on the sold prices.
Once upon a time, you had to pay a full commission to get your property on the MLS. Now in Fort Myers, there are a few brokers who will charge you a fee just to list your property on the MLS. Often, you spend a few hundred bucks and you only pay a commission if the sale closes.
Compared to the cost of a newspaper ad, the MLS is a cheap way to market your property to a very wide audience.
All the major real estate search sites like Realtor.com, Zillow, Yahoo Homes, etc. get data from the MLS. Chances are good that when you submit your listing in Fort Myers to the MLS, information on your property will end up on most of the major sites within a few days.
Each of those sites sells ads. They’ve got packages that let you pay to enhance your listing, feature it at the top of the search, and a lot of other bells and whistles that might or might not get an interested buyer to buy your property.
Advertising is a gamble. Sometimes open houses in Fort Myers Florida can be a great way to sell a property, and sometimes they’re a waste of time. Same with newspaper ads, craigslist postings, fancy signs – sometimes they work, and sometimes they don’t.
To effectively sell your property on your own, you have to market it well.
Putting up fliers and signs around your neighborhood can generate some calls, and there’s a lot of free websites where you can post information. But often just putting up flyers and an open house isn’t enough if your house doesn’t appeal to the average home buyer.
In theory, real estate agents charge big commissions because they have to spend a lot of money up front to advertise your property. By advertising lots of properties at once, they expect to get more phone calls – and obviously, they’ll make good profits by selling lots of houses.
Certain properties might require thousands of dollars in advertising expenses before the right buyer happens to see the ad and call.
If you want to avoid paying any commissions, you can also sell your house to investors like us for CASH
Selling your house to an investor can be a viable option for those looking for a quick and easy sale. Investors are typically experienced in the buying and selling of properties and have access to resources that can expedite the process (in as little as 7 days if you need to).
Investors are also willing to purchase Fort Myers properties in any condition, meaning you don’t have to spend money on repairs or staging. This can be especially beneficial for those who don’t have the time or resources to invest in preparing their house for sale in Florida.
Another advantage of selling to an investor is the speed of the transaction. Traditional home sales can take months, with multiple showings and negotiations. In contrast, an investor can close on a house within a matter of weeks, if not days.
Things to Consider When Selling to an Investor
While selling your house to an investor can be an attractive option, there are some things to keep in mind. Firstly, you may not receive the full market value for your house, as investors are looking for properties that they can purchase at a discount.
Additionally, not all investors are created equal. It’s important to do your research and choose an investor who has a proven track record of success and who you feel comfortable working with.
Finally, it’s important to understand the terms of the sale. Some investors may offer cash deals, while others may offer seller financing. Make sure you understand the terms and are comfortable with the agreement before signing on the dotted line.
Selling your house without an agent and to an investor can be a viable option for those looking for a quick and easy sale. It can also help you avoid costly commissions and give you more control over the process. However, it’s important to do your research and choose an investor who you feel comfortable working with and who offers fair terms for the sale.
We’re investors who care a lot about Fort Myers.
We close fast and pay cash in as little as 7 days. Give us a call now at 239.829.9591 or fill out the short form over here.