4 Reasons You Shouldn’t Sell Your Home Yourself

The concept of selling your house yourself may sound tempting, but there are a number of reasons why you should think twice before going this route. In the past few years, many homeowners have been choosing to sell their properties themselves as opposed to hiring a professional agent. This trend has led to an increase in the number of people who regret their decision and end up with fewer offers than they would’ve otherwise received. The following 4 points will provide some insight into the downside of self-selling your home so that you can make an educated decision on what is best for you!

1) You Get What You Pay For

Don’t try and sell your home yourself, you get what you pay for. This is true in so many situations, and selling your home is no exception. While it may be tempting to save a few hundred dollars by choosing the self-selling route over hiring an agent, this cost savings can often lead to more money being lost down the road as buyers become less and less interested.

When you sell your home without a professional agent, you miss out on the exposure that comes with being listed on multiple websites and having access to the MLS database of all local real estate agents. If you’re not able to afford an agent’s commission, chances are this means that there will be some months between when you list your home and when it goes under contract. This means that your home is not being featured on any of these websites or in the MLS database during this time, which can lead to fewer offers than you would’ve received if it had been listed right away.

2) Guidance

When you list with an agent, chances are they will be able to provide guidance through the process and help you steer clear of any unnecessary pitfalls. A professional agent can also provide feedback on how to stage your property so that it is more attractive to buyers, as well as give advice on the best price for your home in order to attract maximum interest from potential buyers.

With all this being said, hiring an agent will not guarantee a sale and you may still end up having to list your home for sale by owner (FSBO).

However, when you choose an agent and get that additional guidance from a reputable real estate professional, the likelihood of selling your property at its full market value quickly goes way up.

3) Protection

When you sell your home without an agent, it is up to you to list the property. This means that if there are any issues with the sale, such as a buyer backing out or not paying after he has already closed on his end of things, you will be solely responsible for making sure that everything goes smoothly and getting him into your new home.

If you sell your property through an agent, the contract will include a clause that states if anything goes wrong or there is any kind of dispute between buyer and seller, it will be up to the real estate broker (agent) to resolve it. This means less hassle for you and more peace of mind knowing that someone else has your back.

4) Liability

A home is one of the biggest investments that you will make in your lifetime, so it’s important to protect yourself when selling. The purchase contract for a seller who chooses not to go with an agent would need to include language protecting them if any issues arise between buyer and seller during the sale process. This means having some sort of indemnification clause in the contract, which is just another part of having an agent represent you.

When you sell your home through a real estate professional, they are responsible for protecting both parties involved with various liability clauses within their contracts. If anything goes wrong or there is any sort of dispute between buyer and seller during the sale process, it will be up to the broker to resolve it. This means less time and money spent on you as a seller, so that you can focus your efforts elsewhere!

In conclusion,

There are many benefits of selling via an agent rather than going with ‘for sale by owner’ (FSBO). In order to avoid any unnecessary stress during this process and ensure that everything goes smoothly, it’s best to choose an agent and list your home for sale with them.

EAN Content

Content shared by this account is either news shared free by third parties or sponsored (paid for) content from third parties. Please be advised that links to third party websites are not endorsed by Estate Agent Networking - Please do your own research before committing to any third party business promoted on our website. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

You May Also Enjoy

Rightmove logo
Breaking News

Rightmove’s Weekly Mortgage Tracker – 01/07/25

Average rates for 2-year and 5-year fixed-rate mortgages   Term Average rate Weekly change Yearly change 2-year fixed 4.57% -0.05% -0.83% 5-year fixed 4.55% -0.04% -0.45%   Lowest rates for 2-year and 5-year fixed-rate mortgages   Term Lowest rate Weekly change Yearly change 2-year fixed 3.69% -0.13% -0.98% 5-year fixed 3.87% -0.01% -0.36%   Average…
Read More
Breaking News

Housing Insight Report Covering May 2025

Sales On average, there were around 11.5 homes placed for sale per member branch in May 2025. Lettings The average void period reported by member agents increased to just over three weeks in May 2025. We are seeing an average of 37% of housing transactions taking longer than 17 weeks to complete. The timescales are…
Read More
Breaking News

Rental Market Hotspots Drive National Growth

New analysis from FCC Paragon reveals modest national growth in rental demand across England in Q2 2025, up by 1.2% to 29.4%. However, this overall increase masks significant regional variation, with several counties experiencing substantial quarterly surges that are driving the market forward. The research shows that rental demand across England strengthened in Q2, up 1.2%…
Read More
Breaking News

Nationwide House Price Index for June 2025 – Thoughts from the Industry

Nationwide House Price Index for June 2025 shows House prices fell by -0.8% between May and June of this year. On an annual basis, the average house price increased by 2.1% although this rate of growth had slowed from 3.5% the previous month. As a result, the average UK house price now sits at £271,619.…
Read More
Breaking News

Clarity still needed on key areas in Renters’ Rights Bill

Ahead of Report Stage of the Renters’ Rights Bill in the House of Lords later today, 1 July 2025, Propertymark is urging the UK Government and Peers to amendment Bill, so it is fit for purpose. There remain long-standing concerns about the capacity and capability of the Courts, with the time from claim to hearing…
Read More
Cozy Pet Cat Tree Grey
Breaking News

Pet deposits only option following UK Government U-turn on Renters’ Rights Bill

Ahead of Report Stage of the Renters’ Rights Bill in the House of Lords which kicks off later today, Tuesday 1 July 2025, Propertymark is urging Peers to support an amendment that would allow for an additional pet deposit now that the UK Government has tabled amendments to remove pet insurance requirements. Since the introduction…
Read More