There are no industry figures comparing the two methods and even if there were the results would be at best ambiguous. So for better or worse we can only reason through the topic and make an educated guess.

The pro agent people (mostly agents) would argue that only an agent has the marketing clout and inherent skill to achieve the highest possible price in the shortest timeframe. But is that claim accurate or indeed verifiable? A cursory look at the question would tell you that there are to many variables e.g., is the agent a good one? Is he acting in your best interests or his own best interests i.e. a commission. All agents freely admit that price is the ultimate determinant of saleability, not the salesman’s ability. Agents when talking amongst themselves always say that if a house is being reasonably marketed and remains unsold it’s the price that’s the main problem.

A seller’s market means that there are more home buyers than homes that are for sale. In this business environment, buyers have less property to choose from, sellers can be more selective and typically can get a higher and better price for their property. Other economic issues like home mortgage interest rates, consumer confidence, employment, etc. all play an important part in selling real estate anywhere. The economy is something you can’t control and you may want or have to sell your home despite these factors. So what are the typical characteristics of people who survive and succeed when selling by owner?

Here are a few characteristics which separate the winners from the losers at the game of self-selling. Those who are successful typically: 1. Have the money to support the marketing efforts required to keep the property exposed to the home buying public while the home is for sale, over a period of time of at least 90 days. This includes professional signage, advertising, cost of fixing up the home, legal counsel, etc. They also have the money to absorb marketing mistakes. 2. Have a basic business background and knowledge about marketing, personal selling and enough technical knowledge about real estate principals and practices to prevent themselves from doing things, which are blatantly illegal or stupid. 3. Are disciplined and set marketing goals and objectives with specific time frames for the execution and accomplishment of those goals and objectives. These individuals are highly organized, pay close attention to detail and get the job done without excuses

The real estate market has been radically revolutionized by the web. This is particularly true when it comes to buying property. Most people have figured out they can now sit at their desk and click through property listings on the web. The times saving is incredible, particularly given the high cost of gas and our time. Instead of driving all over town to look at 20 potential homes, buyers can now create refined list of three to five homes that seem to meet all their criteria. Given this fact, you better have your property listed online. Assuming you agree with the above notion, the question becomes what exactly do you put on your web listing? Is it the same as you would do with a newspaper listing or what? The answer is to put up as much information as possible. This should include the basics such as price, age of home, square footage, number of bedrooms, number of baths and so on. In addition to these elements, however, you should also go ahead and list unique aspects of your home such as views from rooms, the nature of the neighborhood and just about anything you can think of. Do not hold back! Put it all up.