Some homeowners think that selling their own home will save money and give them an advantage over the Realtor-using majority. Before you start down this complicated path, here are a few reasons why using a real estate professional is important:

1. You will be drastically limiting your exposure to potential buyers, which means it can take between 10 and 15 times longer to sell your home. Houses that take a long time to sell usually sell for less because buyers believe there must be something wrong with them.
2. Most buyers find negotiating with sellers extremely awkward, and therefore avoid For Sale By Owner situations.
3. Most buyers use a Realtor in their home search, and most buyers' agents will typically not work with FSBOs because they will not be paid. This means you will have to offer a selling commission to attract buyer's agents, which will cut into your expected "savings."
4. Lack of negotiating experience can result in a lower selling price, or worse, a bungled contract and possible lawsuits. It is probably unwise to pit your negotiating skills against those of experienced professionals.
5. If you plan to use a lawyer to help you negotiate, your lawyer's fees could be considerably higher than a Realtor's commission. Unlike Realtors, lawyers do not get paid for proactively representing your best interests or mediating delicate situations.
6. You only pay a commission to your Realtor if they successfully sell your home at a price you are happy with.

When selling your home, you should select a real estate agent who can expose your property to the biggest market to ensure the fastest sale at the best possible price. Good agents should use the MLS, national and local promotion on the Internet, yard and neighborhood signs, as well as ads in various real estate publications.

Sales statistics show that properties that are initially priced too high eventually sell for less than properties that were correctly priced in the first place. Also, over-priced houses can take months or even years to sell, while properly priced houses usually sell in a matter of weeks or even days. The average or median price for similar homes in your area will likely be very close to your home's true market value.

While you don't have to keep your house 100% clean all the time, you should make any necessary repairs and perform all major cleanup work BEFORE you start showing your home. There are hundreds of small things you can do to make your house more attractive for a showing, ranging from drawing all the blinds and tightening loose doorknobs to displaying fresh-cut flowers and baking a loaf of bread. Most importantly, you should not be present during showings so that prospective buyers can explore your home freely. Ask your Realtor to provide a checklist of things you can do to make your home more attractive to buyers.

Selling real estate is a complex matter and can be confusing. Do yourself a favor and learn as much about the process as you can before you begin. If you haven't already, start looking for your new home as soon as you list your current one but be cautious about buying before you sell as it is easier to rent a place for a few months than it is to make two mortgage payments.

Always get agreements in writing. Verbal commitments are hard to prove after the fact, so make sure that all the small details are added to the purchase contract. If the buyer says that they have no financing contingencies, make sure the contract says so!

Lastly, always remember that there are no dumb questions. NOT asking questions is dumb.