Berkshire County MA Real Estate |For Sale by Owner

 

(NAPSI)-The number of people in Berkshire County MA selling their home without the help of a real estate professional plummeted over the past year. Today's challenging marketplace favors buyers-who are taking their time and exercising caution when investing in homeownership.  Sellers in Berkshire County MA benefit from the knowledgeable guidance and advice that Berkshire County real estate agent professionals can offer.

 

"Selling a home is a full-time job," said National Association of Realtors® (NAR) president Vicki Cox Golder. "Unrepresented sellers often don't understand the complexity, range and timing of tasks they'll have to perform. In a competitive market, sellers need every advantage they can get."

 

According to the NAR 2009 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, "for-sale-by-owner" transactions dropped to a record low 11 percent, and almost half of those sellers sold their home to someone they already knew, such as a relative, friend or neighbor.

 

On the open market, today's sellers have to compete with bar-gain-priced short sales and foreclosures as well as other homeowners who may be trying to sell their homes. In addition, managing the appraisal process, inspections and buyer qualifications in a tougher credit market has become more complicated in this environment, adding to the already intricate transaction process.

 

Without professional assistance, Berkshire County MA real estate sellers are faced with a marketing disadvantage. The survey revealed that more than half of unrepresented sellers did not actively market their homes to potential buyers.

 

Those who did used yard signs, Internet listings and print newspaper ads. Unfortunately, unrepresented sellers don't have access to fundamental marketing services, such as a multiple listing service, and can't list their Berkshire County home to reach a broader audience.

 

Professional insights into preparing, pricing and positioning a home for sale pay off. In 2009, a typical property without professional assistance sold for $172,000 compared with $215,000 for the typical agent-assisted property.  Golder believes the decline in "for-sale-by-owners" indicates a growing awareness of how complicated today's market is.

 

"A Berkshire County Realtor® has specific knowledge of  this market and can save consumers time and money," she said. "Berkshire County Real Estate Agents  can help a seller set a realistic price and ensure that the proper paperwork and various disclosures and inspections are handled correctly. Sellers will get broader market exposure and are more likely to generate competitive bids by working with a real estate professional."

 

Harsch Associates Berkshire County Real Estate has been providing realty services in Willliamstown and the entire of Berkshire County 35 years.  Our Real Estate Agents can assist you in selling your home.  Contact us today at 413-458-5000 to discuss how we can market your home to thousands.