For-Sale-by-Owner (FSBO) Sellers

In summary, the 2013 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers reported that: Despite the changes observed in the housing market in 2013, the importance of REALTORS® in the transaction remains clear. As inventory tightened in many areas of the country in the past year, buyers were most often looking for agents to help them find the right home. For most buyers, referrals continue to be the primary method of finding an agent, and most buyers only interviewed one agent during their search process. Buyers continue to face tighter credit standards than seen in previous years. This year’s report continued to show an elevated share of married couples and suppressed levels of single buyers, similar to last year’s report. Married couples who purchased a home have the advantage of more buying power and added financial stability. Buyers need the help of a real estate professional to help them find the right home for them, help them understand the process, and negotiate terms of sale. Sellers place a high importance on the reputation of the agent as a factor in hiring them. Sellers also place a great deal of importance in whether the agent is honest and trustworthy. Sellers turn to professionals to help sell their homes within a specific timeframe, market their home effectively and find the right buyer. More buyers and sellers are turning to professionals to help them with this transaction, and satisfaction with agents continues to be high. Sellers trust their agent to be able to perform the same four tasks as in previous years: • help selling the home within a specific timeframe • helping the seller market the home to potential buyers • help in finding a buyer for the home,