The real question to consider, is how much will it cost you if you don't! It's statistically proven that the majority of for sale by owners sell for far less than homes sold by a professional realtor. We've seen it first hand, and the property sold for more than $50,000 less than it could have.

Typically the fee to list a home is anywhere between 5-6%. In our free sellers guide we break down how the commission works but almost always half goes to the realtor that is representing the seller, and the other half goes to the realtor that brings the buyer.

The most common way to determine the value of a home is to do a comparative market analysis. A comparative market analysis also known as a "CMA" takes into account all of the recent homes that have sold usually within the last 6 months sometimes up to the last year that are comparable to your home. A CMA report will give a range in pricing, however it's not a guarantee that your home will sell at any given price that the CMA results show. An experienced local Realtor will guide you on the best listing price so that it actually sells as close to that price as possible and sometimes even higher. 

When selling your home it's very important to disclose everything you know about your home to your Realtor and to buyers. Your Realtor will have you fill out a form known as a "seller's disclosure" the form lists a series of questions regarding things such as the age of your roof, to questions that will ask if there has ever been any kind of leak in your home. It's important to always be honest about these things. No one wants to get the raw end of a deal. If you are aware of any current issues it's usually best to fix them before putting your home on the market but you'll want to discuss all of this with your Realtor.