Mechanic: Leeches is the right word because it is a parasitic profession that adds no real value to a transaction between a buyer and a seller of the biggest spend of their lives. We have been programmed to believe that they are necessary much like the DeBeer's marketing that a guy should spend $$$$ on a diamond for his fiancee...which is essentially a lump of carbon. To qualify as a realtor is a joke. Any high school dropout can clear the hurdle. So why do we pay them 5% or 6% of the biggest cheque we'll ever sign? Before the advent of digital technology they might have controlled access to information about the properties via the MLS system. But that is no longer the case. Sellers can make available whatever info they want to prospective buyers on the web. I find it laughable that realtors spend the biggest part of their budget plastering their portraits all over town in vulgar advertisements and think that it promotes sales. Much like our politicians who visually pollute our environment with their silly signs during elections. I'd rather have them spend their budget on a web site that invites debate and discussion of important issues by the voters. As we get mature and more comfortable with digital technology we'll learn that there is no need for an intermediary between a buyer and a seller. We buy and sell almost everything we want without a "broker"; so why not a house. Worth it to make a plan of action and spend a few hundred bucks on ads and a good lawyer than waste tens of thousands of $$$ on these parasites.
In no particular order I will address some of your points:
- Sold price of a home is NOT available publicly online. Only realtors can give you this info along with
full detail specs of the home. You arent getting close to half of that info on MLS. With full specs of a home, thats how you are able to properly compare home by home and their sale prices to ones that you are either interested in buying or looking to put on the market for fair asking price. Asking price is not the same thing as market value.
- trying to sell on your own, good luck. Many realtors wont take clients your way for many reasons. MLS is the largest market for sellers and buyers. Not only will you be in competition with sellers on MLS, you will just be cutting out the largest market of potential trade partners therefore creating less demand on your property due to less reach.
- realtors facilitate the deal. Trying to sell or buy directly with the other party can be disastrous. Sellers emotions get in the way because its their home, any small disagreement or insult such as paint color, a potential deal may never happen if 2 sides decide to get douchebaggy on each other. Realtors are there to cut that shit out. They talk the big picture, they talk reason to try to put a deal together for their clients where both sides will be happy. Lots of shit goes down during conditional home inspections (if it happens), this is usually where negotiations really kick up a notch.
- You are dealing with multiple offers. Whether you are a buyer or seller, do you know how to either compete with 7 other offers? or would you know how to handle 7 offers on your home and also know how to push buttons legally to get an even higher sale price? Doubt you will, in fact, you might even end up selling your house to 3 different families and get your ass sued at the end of it all
- Buyer agents are free. If you deal directly with a listing agent, guess what, he/she gets all the commission (2 deals worth). Wouldnt you want an agent to help u negotiate, give you full detailed info so you can decide what price is fair or not, setup showings for you so you dont have to make a dozen calls. If you are a private seller, yes you got commission to pay out for marketing, agents duties and their obligations to you, but to give you a little glimpse of hell, you wanna deal with staying at home letting dozens of people into your house at all times of day? If you cant show your home, you lose potential buyers, and possibly multiple offers, which could lessen your sale price. This is just a little scratch of annoyances private sellers have to deal with
- Realtors farm areas to brand themselves. simple as that. branding is so important. Like it or not, thats what you gotta deal with.
I can go on in a lot more detail but I dont intend to write a whole sales package here.
