Compare Selling Your House Yourself, Going With A Limited Service Agent, Or Working With Lucas Group SC
Whether it’s a seller’s market or a buyer’s market in Columbia, SC, it’s smart to look at your options and see what will actually help you best reach your goals. Do you want an easy transaction with real estate experts helping you through the process? At Lucas Group SC, we feel it’s important to know your options before selling a house. Dive in and learn the differences between hiring Lucas Group SC, selling the house yourself, or using a cut-rate limited service agent.
 | For Sale By Owner | Cut Rate Agents | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Time To Sell: | Lower average days on market (under 50) | Studies show selling yourself adds on average 20+ days to the time to sell the house** | Depends on how comprehensive the service is to help market and negotiate the home |
| Typical Sales Price: | Houses sell for 13% higher prices* when working w/ a broker vs. FSBO | 13% less* than an experienced agent is able to negotiate | Depends if their service includes full negotiation services or not |
| Marketing Costs: | $0 – We pay for all marketing and do all of the marketing work | $500 – $2,000+ in ads, yard sign, and more. | $500 – $2,000+ in ads, yard sign, and more. |
| Types Of Marketing Included: | MLS listing, professional yard sign, our team of buyers agents, featured online listings, open house if necessary, and more! | None. You’ll need to purchase all of your marketing separately. | MLS, other marketing usually extra |
| Time Commitment From You: | Very little. We want this to be as hands-off as possible for you so you can enjoy the process. | 3-5+ hours per week including showing the house, open houses, marketing, putting out signs, etc. | 3-5+ hours per week including showing the house, open houses, marketing, putting out signs, etc. |
| Fees / Commissions: | Competitive commission structure. But we save you time, headache, and stats show we can help you sell for a higher price vs. FSBO | $100-$1,000 for materials and FSBO website listings. | Flat fee or reduced commission for reduced services and assistance. |
| Legal / Contract / Advice: | 100% included. We handle all of the contracts, documents, setting up escrow and closing, and more! We worry about the details so you can relax. | You are responsible for all contracts, escrow, and legal details to ensure the closing happens correctly and legally. | Not always included, when it is it may be limited. Ask the agent what they include and will not include. |
Your Time Is Valuable
At the end of the day, we always advise our clients to put a value on the time and energy that it will take to sell a house the FSBO way or with a flat rate agent. If it takes you 30 hours of your time and you value your time, that alone is thousands of dollars in real value. Some of the tasks you’ll be required to do include marketing, meeting with potential buyers, and answering a lot of questions. You’ll need to show the house and manage the closing process. That’s a lot of work! You can save time AND money when you work with a qualified, experienced agent to sell your house.
If you want to buy a home in the Columbia, SC area, our team can help you find the right property for your needs. We can provide area information, market statistics, and help ensure that the house you’re buying will be perfect for you! Ready to get started? Give us a call at 803-792-SELL or connect with us on our Contact Page.
Less Hassle, More Peace Of Mind…
Before selling your Columbia SC house, take into consideration these 3 important factors:
- The true costs: We know that people dread the word “commission”, but when you consider how much more you will make, how much time you will save, and how much easier the process will be, choosing a professional and knowledgeable agent is the only choice! At Lucas Group SC, we are experts in your corner to protect your best interests.
- Your time commitment: Do you have the time to be heavily involved in all aspects of selling your house? From marketing to taking calls from buyers, to showing the house, doing your own open house, putting signs outside, to setting up escrow, and more? If you’d rather not hassle with details like that, work with a trusted team like Lucas Group SC.
- The “experience factor”: There are hangups that can throw your closing off or cost you thousands. We help you avoid those and we deal with them for you.
Ready To Get The Process Started With Lucas Group SC? Give Us A Call At 803-792-SELL Or Get A FREE Home Valuation Report!
Sources:
* 2014 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, National Association of REALTORS®)
** Both the Northwestern and the Stanford studies mentioned in the Money section confirm just that: “The use of a broker does lead to an accelerated sale. In that respect, brokers appear to add value,” the Stanford researchers declared. The Northwestern study found that it takes on average 20 days longer to sell a house on a FSBO site versus the MLS or an agent.