One of many websites that tell home owners they do not need to enlist the help of a professional agent to be able to sell their home is BuyOwner.com. They encourage sellers to instead For Sale By Owner (FSBO). However, perhaps not everyone at the firm is a believer. A recent Herald Tribune article reported that when it came to selling his Florida mansion, Al Bennati, chief executive of BuyOwner.com, chose to list his home with a local real estate agent. |
This isn’t the first time that a CEO of a major FSBO website enlisted the help of an agent. In August of 2011, the Wall Street Journal reported on Colby Sambrotto of forsalebyowner.com who, after failing to sell his home using FSBO websites, needed an agent to sell his NYC apartment.
Even Fannie Mae points out the advantages of using an agent. From the Know Your Options section of their website:
“Unless you are experienced at selling homes, it usually makes financial sense to get professional help - homes sold by agents typically sell at a higher price and spend less time on the market.”
THE POINT
Two separate people made fortunes convincing others to sell their home through their FSBO websites. Yet, when it came to selling their own home, they recognized the value of using a real estate professional. Our Agents make a difference!