Selling your home yourself can be a huge undertaking that requires a significant amount of hard work and investment of time and energy. Some homeowners choose to go the for sale by owner (FSBO) route, thinking it will save them money. But in the long run, using a professional real estate agent is the way to go to make your home selling process simpler, less risky, and more time- and cost-efficient. Here are the top six benefits of using an agent versus doing FSBO:

Pricing: An average agent-assisted sale is $265,000, whereas FSBO sales only go for $200,000, on average. That’s $65,000 more that you could put in your pocket with the help of an agent. 

Marketing: While 49% of FSBO sellers have no marketing strategy for their property, agents will have access to professional marketing tools and resources to help your home stand out from the competition. 

Paperwork: The second most difficult task for FSBO sellers is paperwork. Agents have built-in broker and paperwork support, taking the responsibility for doing paperwork off of your shoulders. 

Liability: A lack of real estate experience puts owners who do FSBO at a higher risk of being sued. With the help of a compliance-trained agent, homeowners can rest assured that their home will be sold without legal complications. 

Negotiation: An agent will act as a middleman in your transactions, whereas on your own, you would have to juggle all negotiations by yourself, putting you at risk of selling your home for less than it is worth. 

Time: When doing FSBO, you always have to be on call to let potential buyers view your home. An agent will schedule and host showings for buyers, saving you precious time.