It happens every year. Real estate agents trot out the same tired litany of “cautionary tales” to frighten you into not selling privately and convince you they’re your white knight.

It’s the same paper-thin excuses heard year after year. But for those hearing them for the first time, they can seem convincing. So we’d like to give you the facts.

• 1- ComFree homes don’t sell.
  
  FACT
  As of May 31, 2009, the sold-to-listing ratio for the Winnipeg Real Estate Board (WREB) was 60%. At present, ComFree’s sold-to-list is also 60%.


• 2- Agents can net you more money.
  
  FACT
  Since 2002, ComFree’s average yearly selling price for all property types has been roughly $20,000 higher (NOT including agent commissions) than the average on the agents’ MLS.


• 3- Agents will do a better job of “selling” your home to buyers.
  
  FACT
  When you bought your home, did the agent or homeowner convince you to buy, or was it the house itself? Alternatively, when you didn’t like a home, did the agent try to convince you differently, or did the agent just take you to another home? Real estate agents don’t sell homes . . . homes sell homes. Besides, when questions about your home arise, no one is more qualified than you to answer them.

• 4- Agents can get you a premium price because they use their “sales technique” on the buyers
  
  FACT
  Don’t be fooled by this. When buyers view your home, the majority will be represented by their own agent, whose job is to represent the buyer, not you. Even when your listing agent brings a buyer (thereby creating a conflict of interest), there is no pressure tactic applied for your benefit; they’re supposed to be neutral. Your listing agent won’t jeopardize the sale by pressuring the buyer. He’ll pressure you. You are now his biggest hurdle to a big commission


• 5- Selling privately takes too much time and will be a major disruption to your life.
  
  FACT
  Selling a home will always be a disruption to your routine, but selling privately is actually less disruptive. That’s because, when you sell privately, you have the freedom to decide when you will show your home. You control when you want to change your routine. If you want to show your home only on weekends and Wednesday nights, you can. With an agent, that luxury is not allowed. Who knows when you’ll get an agent’s call telling you, and your family, to vacate?


• 6- You’re not qualified to handle all the legal paperwork.
  
  FACT
  This is correct. Most homeowners aren’t qualified to handle the legal documents involved. But who said selling privately meant that you’d be responsible for the legal work? Once you receive an offer, your lawyer takes over and will manage all of your legal interests and documents. You won’t make any mistakes that will cost you because your lawyer won’t allow it. Since you would also use a lawyer even if an agent were involved, a private sale is no different than an MLS sale. Just a lot less expensive.