Okay, so this whole DIY property-selling thing looks pretty tempting, right? Which, yeah, makes total sense if you really think about it for a moment. Chances are, you see those success stories online, people bragging about how they sold their place themselves and saved thousands in agent fees. Maybe there’s a lot of real estate red flags online listings scams online (which seems to be rising), and so yeah, if you show yourself and show how transparent you are to put customers at ease.
Yes, it all sounds incredible. Like, who wouldn’t want to pocket that cash? But before running off to slap your listing on the internet and call it a day, well, you need to know it’s not as simple as listing a couch on Facebook Marketplace. Things can actually get a bit stressful.
It Sounds Easy Until You Start
Alright, so it’s best to just start right here, so, selling property without an agent always starts with the same thought: how hard can it be? Basically, all you’re doing is just taking some photos, writing a description, posting it online, and waiting for buyers. Now, yeah, all of that sounds so simple. Except, it’s not really that simple once you’re actually in it. Okay, how though? Because what no one mentions is that selling real estate is one part marketing, one part negotiation, one part emotional stamina, and one part business strategy.
Basically, it’s like one part of everything; it’s that simple. Besides, trying to do all four while also juggling daily life, work, kids, and your sanity can push anyone to their limit. It’s just not going to be worth it. Plus, there’s the rules, paperwork, legal hoops, disclosures, and all sorts of “don’t mess this up” steps that come with property sales. It’s absolutely a hassle, and if you have basically no experience with any of this, not even Google will be your friend (and it’s not like AI will be accurate either if you try and use ChatGPT).
Marketing Can Make or Break the Sale
Sure, this one does sound fairly obvious, right? Well, a lot of DIY sellers underestimate how hard it is to make a listing stand out. Buyers scroll fast, well, not just that, but they’re essentially judging immediately. So, if your listing looks boring, unclear, or just “off”, you can count on them just moving on (you would probably do the same in their position). And it doesn’t matter how amazing the property is if no one even clicks it to begin with.
But there’s also the selling price to think about, too. It’s too high, well, chances are, it’ll sit for months and look undesirable. Now, with that part said, if it’s too low, well, you’ll lose money. Oh, and guessing won’t cut it, because the market changes constantly in ways that don’t always make sense. But you can’t forget either that a property needs a strategy, a story, and a bit of persuasion behind that listing (basically that extra nudge).
That’s the kind of stuff agents train for, so doing it yourself means you need to learn that whole skill set too. Do you have time to learn these skillsets?
Professional-Looking Photos Actually Matter
Have you ever been n Zillow, or some sort of real estate listing (same goes for rental listings), and seen pictures that didn’t look professional at all? Were they taken with a phone? Was there bad lighting? Did the pictures (maybe even the room included) look super unflattering? You probably judged really hard, right? Well, yeah, the photos being uploaded can absolutely make or ruin a listing.
So, dark rooms, clutter on the counter, weird angles, unmade beds, or photos that look like they were taken through a potato lens can instantly make buyers click away. Again, you probably clicked away, too, right? It sounds harsh, but people judge fast online. And some DIY sellers think, “Oh well, I’ll just take the pictures myself”. Now, if you judge others when they DIY, people are going to do the exact same to you, too. Now, it’s not like you can’t DIY, but only if the photos look like something buyers actually want to walk into. Sometimes, even if the place is gorgeous, a basic phone photo just doesn’t do it justice.
Now, if you’re deadset on doing it all yourself (if you have a DSLR or a mirrorless camera), then you could also look into tools like real estate photography post-processing to help you out, so when you’re editing photos (which you absolutely need a professional photo editing tool in the first place). Just having a professional finish will absolutely get your listing the attention it needs.
Dealing with Buyers Can be a Lot
Needless to say, talking to potential buyers can be draining. In what ways? Well, people show up late for viewings, ask random questions you’re not prepared for, lowball you, or try to convince you your property isn’t worth what you’re asking. It honestly all sounds rage-inducing, right? So yeah, you’ll have to do what you can to just stay calm, patient, and confident through all of that, while not taking things personally, which is harder than it sounds.
Plus, some buyers get pushy, which can be super uncomfortable. Some disappear mid-deal, some real estate agencies have protections against this, and you better believe some will drag out the process for as long as possible. An agent normally runs interference so you don’t have to deal with all the awkwardness, time-wasting, and stress. But DIY selling means taking all of that on yourself. So if someone’s already stretched thin (and you can basically count on that happening), well, this part can feel exhausting really quickly.
Don’t Forget About the Emotional Toll
Seriosuly, here, people don’t talk enough about how much energy it takes to sell something you’re emotionally attached to. Well, it’s not even just that, but there’s such a massive time commitment to all of this, too, because you’re doing quite literally everything in order to sell this piece of property, and that holds some baggage, too. You’re basically picking up an unpaid part-time job when doing this.
