Many people believe they can save a considerable amount of money by selling on their own. They look at the average commission on a house, and remember stories of friends or relatives who managed to get through the process with seemingly little trouble. "People sell their own homes," they say, "so why can't I?"

Right now, over 10% of American homeowners handle their own sales. But in order to join the ranks of the successful ones, you need to realistically assess exactly what's involved. The routine parts of the job involve pricing your house accurately, determining whether or not a buyer is qualified, creating and paying for your own advertising, familiarizing yourself with basic real estate regulations enough to understand (and possibly even prepare) a real estate contract, and coordinating the details of a closing. The greatest downsides are the fact that your house is only on the market when you're home, and the possibility that a mistake may cost you the money you're trying to save.

The best reason for working with a real estate broker is the enormous amount of information they have at their disposal -- information that can help make your house sell faster and easier, and for more money. Professionals know about market trends, houses in your neighborhood, and the people most likely to buy there. They also know how to reach the largest number of people who may be interested in your house, and are trained in areas like pre-qualifying potential buyers and negotiating with them. Finally, they're always "on-call," and willing to do the things most of us hate: working on the weekends, answering the phone at all hours, and always being polite about it.

The decisions involved with buying, selling and moving between homes are among the most important decisions in our lives. At the same time, the home transaction and move are usually subject to strict scheduling, budgetary constraints and complex legal documents. Further complicating the situation is the fact that many of the associated issues are not the kinds of things that consumers deal with on a day-to-day basis. A Realtor can assist you with every step of the home selling process by:

• Advising you on how to dress your house for success.
• Suggesting reputable repair and maintenance vendors through Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage Concierge Services.
• Helping you determine the best asking price for your home.
• Implementing a marketing plan.
• Developing a strategy to show your home.
• Promptly advising you of changes in the market.
• Aassisting you in evaluating all offers and providing a proceeds summary.
• Monitoring the buyers' loan process through commitment, including the property appraisal.
• Advising you immediately of any event that may threaten closing.
• Monitoring the status of all contract contingencies.
• Coordinating and monitoring the settlement process through closing.
• Being present at closing to accompany you through the process.