For Sale by Owner or Real Estate Agent?

So you feel it's time to move! One of the first questions you'll have to decide is whether you want to hire an agent to help you well your house, or go it alone. There are several advantages to hiring a real estate agent, and there are also advantages to doing it on your own. Below are a few pros and cons to think about before choosing your path:

Hiring a Real Estate Agent	For Sale By Owner
Pros	Pros
An agent can help you determine your home's reasonable market value. An agent will cover all up-front advertising costs; agents also have special advertising means at their disposal, such as Multiple Listing Service (MLS) Agents have the skills to work with prospective buyers and offer them financing advice.	You will save the commission costs paid to a real estate agent.
Cons	Cons
If the agent sells your house you will be paying him/her a substanital commission.	You will need to develop your own marketing scheme. You will have to figure out how to assess your home's current market value. This is harder than it sounds! Meeting directly with prospective buyers and showing your house can be very inconvenient and time-consuming. It will be your responsibility to write up a legally binding contract or pay any attorney to do so.