Selling yourself instead of using a real estate agent?

More and more homeowners today are choosing to sell their homes FSBO (For Sale By Owner) and foregoing the help of a real estate agent. Selling your home by this method can end up saving you a potential “hefty” commission (industry average is 5-7% of the home’s selling price). Plus, many FSBO sellers feel that they have more control in the process of selling their home since they’re in essence making all the rules for advertising and showing.

To do it right, quickly and to get the most you can, you need an expert appraiser. We understand it's difficult to be objective about your own home because of your emotional attachment to it. We will be objective and accurate in an appraisal of your property, and inform you of what you need to know, not just what you want to hear.

A lot of sellers are shocked when they find out that the value of their house is much more than they had planned, so investing in an appraisal from Robin Taggart Hannigan and Keller, Craig & Associates, Inc. actually allowed these people to receive several thousand more dollars than they thought they would. Others have an inflated opinion of their home's price value and an appraisal helped them to decide on a realistic price for their home in order for it to sell. An overpriced house will not attract buyers, which means you have wasted time on money and are left with no offers. Each month that your home is still sitting on the market is another month you have to pay the mortgage, utilities, insurance, and other expenses. 


In addition to helping you set a realistic asking price so your home will attract buyers, a professional appraisal can:
  • Be a very useful negotiating tool when you find a potential buyer
  • Put buyers at ease with written proof of your home's market value
  • Make you aware of issues and help reduce last-minute repair hassles that might hold up a closing
  • Decrease the chances of unrevealed problems that cause sales to deteriorate

Spending a few hundred dollars on an appraisal may allow you to receive several thousand dollars more in the sale. Alternatively, some people have an overestimated impression of their home's value, and an appraisal will give them the assistance they need in order to realistically price their home in order for it to sell quickly - rather than sitting on the market for months and suffering burnout. Asking too much for a home causes buyers to back off, reducing your offers, making closing more difficult, wasting valuable time, money, and efforts.

We also help agents price homes

Even if you're the most experienced agent, it's sometimes a good idea to have an objective third-party's opinion of value prior to finalizing a listing contract. Whether it's a uniquely designed home, an overimproved property, one in an unusual condition, or with uncommon amenities, the appraisers at Taggart and Associates, Inc. can help. We can also help bridge the gap between a sellers preferred list price and the realtors suggested price by providing a well documented and fully supported appraisal. We can furnish you with a pre-listing appraisal that will let you and your seller have a precise description of the home's characteristics and a detailed analysis of the the newest and most similar comparable sales, including those that may not be available through the realtor's multiple listing service. This is especially important for unusual or unique properties. 


 Home improvements that add value

There are other important questions to ask yourself, in addition to "how much?", prior to listing your house. Ask yourself "Should we paint the house before we sell it?", "Should I put in that third bathroom?", "Should I finish my closet remodel?" Many things that we do to our houses can have an effect on their value. But, not all of them have an equal affect. While a kitchen remodel will improve the value and appeal of a home, it may not add nearly enough to the value to justify your expenses. 

We'll help you make some of these decisions. Our appraisers have no vested interest in the amount the house sells for, unlike an agent. Our fees are based on our efforts to complete your appraisal, and not a percentage of the sales price.