Sometimes people come up to me and ask, “Do I need a real estate agent to sell a house in Wichita?” They might be asking about any city, really, but their question is the same, and my answer is the same, too.
Technically, a real estate agent is a person who has passed a somewhat difficult test after taking certain classes to prepare for the test, at which point the state is satisfied that person has sufficient specialized knowledge to hold a license to work for a real estate broker. In addition, most states require real estate agents and brokers to accumulate additional education annually. So, locating a buyer when you want to sell a house in Wichita is just one of the many things a real estate agent can do for you.
However, you can certainly find a buyer for your own house. I encourage homeowners to sell “by owner” because finding a buyer does not actually require highly specialized knowledge, although the balance of the sales transaction may require plenty of it. The closing process that begins after a handshake and friendly verbal agreement on the day someone decides they like your house and wants to buy it is where real estate agents’ specialized legal forms and local real estate knowledge become especially valuable to you. You might not need an agent to find a buyer, but you may very well need one to get your sale transaction closed.
Selling a house in Wichita without an agent means that you will have to provide your own sales documents and then see to it that those documents move along through the closing process. I’ve handled all the sales documents and closing process as a buyer, but I’m a real estate investor and have my professional systems in place. Usually a buyer will not have the knowledge or system in place because most buyers only purchase one house at a time, the house they intend to live in themselves. Real estate agents are trained to take their buyers by the hand and lead them through the complex and confusing process to buy a house in Wichita.
And that helpful guidance through the closing process is something you may choose to avoid because it’s rather awkward for a seller.
With the use of a good title company, it is certainly possible to find your own buyer and close your transaction without a real estate agent, but it is may not be particularly easy, and you may want to make sure you’re prepared for a few adventures in the midst of the process.