Realtor or Home Buyer: What’s the Difference?

Written by Ashley Fox

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May 31, 2023

Realtor or Home Buyer: What’s the Difference?

If you live in the Lynchburg area and have a home to sell, you have options available, and it’s important to know what those are! Since we live and work in the greater Lynchburg area, we definitely understand the local market. We’re here to give you potential options when it comes to selling your home, whether that be hiring a Realtor or going through a professional home buyer.

Realtor Option

The traditional option is to enlist the services of a Realtor. Realtors are licensed professionals carrying a license through the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulations (DPOR). They have a fiduciary responsibility to represent the interest of their clients.

Realtors will typically provide a market assessment of the value of a property and a marketing plan for how to market and sell the property. Realtors usually charge a fee (called a commission) to be paid at closing for their representation and work.

The advantage of using a Realtor is that, if the Realtor does the job well, the property should sell for maximum value. A licensed professional will be there to walk you through the entire process. The downside is you pay the Realtor a commission and you go through the process of showings, offers, repair requests, appraisals, and inspections.

In summary: More Hassle, but More Money!

Home Buyer Option

Another option is to sell your home “AS-IS” to a professional home buyer. A professional home buyer is someone who pays cash for a home in AS-IS condition. They typically agree to take the home in the condition it is in and do not charge a commission or fees. They’re usually flexible on the terms (such as letting you select the closing date) and do not require you to do any typical inspections. It can be a much easier, more hassle-free way to sell your home! The downside is that professional home buyers usually need to buy the home at a significant discount in order to be able to make improvements to the home and then sell it for a profit.

In summary: Less Hassle, but Less Money!

Getting Your Options Lined Up

There are pros and cons with either option. To help you make a good decision, be sure you get information regarding all of the options you have available.

At Offermakerz, we are both professional home buyers and also licensed Realtors. We love to provide our clients with options and discuss the pros and cons of each to help them make a good decision regarding the sale of their home. We’d love to talk with you to see how we can help!