News Release Daily Real Estate News  |   February 24, 2011  |   Share Survey: Sellers Fare Better With Agents Sellers have a better chance at getting their house sold by using a REALTOR® than opting for the do-it-yourself approach, according to a survey of 1,000 home owners by HomeGain.com, an online real estate resource. Nearly 60 percent of home owners who used a REALTOR® to sell their home were successful compared to 39 percent of FSBOs, the survey found. In the survey, 83 percent of home owners said they used a REALTOR® to sell their home, whereas 17 percent said they tried to sell it themselves. This corresponds to results from NAR's 2010 Profile of Buyers & Sellers, which found 88 percent of sellers were assisted by a real estate agent. (Additionally, 83 percent of buyers bought their home through an agent.) “It is especially striking that home owners fare significantly better in selling their homes using a REALTOR®  than selling on their own,” says Louis Cammarosano, general manager at HomeGain. “Due to that relative success, the level of satisfaction in the home selling process is also higher for home sellers utilizing the services of a REALTOR® than those who try to sell their homes on their own.” Among the findings in its For Sale by Owner vs. REALTOR® survey: 88 percent of home owners who sold their homes using a REALTOR® said they would use a REALTOR® again. 24 percent of FSBOs eventually contacted a REALTOR® to help sell their home. Source: “HomeGain Survey Finds Home Sellers Fare 50% Better in Getting Their Homes Sold Using a REALTOR® Than Selling on Their Own,” HomeGain.com (Feb. 24, 2011) Useful Links Comprehensive mortgage toolkit available "Consumers need to know and understand the real costs of mortgages before they can make an informed decision on the type of mortgage they need," says FCAC Commissioner Bill Knight. "What they don't know now could cost them thousands of dollars in unanticipated interest and penalty charges down the road." Knight suggests that consumers should ask themselves three key questions before signing a mortgage agreement: How long will I stay in this house? How quickly do I want to pay off my mortgage? and How much can I afford to pay each month?  FCAC's toolkit helps answer those questions. Click for Maps! Important Reports! Click for Calculator & Lots More! Crime Statistics If you need more information about the Real Estate industry, banks, or Edmonton and the surrounding towns, just visit one of the many links below.   Industry Information Used to be mls.ca! Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation Canadian Real Estate Association Alberta Mortgage Brokers Assoc. Landlord and Tenant Advisory Board Banks Edmonton and Area -We provide links to other sites as a service only and we take no responsibility for their content. All above information and figures are believed to be correct but are not guaranteed accurate. Information can be changed without notice.