One of the most common questions sellers ask is "Why should I use an agent to sell my house when I can sell it myself?" The answer is that selling your house takes more than just putting a "For Sale" sign on the lawn and an ad in the newspaper. It takes experience and training to learn how to correctly price a house to sell, effectively market a house to bring top dollar and to anticipate and solve the many problems that can arise during the house selling process. In addition, since it doesn't cost anything for a buyer to work with an agent, the buyers coming directly to you may be looking to buy your house at a lower price because you are saving the brokerage fee.
By using a real estate agent, you are selecting someone to work on your behalf, not the buyer's. Your real estate agent will protect your rights as well as handle matters that you either you can't or would find difficult.
Your agent will submit your property listing to the MLS - and all other Agents (over 17,000 on the Toronto Real Estate Board alone) will see it immediately and will start bringing the buyers to you. It is mass advertising which private sale is missing. Remember, the price is dictated by the law of supply and demand. Your supply is a constant factor, but the demand is exponentially increased, and the prices offered will thus be higher by enlisting an agent's service.
It does not cost you a cent if your house cannot sell if you use an Agent. Many home owners find out that after spending hundreds or even thousands of dollars on advertising (newspaper ads, paying on-line for-sale-by owner sites...), they still end up using a real estate agent, and get prices much higher than those offered privately.
If you are still not convinced, you can try the following for-sale-by-owner site before considering enlisting my service:
