Selling your home is a highly emotional, stressful process — and one fraught with monumental financial decisions. From that lens, it makes perfect sense that many sellers today are turning to their Realtor friends to guide them through the process, friends who they know will always have their best interests at heart. Emotional support aside, though, hiring your friend as your Realtor is a tricky business — particularly if you’re only enlisting their guidance because they’re a part of your inner circle. Keep reading for the main implications of hiring a friend-turned-Realtor when they’re not truly up to the job.

Experience Matters

In most cases, your decision to work with a friend is made out of convenience, not expertise. It’s either the easiest option you have, or you feel pressured (internally or externally) to hire them. Considering that your house is your biggest financial asset, this isn’t a decision you want to make out of a place of convenience. You want the best person for the job – no ifs, ands, or buts.

The Truth Will Come Out:

No matter how much you love your friends and family, it stands to reason that you’ve kept certain things private for a reason. When selling, however, you’ll need to disclose anything and everything related to your financial picture to your agent — like the fact (hypothetically speaking, of course) that you took out a second mortgage to finance the new business, or that you’re underwater on your current home — things you might (understandably) rather keep to yourself.

Need more home selling advice? Check out these other blog posts for other tips!

• How To Get Your DC Home Sold Before The End Of The Year
• How Long Should You Wait to Sell Your DC Home?
• Home Selling Mistakes to Avoid

Professional Boundaries

When working with a real estate agent, it’s of the utmost importance to forge a relationship that feels both natural and professional. However, that professionalism will likely go by the wayside when you hire a pal, making it difficult to maintain certain boundaries down the line — like, for example, your ability to be honest about how the process is unfolding, or your opinion on staging, pricing, and everything in between.

Already on selling but have questions on the process? Check out this article to learn how long it typically takes to sell a home in DC.

Collecting Broker Fees

You’re doing your friend a favor by hiring them, so you should expect a discount on fees in return, right? Think again. In fact, your friend or family member might even expect a higher commission on the transaction. Of course, having these tough conversations is easier said than done, which is why many sellers in your shoes avoid them altogether, resulting in disastrous outcomes for both parties down the line.

Choosing the right real estate agent will have a major impact on your home sale. Explore these other blog posts to learn more.

• What to Ask Your Realtor Before Selling
• Why Marketing Matters as a Home Seller
• Benefits Of Selling Your Home As A Private Exclusive

Damaging The Relationship

As has been well-documented by now, listing your house is one of the most stressful milestones around, which is why entrusting your sale’s success to a friend doesn’t always go as smoothly as anticipated. Is your relationship strong enough to survive the potential fallout? And if the answer’s no, is the leap of faith worth the risk?

At the end of the day, there’s no one-size-fits-all formula to listing your home. Whether you’re searching for the right agent or still deciding on selling, we’re here whenever you need us.

Hoping to sell your DC area home? We can turn your dreams into a reality. Get in touch with us directly by calling 202.280.2060 or emailing us at jsmira@jennsmira.com today!