If you're thinking of selling your home yourself as an "FSBO" (For Sale By Owner), think again, from a buyer's perspective. Buyers may be more hesitant to deal with sellers representing themselves than with those working with a professional real estate sales representative.

Owners selling their own homes probably don't have access to the information needed (e.g., comparables) in order to assess their home's true market value. As a result, they're more likely to overprice their homes and less likely to recognize a fair offer when they see one. For buyers, this can make for a more frusterating and time consuming negotitation process, which is always a turn-off. And so when the market's moving fast, buyers will be especially motivated to avoid such sellers.

Also, real estate transactions can be incredibly complex, requiring detailed financial and legal knowledge in order to see a sale through. For example, do the sellers know how to properly fill out paperwork? Buyers may be wary of dealing with homeowners selling their properties themselves, fearing the sellers lack the breadth and depth of knowledge needed in order to successfully complete the transaction.

Lastly, some buyers may be reluctant to deal with do-it-yourself sellers because they're of the opinion that sellers who won't hire a professional to handle the sale are frugal and like to cut corners. They may even wonder if the sellers will try to nickel and dime them (e.g., with chattels and fixtures) and where else the sellers will try to cut corners.

For a transaction as significant as buying and selling a home, it's important to involve real estate professionals, starting with a qualified real estate sales representative.