Hi, I'm John Maloof, Realtor with Century 21 Grande Realty.

Please take this well worth time and read the following proven facts and statistics…if you feel that your property is one of the largest investments you have.

According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), Homes sold with the help of a real estate professional in 2006 sold on average for 32 percent more than FSBO sales. The median FSBO selling price in 2006 was $187,200, compared with $247,000 for agent-assisted transactions. Here's the link to the latest NAR statistics: http://www.realtor.org/research.nsf/pages/fsbofacts

The following is FSBO data from NAR's 2006 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers

Each year a small army of home sellers throw caution to the wind and "go it alone" - without the assistance of a licensed real estate professional.

This ever-decreasing band of risk-takers, ventures into the land of pricing, marketing, screening, scheduling, showing and paperwork, with the goal of saving some money. It's often an experience they find less than rewarding.

The numbers (if not the sellers) tell the story.
From NAR's 2006 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers

In 2006, just 12 percent of sellers chose the FSBO ("For Sale By Owner") route, down from 13 percent the previous year, according to NAR's 2006 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers. This is down from about 20 percent in 1987.

As for profit - after all is said and done, FSBOs don't always come out with fatter wallets. Again, the numbers tell the truth.