It is not unusual for homeowners to yield to the temptation to try to sell their own home. It seems easy enough--just place an ad in the weekend paper and wait for buyers to show up. Although it may seem simple, real estate sales transactions are extremely complex proceedings.

The first pitfall can come with pricing your property realistically. Homeowners often price their property too high initially, then drastically slash the price when weeks go by without an offer. Even if a prospective buyer agrees to the initial asking price, there could be complications if the buyers begin to feel that they have agreed to pay too much, or if the lender's appraisal values the property at far less than the agreed-upon price. Some clients hire agents to market their home professionally after weeks or months of trying to sell their own home without success, or after their FSBO transaction fell through.