You don't have to pay a Marketing Fee or Commission to a professional real estate agent or broker.

Security becomes a major issue when selling your home by owner. Since you will be letting total strangers into your home you must rely on your own instincts and good judgment when it comes to the safety of you and your family.

The planning and preparation of professional looking home marketing materials along with all print advertising and other media costs are your responsibility.

Nearly 80% of today's homebuyers use the Internet to search for homes. Without a great internet presence, online advertising and internet exposure you stand to lose many of today's potential buyers.

If you live in an area where major corporations transfer employees into town you will miss out on potential buyers. Most big companies and major corporations today employ third party relocation companies to assist their transferring employees. These third party relocation companies will often work only through approved real estate brokers and their professional buyer agents.

Since your home will not be listed in the local area MLS (Multiple Listing Service) or homes for sale magazines, you will be looking for qualified buyers one buyer at a time.

With limited information available to you (the most current market conditions and comparable sales data), you may over-price or even under-price your home.

If you are not skilled in the area of negotiations or writing binding business contracts you may end up actually selling for less, having your transaction fail, or worse yet ending up with a legal or financial liability because you made a mistake.

Preparing the proper paperwork, legal forms, disclosures etc. are your responsibility.

If you want to give maximum benefit to your efforts, you and your family's free time will be somewhat or severely limited.

People who look at homes that are "for sale by owner" are doing so to find a bargain and expect to buy a home far below fair market value. They know that someone who is selling by owner is not paying a commission or marketing fee. These buyers will often deduct the commission from your asking price and then start negotiating with you.

As you move toward the negotiation process, you must break all emotional ties that you have with your house or you will find yourself at a distinct negotiating disadvantage.

You must become very knowledgeable of buyer's contingencies, seller disclosure laws, lead based paint issues, civil rights laws, financing options, title and deed requirements and local ordinances to be effective and successful in the home marketing and selling process.

The vast majority of the qualified and "ready to buy" buyers are working exclusively with professional real estate agents.