• the owners won't have to do a lot of constant clean-up to be ready to show, or
• where an elderly couple won't have to leave the house for open houses or during other realtors' showings, or
• where couples with new babies won't have to disturb the infant's sleep for showings, or
• where the owners have a home office and need to work there during the process, or
• where there might be expensive and irreplacable antiques or other items that the owners are concerned about, or
• where the owners don't want a for sale sign at their property, or even
• where there are pets that the owners do not want to disturb.

We have had each of these situations with past clients, and we have been able to arrange private sales to ensure that their transaction will be hassle-free.  A "private" sale is simply a sale where we bring together a seller and a buyer without all of the advertising, open houses, and showings by other agents that are common.

What are the advantages?  First, it allows the seller to offer the property without much of the clean-up, fix-up, and general preparations necessary for marketing to the broad public.  Second, it maintains the owners' normal security.  Third, it allows the home to be sold without all of the family upset attendent on the showing process.

What is the major disadvantage?  While the home owner sets the price, there is no guarantee that another buyer wouldn't have offered more if the house had been freely marketed.  In a sellers market, if a house is priced right it can often bring multiple offers which will drive up the price. Even though there have been a lot of challenges to the real estate market over the last few years, we are still seeing some properties command multiple offers!