What about trying to sell my house myself?

For-sale-by-owner residential transactions are less than 15% of all home listings nationwide. According to a 2005 survey of homebuyers and sellers conducted by the National Association of RealtorsÒ, 68% of respondents sold their homes through a real estate professional. An additional 8% tried unsuccessfully to sell on their own. Only 13% of respondents sold their own homes. the remainder decided not to sell. Further, the research shows that 50% of those homeowners who did successfully sell their homes without a real estate professional's help vowed never to do it again, because of the complexities and hassles associated. Among the major problems cited:

Having to be always available
Advertising and marketing expenses
Holding open houses
Negotiating
Arranging for appraisals and inspections
Understanding and handling paperwork
Helping buyers obtain financing
Concerns for security and safety
Having time to do it all
Deciding to pay selling commissions to Buyers Agents

People who try to sell their own homes deny themselves the benefit of a real estate professional who is trained to sell real estate on the terms most advantageous to their clients. The potential for saving a commission becomes less of an issue - because the Buyer wants it too. As mentioned above, Buyers Agents will call to show the property, but will expect a selling commission.
An experienced RealtorÒ can provide much better exposure, up-to-date reports, and negotiating assistance, because they have a clear understanding of local housing market and financing options. In the vast majority of cases, there are fewer problems, less time spent and more profit for the homeowner when using a RealtorÒ to sell their home.