The simple answer is no. The reality is you are not required to have a realtor help sell your house. You can set the price, coordinate showings, answer all incoming questions, negotiate offers, provide all legal disclosures to avoid “real estate jail”, and facilitate the closing by yourself. That being said, only 2% of all listings by For Sale By Owners actually sell. The reason for this is that you get either of two extremes: Either you sell your home for under market value, or you overprice and lose potential buyers. One results in lost profits, the other in the home sitting on the market for a long long time leading to frustration. Over 95% of successful sales have one thing in common, however: a knowledgeable realtor with the expertise to help save time and assess value. 

Ok, so you have some land. Now what? Chances are you have some idea of what type of housing product could be built on your property, but even if you don’t that’s okay. Before any piece of land can be developed, built out, and then turned for a profit you need to have a keen understanding of the local area, the market, growth, zoning restrictions, nearby amenities,schools, and infrastructure at the very least. Odds are that, unless you have experience developing land, the time and resources available to you to conduct an analysis like this is likely limited and may end up leading you around in circles. By working with a seasoned expert,having worked with developers and builders alike, you can bypass all the headaches, get a true understanding of your property and ultimately get the true residual value of your property.

The real estate market in Greater Vancouver is seasonal, with a decrease in activity starting in November and staying slow until early February. Typically the market begins to pick up during the spring, which starts in early March. Although this is typical, it may or may not fit your needs depending on the type of home you own. Depending on the type of property you have, the timing and strategy will need to be discussed with a seasoned realtor.