Should You Work with an Iowa City Realtor to Sell a Home?
Thinking about selling your home in the Iowa City area? You might be wondering if you really need a REALTOR®. After all, real estate websites make selling your own home look easy. Why pay someone a commission if you can handle the sale yourself?
It’s a fair question. Selling your home is a big financial decision, and we understand wanting to maximize your profits. But before you plant the ‘For Sale by Owner’ sign in your front yard, let’s talk about what goes into selling a home in the Iowa City market. The process involves much more than listing your property and waiting for the offers to roll in.
A REALTOR® can save you time and stress, putting more money in your pocket when the keys change hands.
What’s Unique about the Iowa City Real Estate Market
The Iowa City real estate market is a little different than other Midwestern cities. Our market sees spikes in activity that align with the University of Iowa’s hiring cycles and academic terms. Many medical professionals relocate for positions at the University of Iowa Health Care, and faculty members time their moves with the school year.
But Iowa City is more than a college town. Iowa City’s diverse employment base keeps housing demand steady throughout the year. At Urban Acres, we work with many growing families searching for their forever homes and homeowners ready to downsize after living in the area for decades. This stability, combined with limited housing inventory, can create competitive situations where pricing and timing make a huge difference in your final sale price.
Reasons to Work with an Iowa City REALTOR®
Selling your home is about more than timing the market and coming up with an attractive list price. That’s why it pays to have a REALTOR® on your side.
Here are some of the reasons you should consider working with a REALTOR® when it’s time to sell your home.
Knowledge of the Local Real Estate Market
REALTORS® are encyclopedias of knowledge. They understand what homes are selling for and whether it’s a buyers’ or sellers’ market. They know why certain properties in North Liberty might attract young families while homes in University Heights appeal to hospital and University staff. This kind of deep-rooted local knowledge helps you position your home to attract the right buyers.
An Iowa City REALTOR® has a pulse on neighborhood-specific trends. You won’t find this type of information on national real estate websites. Your agent might know that homes in a certain neighborhood often sell for more, or that properties in the Peninsula move quickly when priced in specific ranges. Maybe they’ve seen a surge in real estate investors looking for rental properties in a particular area near campus.
Source: Iowa City Area Association of REALTORS®
Since they work in the market every day, REALTORS® can spot shifting trends before others in the community.
They’re also dialed into the local buyer pool. Most REALTORS® have a network of other local agents who might have buyers already looking for a home just like yours. With Urban Acres’ team of 60+ agents, it’s a scenario we encounter all the time. Homes sometimes sell before they even hit the MLS, so these relationships with local REALTORS® can be incredibly valuable.
Plus, REALTORS® have access to real-time market statistics and market data. They can tell you whether to list your home immediately or wait for more favorable conditions based on that data. This kind of strategic thinking leads to better outcomes for sellers.
Presentation Skills
While smartphone photos might look good enough for social media, professional real estate photographers know exactly how to capture your home’s best features. They can produce images that make potential buyers stop scrolling and start imagining themselves in your space. They can also create virtual tours that let buyers take an immersive walk through your home.
But before your home hits the market, you need the right staging. Your REALTOR® brings valuable staging expertise to the table. They can walk through your home and give you advice on what to update, rearrange, or declutter to make your space more appealing. Sometimes small changes—like rearranging furniture to make a room more spacious—can make a big difference in how quickly your home sells.
Effective Marketing Strategies
Today’s buyers begin their home search online. If you don’t have a strategy for promoting your home online, it might get passed over for other properties.
Using professional photography as a focal point, REALTORS® create a robust marketing strategy for your home. They’ll list your home on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), which gets your home in front of every real estate agent in the area and their prospective buyers.
Many REALTORS® have also built a social media following in the Iowa City area and know how to create buzz about new listings. They understand which features to highlight for different audiences and when to post for the best engagement. Your agent can take a more targeted approach to promoting your home to the right buyers on the right channels.
Strong Negotiation Skills
Did you know REALTORS® are expert negotiators? It’s true! Your agent is both your advocate and buffer—they work in your best interests while keeping everyone’s emotions in check during high-pressure transactions.
If you get multiple offers on your home, your REALTOR® will guide you in choosing the right one. They’ll work with you to evaluate more than the dollar signs, considering important factors like the buyer’s financing, timeline, and contingencies. Should you counter the highest offer? Accept a lower offer from a buyer with better terms? Your agent can walk you through each scenario and help you make a decision that aligns with your goals.
In 2024, FSBO homes sold for $380K compared to $435K for agent-assisted home sales (NAR).
Even after you’ve accepted an offer, the negotiations don’t stop there. Your REALTOR® will continue advocating for you through the entire process, especially when it comes to home inspection repairs and contingencies. When a buyer’s inspection reveals issues with your home, your real estate agent can help you decide which repairs to tackle and which ones to negotiate. They know what’s common in the local market and can help you avoid overpaying for repairs and driving away good buyers over minor issues.
Easier Transactions
Selling a home involves a lot more paperwork than most people realize. Keeping a sale moving smoothly from listing to closing involves careful orchestration, and your REALTOR® directs the process.
From the moment you decide to list your home, your agent handles the essential documentation. This includes listing agreements, disclosure forms, purchase contracts, and closing documents. They know exactly what paperwork Iowa law requires and when to file each document. As the seller, you don’t have to worry about missing an important step or filling out the wrong form online. Your REALTOR® makes sure everything is signed, sealed, and delivered.
REALTORS® also coordinate with the other professionals involved in your sale. They work directly with title companies, home inspectors, appraisers, and the buyer’s agent to keep everything on track. Need to schedule a home inspection? Your REALTOR® handles that. Does the buyer’s lender need additional documentation? Your agent is on it!
At Urban Acres, we have connections with some of the area’s best real estate professionals. We’ve worked with many for decades, and they know our business inside and out, which means less stress and hassle for sellers.
Time Savings
Between scheduling showings and negotiating offers, selling a home can feel like a full-time job—especially if you’re already juggling work and family responsibilities. Many who go the FSBO (For Sale by Owner) route realize this too late.
It’s helpful to have a REALTOR® in your corner who’s been through it all before. They can protect your schedule and your sanity. If a potential buyer wants to see your home at 2 p.m. on a Tuesday, but you’re stuck in meetings, you don’t have to worry about racing home and rearranging your schedule. Your real estate agent handles the showing coordination.
Rather than spending your weekend welcoming strangers into your home during an open house, your REALTOR® hosts these events so you can enjoy your downtime. They can focus on promoting your home’s best features and collect valuable feedback from prospective buyers.
REALTORS® also act as a filter for inquiries about your home. They know what questions to ask to identify the qualified, seriously interested buyers, so you’re not wasting your time having back-and-forth conversations that lead to nowhere.
We’re More Than Just REALTORS®
Yes, we’re REALTORS®. But we’re also your neighbors and fellow community members. We’re passionate about helping you navigate one of life’s biggest transitions.
As a member-owned agency, our approach is refreshingly different. We’re not competing with each other for commissions—that’s not our style. We work collaboratively as a team, sharing insights, market knowledge, and potential buyers to ensure the best outcome for every client.
You’ll find us volunteering at local events, supporting neighborhood initiatives, and enjoying all that Iowa City has to offer. When you work with Urban Acres, you’re getting a full team of local experts who are deeply invested in our community and committed to your success. And we’re always game to talk about the Hawkeyes or the newest restaurant in town!
Whether you’re selling a historic charmer in the Longfellow neighborhood, a modern family home in the Peninsula, or a cozy condo near campus, we’d love to be a resource. Reach out and let’s talk.
