When a banker doesn't have an account at his own bank, you can't help but wonder if there's something a little off about the bank he works for. The same is true for school principals who send their kids to different schools.

It's not always the case, but it seems like a testament to the quality of the service if those who work for a company or organization actually avoid it in their personal lives.

Well here's a new one for you — the founder of a website dedicated to direct sales of homes by their owners decided to get a little help from a real estate broker when selling his own two bedroom Manhattan apartment.

Colby Sambrotto, a founder and former COO of ForSalebyOwner.com, must be red in the face right now as a bunch of media outlets have picked up on this hilarious story. He probably wanted to keep it all under wraps...

Mr. Sambrotto apparently spent six months trying to sell his fancy digs himself before turning to a broker. Jesse Buckler, the broker that Sambrotto hired, increased the price and managed to attract multiple offers before selling the apartment for $2.15 million, $150,000 more than the asking price.

This is definitely new ammunition for those who believe home sales should be left to the folks with experience, especially in a high-end market like Manhattan.

However, it's worth nothing that just last month a Manhattan townhouse was sold for $48 million without a broker commission.

So are for sale by owner (FSBOs) situations workable? Looks like, for now, the debate will rage on, but in the meantime we can all chuckle at this anecdote that will surely make the rounds in realtor circles.

source: http://blog.buzzbuzzhome.com/2011/08/founder-of-for-sale-by-owner-site-calls.html1