How To Best Sell My House Without Using A Realtor?

So you are going to try to sell your house privately. You know about the benefits. You know that there is a lot of work involved but you also know that you can potentially save yourself thousands, or even tens of thousands of dollars, if you do the work by yourself. Realtors and real estate agents charge a very large commission for their years of expertise but that does not stop countless people from doing it on their own every year. Here are a couple of tips for selling a house by owner.

You Can Do The Job

What does a real estate agent actually do when they help sell your home? What they do is streamline and complicated process. The market your home in the MLS, and other listing channels, that will get your home viewed by potential buyers. They will help you coordinate the showings for the buyers and sellers. They also know people that can help you out with any of the steps along the way like appraisals or inspections. As agents they know the broad spectrum of things involved but that does not make them an appraiser or inspector themselves. They are marketing agents that help get people to find your home. There is a ton of information out there on the subject but if you are willing to learn you can do it and act as your own agent.

Do Not Overprice Your Homes

The biggest mistake that for sale by owner (FSBO) home owners make is they will often overprice their home at first. Overpricing your house will lead to very few, if any, people that come and actually view it. This is why it is very important to do your research and look at comparable homes in your area for the last three months of home sales in your area. Sites like Zillow.com can help you get this type of information. If you are not sure what to price your house at you might want to think about hiring an appraiser to come in and tell you what your house is worth.

Hire a Home Inspector

If you cannot vouch for the quality of your home and its systems, prospective buyers will see this as a definite red flag. Consider hiring a home inspector to thoroughly look at the structure of your house and its components so you know the home's defects before a buyer points them out to you. After getting a home inspected and making the necessary repairs, you can then alert potential buyers to the home's soundness by making these reports public--either by showing curious buyers or posting it online. Such actions go a long way towards assuring buyers that they are making a sound purchase.

Declutter, Clean, and Stage it Yourself

An agent is able to help you stage your house but if put some thought into it you can do it yourself. Look through some magazines and visit other houses to see what kind of ideas you can come up with for the staging that buyers are looking for. Make sure your house is clean and declutter you want people to think blank canvas when they come to look at it. Update the curtains to let in extra sunlight. Put up fresh flowers or make cookies to help ensure that the house smells nice right before the showing.

You are Not Alone

Just because you have decided to sell your home privately, does not mean you have to do it alone. Of course it is ultimately your own choice to include the expertise of others; however, if this transaction is the first time selling for sale by owner, consider having some experts on your side such as the ones listed above--home inspectors, appraisers, and lawyers. They may each cost a couple of hundred dollars, but they will still be worth their weight when you save thousands by making the sale yourself. In addition, there are numerous resources online at such sites like ForSaleByOwner.com as well as your local library that outline the process of an FSBO sale.

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