For Sale By Owner (FSBO) Real Estate  

Preparing your home before you place it on the market is considered to be the most important step when selling your home. If you are truly serious about selling and want to obtain top dollar, then you will most likely want to ensure your home is in top condition inside and out.

Below are listed only a few items to consider:

• Curb Appeal - Is your yard neatly trimmed and free of clutter?



• Fresh paint - When was the last time your home was painted? Some times a fresh coat of paint can do wonders but is not required. If painting is needed remember to use neutral colors.



• Remove Interior Clutter - Removing excess furniture and decorations will give your rooms a more spacious appearance. Pack away any nick-nacks and photos you can to clean up wall space. Remember that potential buyers want to envision how your home will look personalized with their tastes, not yours.



• Roofing - Is your roof in good condition? Are there any shingles missing? Is there any algae present? If so, it might be a good idea to have the roof professionally cleaned



• Everything in working condition - Are all appliances that are being sold with the house in good, working condition? Are the heating and cooling systems in order? Don't forget about irrigation systems, pool pumps, water pump, garage doors, garage door opener, doors, windows, septic systems and so forth. Most times things that need attention can be repaired in-expensively with a little hard work.



• Flooring- Does the carpet need cleaning? Are hardwood floors polished? Are there any cracks in the tile etc.?

To sum it all up, things overlooked can and probably will be uncovered in a Home Inspection and ultimately cost you money off your bottom line. So take as much time as you need in your preperation to acheive the best price you can get. After all, who wants their home to be considered a "fixer upper"?

Establishing A Selling Price

One of the top reasons For Sale By Owner properties do not sell and eventually end up in the hands of an agent is that they are priced too high. Over valuating your property is probably the biggest mistake a Seller can make. Do your homework and do not mistake an online valuation for an actual appraisal.

We recommend an actual appraisal by a liscensed professional. Appraisal costs vary depending upon your market, but typically range from $250 to $500. Appraisers will evaluate your home according to certain criteria such as overall condition, features, etc. They will then put together a comparison of comparable properties (usually three) that have sold recently in your area.

Marketing Your Home For Sale By Owner

Marketing your home for sale is just like anything else in life, you will only get out of it what you put into it! If you are not willing to spend a little money and time on marketing, then selling by owner may not be for you. Websites, signs and newspaper ads used alone are just not enough. Used together however, they compliment each other and increase your odds of success.

Many owners are under the impression that placing a generic "For Sale BY Owner" sign in their front yard is all that needs to be done. This could not be further from the truth. Exposure is what sells homes. The odds of someone crusising the neighborhood and seeing such a sign are very slim. You have to have a plan to get the maximum amount of exposure you can get!

A suggested plan of attack:

1. Place and ad online with a website such as ours. Why? An estimated 80% of all home shoppers start on the internet, An internet ad is viewable anytime, day or night. An internet ad allows much more detail than a newspaper or magazine ad. Internet ads allow several color pictures of your home (good pictures, not ugly ones help sell homes). Your reach is way beyond local only, for example; a person relocating from New York to Florida can view your ad where they might not have seen a newspaper ad. Internet ads allow for more contact options.

2. Place a newspaper ad. Why, because this will be viewable to your local market. Be sure to include the web address of your online ad. This will allow someone reading the newspaper to look up your home online to see more details and color pictures. When writing your ad try to be as descriptive as possible but short and to the point. Do not use words like; big, small, low priced or located. Instead use words like; spacious, roomy, cozy, affordable or convenient. Remember to call attention to any features that make your home unique.

Example Newspaper Ad:

For Sale By Owner Huge 3/2/2 - 3500 square feet living space. Pool with Jacuzzi. For more info call John Doe at 555-555-5555 or ID # 1000 PurchaseMeFromOwner.com

They can now then use that 5 line newspaper ad to look up the home online for more information.

3. Next, a small percentage of home shoppers that live close will travel areas they are considering relocation to. This is why it is important when selling by owner that you have an attractive sign that calls attention (such as ours) and lists your contact phone number and Web ID number. Provide flyers with "color pictures" for these shoppers and be sure to check daily to keep them full.

4. Print and place flyers about town. Laundromats, convenience stores, school bulletin boards or anywhere you think they might been seen by heavy foot traffic. Always remember to get permission first before posting your flyers.

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