Many people tired of paying outrageous fees for the services of a real estate agent are now trying to sell the home themselves. Known as a “For Sale by Owner” or FSBO, there are many advantages although it does require some additional work for the seller. However, by knowing insider tips, you can sell your home quickly and at the price that you want.
Use online resources for advertising your home. You will discover a number of
websites that are geared to helping you get the word out so you can sell. These
resources allow you to post photographs and some will even let you set up a virtual tour. Then, after writing information about the home, you post it and let people come to you. Then, be sure you place ads in the paper, put signs in your yard, and even send out fliers.
In addition to advertising online, you definitely want to have an open house. For this, you want to have everything in order and then print off a bunch of feature sheets, which would provide lookers with valuable information about room size, age of the roof, hot water heater, air conditioning, type of carpeting, special amenities, and so on. Typically, the feature sheet should be no more than two pages, providing a good summary of what your home entails.
In addition, make sure potential buyers know how to get in touch with you. If you will be gone from home, you might provide a cell phone or business phone, or if nothing else, you want to always be sure you have an answering machine. One missed call could be the difference between a sell and no sell. Even when someone is interested, if the potential buyer cannot get in touch with you, some will not bother to call back.
For the open house, keep the feature sheets on a foyer table or dining room table where they are easily accessible. You might also use a guestbook, which allows you to know the visitor’s name and phone number. In addition, the guestbook will help you see the flow of people so you know if you need to change your type or volume of advertising. Then, take time to remove all valuables. Unfortunately, while most people will be honest, you might find someone visiting for reasons other than buying.
You want to make sure you have lights on and curtains open, making the home appear bright and airy. If the weather permits, opening the windows to allow fresh air would also be a great option. Then, be sure clutter is removed, countertops orderly, and personal photographs tucked away. Even something as simple as adding a bouquet of fresh flowers to the entryway or table helps create a homey atmosphere.