For Sale by Owner
Some American homeowners prefer to handle the sale of their own home, and in order to be successful, you will need to realistically assess what's involved. Here is a checklist of the routine parts of the job to help you get ready.
- Prepare your home to sell.
- Set the list price at fair market value. Pay for an appraisal to help with determining the value so you don't over or under price your home.
- Market effectively and don't skimp on the cost. Since you won't have access to the MLS where over 90% of homes sell, you will have to be creative in getting the word out in other ways.
- Pay for a professional photo shoot of your home. This is not the time to put your high school photography lab skills to work.
- Buy and post a "For Sale" sign in your yard.
- Make & print color property flyers.
- Hold open houses as frequently as possible and buy enough directional signs for road placement.
- Be flexible with showings and be available at the buyer's request. Buyers aren't too willing to come after you get off work or wait until the weekend.
- Familiarize yourself with your state's real estate regulations and learn how to prepare a real estate contract to your favor.
- When you receive an offer, determine whether or not the buyer is qualified.
- After you have accepted an offer, coordinate & manage the details of a closing.
If you are careful and thorough, you won't make the mistakes that will cost you the money you're trying to save by not using a REALTOR®.