You are determined that you are not going to give your hard earned cash to a real estate broker or listings agent – you are going for the do it yourself approach and have already bought yourself a for sale by owner board. Stop! Don’t go any further until you have had the place valued and until it is ready to go on the market. You may love your home, love the pictures and things around you. You might not bother about the cat hairs on the carpet, or the doggy smell in the hallway but a buyer will. You may love that seventies green bathroom suite but many buyers prefer plain white. You need to become your own house doctor before you can have a hope of selling.

Start by going outside and standing opposite your house and really look at it. Is the gutter dripping, does the gate squeak and is the paint peeling in places? What about the yard, is it full of kids’ toys or worse still doggy parcels? None of this will attract a buyer. Clean it up, put away the toys and get the guttering fixed. While you are at it you should oil the gate and touch up the paintwork around the windows and the door. Get some big pots and plant them up with bright plants and put those near the front stoop. If you have grass in the front then make sure it is cut and tidy. Make sure all the windows are clean and the drapes look neat.

We get so used to living in a house that we don’t consider the clutter most of the time. That is not to say that you live like a slob, it’s just that we tend to keep things around us, pictures, ornaments and books, things we like but not things that a buyer wants to see. Clear out the clutter. Go through the house room by room throwing out anything that you won’t use again. Then go through again and box up most of the stuff that is adorning the shelves and surfaces. Put them in storage or in the hands of a kindly friend until the house is sold. Buyers want to come into your house and imagine their own possessions set out, they are not interested in yours.

Tidy up the soft furnishings, get some neutral covered throws for sofas that are worn and tired looking and pick out the color of the drapes in your cushions. Do the best you can with every room and make sure everything is as clean as you can make it.

About an hour before your first prospective buyer walks through the door get the place aired. Put some fresh flowers in the entrance hall and put some coffee on in the kitchen. Make sure any pets and pet bowls are out of sight while the viewing takes place. Do these things and you should be successful in your for sale by owner house sale.

I’m Alan Cramer, if you want to fire your real estate agent and sell your home yourself putting more money in YOUR pocket please check out my website at http://www.fsbomarketing.com to learn how.

If you plan on selling your home privately then getting the price right is an essential part of the process. In most parts of the western world the property market is still, largely a buyer’s market and if your house is overpriced it just won’t sell. You are planning to sell it yourself so you could sell at a lower figure than your neighbors might because you don’t have to account for real estate fees. This is your advantage – your house will surely be cheaper than the guy’s down the road because you don’t have to pay all that commission. This gives you the edge where buyers are concerned.

Get it valued so you have some idea of what the market might pay rather than just thinking of the price you want. Once you have done that you can decide whether you think they have undervalued your property, but remember the best price will attract the most would be buyers to begin with.

The next thing you need to do is to devise a marketing plan. You can’t just hope that someone will see your for sale by owner sign and come inside, sure they might do this but what you really need is maximum exposure if you are to get more prospective buyers through the door. People use different methods, they advertise in their local stores, in the local newspapers, and on the internet, some people may advertise on the radio. Now days there are for sale by owner magazines so advertise in there. The point is to get as much advertising coverage as you can try whatever is available – if it comes down to it get some leaflets printed and put them through people’s doors. Just as there are many ways of selling so there are of buying. Some buyers may see your sign and give you a call, others will be searching on the internet and in the papers for a good deal in an area they want to live in.

One thing that a good real estate agent will tell you is how to get your house ready for selling. If you are selling for yourself then you have to decide when it is ready. You can find plenty of articles in magazines and on the internet about what sells houses. For now there are a few key things that you can do to make your home more attractive to buyers, especially if you don’t want to get involved in a full scale remodeling.

The first thing you should do is get rid of all the clutter. Buyers do not want to see your possessions lying around, they want to imagine what their own will look like in your house. Throw out what you don’t use and put the rest in storage or at the house of a relative or friend until you have sold the house. The second thing you should do is make sure that the house looks as attractive as possible from the outside. Trim your grass and hedges, put some plants by the door and clear the kids’ clutter out of the yard, at least then it looks better to passing strollers and motorists who might be on the look out to buy.

I’m Alan Cramer, if you want to fire your real estate agent and sell your home yourself putting more money in YOUR pocket please check out my website at http://www.fsbomarketing.com to learn how.

You’ve decided that the time has come to use your nest egg and you are going to sell up and buy a property in one of the sunshine states. Take early retirement perhaps. You’d like to sell your house as quickly as possible. Perhaps you’ve decided that the traditional way of selling a property is not for you-what other options are open to you? You could put up a for sale by owner notice outside your house and advertise it in the local paper, or maybe even on local radio if you live in a small town. Whatever you decide you will need to find some way of advertising your house privately. This is an option that is becoming more popular as real estate fees continue to rise. Advertising your house privately could prove a lot more economical than going through the traditional route - it could also be a lot quicker.

There are internet sites now that for a small fee will advertise your property for you. You may want statewide coverage, or you may want a more local site. If you decide to do this you should try to find out how they deal with and pass on any enquiries they may receive. Some people find these sites really helpful and a lot less trouble than dealing with a real estate firm. It can also save you a fair bit in commission payments, which vary from company to company but are still quite steep. If your house sells for a hundred and fifty thousand dollars or more then the commission could be quite a wad of cash.

If you don’t want to use the internet to sell your property then try the local newspaper. Quite a lot of people who are selling privately advertise their house for sale on the notice board of their local store. Others may find that an easy way to make a private sale is to sell to a property investor. They may not give you quite as much as you hoped to get for your house-on the other hand they will handle the sale and often the legal details as well. As they are usually not relying on selling their own house to buy yours, property investors are more likely to be able to make you a quick cash payment. This is quite an incentive especially if you want to move out of state in the near future. You don’t have to go through a real estate firm and nowadays you see an increasing number of properties that are for sale by the owner.

A real estate firm will advertise your property and often vet prospective buyers before passing them on to you. They may also be around to help with viewings as they know what sells houses. When you advertise privately you don’t know what sort of buyer you are attracting until they turn up at your front door. Don’t feel that you have to ask them in if you don’t like the look of them – lie through your teeth and say you already have a buyer. Selling your own house may not be easy but it will save you money and give you more control over the process.

I’m Alan Cramer, if you want to fire your real estate agent and sell your home yourself putting more money in YOUR pocket please check out my website at http://www.fsbomarketing.com to learn how.

There are some misconceptions that are usually made when selling a home via the FSBO process. One of the major ones is that you will be giving up advertising and marketing ability by not using a realtor. While they may have been true in years past, it is surely not the case anymore. There is now an established network of FSBO websites that can take the place of the traditional realtor website. One thing that is also becoming more and more popular is listing your home on the local MLS yourself to get that extra bit of exposure.

Listing on the MLS is a great idea, now your home is available to as many buyers as possible. It is also available to realtors who have many clients in the market for homes. This brings up a good point, in marketing your home to the full extent you may still have to deal with realtors. After you get your home on the MLS prepare yourself for interest from a lot more people, but also from realtors who want to sell your home. Stick to your guns, they will tell you horror stories about FSBO’s but if you have done your homework you should be able to tell them horror stories about traditional sales as well. Also be prepared to negotiate with agents who believe that they can take advantage of an FSBO situation. Remember that they, and other viewers will always be trying to get the lowest possible price out of you, you should know your low point before anyone ever looks at the home. Never let anyone else know what this number is, doing that is like giving away money.

You must also be ready to show your home to interested buyers. The most difficult part of this will be trying to stay emotionally uninvolved in the process. Be careful as this emotion can be taken advantage of by unscrupulous buyers or agents who are trying to discover your bottom line. When your are showing the home, try not to act like the home’s owner. Rather, try to put yourself in the place of an agent who is selling the home. This is definitely not the time to be overly emotional or to tell stories about the things that happened in your home. Remember, people want to feel comfortable in your home, not awkward.

HomesByLender.com is the elite source for FSBO financing and homes for sale by owners. Utilize our nationwide search to locate FSBO homes in any state or town. HomesByLender.com is your one-stop FSBO information source.

Ever considered selling your home without using a real estate agent? It may seem like a huge undertaking but if handled correctly and with the proper guidance, the process can be quite rewarding. If you have any friends that are realtors, try to pick their brains about the kind of things that they do when preparing a home for sale. They may try to get you to list with them but stick to your guns. Its going to be a good idea to make a list of things that need to be done in order to keep yourself on track.

Perhaps the most important thing that you are going to have to deal with will be the marketing process. Most realtors have a huge advertising budget that places homes in prominent view to local buyers. It can be difficult to compete with, but a smart FSBO seller can compensate for this by flat fee MLS listings, and proper newspaper coverage. Also try to find a national FSBO web site and list your home there. This is will not only give your home exposure to a national audience, but it will also make your home known to realtors. It is likely that you will end up dealing with agents in some capacity as buyer’s agents will undoubtedly have clientele interested in your home.

The next section of preparations are one that you would be doing yourself anyway. However, when representing yourself they become more important. This is the time for staging your home. Go on a cleaning spree and bring the kids with you! It’s important to get the house into ship-shape condition if buyers are going to be interested in making an offer. Be mindful of things like aromas in the house. Pets can be a major cause of odors in the home, so burning some scented candles during showings is a good idea. Also, before the showings start try to de-odorize the house as much as possible by getting rid of the source of the smells. This may mean leaving pets outside or better yet, with a friend or relative for the duration of the showing.

It also might be in your best interest to get a professional hand with the closing contracts and financial concerns. These can be tricky if you are not used to dealing with them. You want to be sure that you are not left hanging with unreasonable contracts or conditions on the sale.

HomesByLender.com is the elite source for FSBO financing and homes for sale by owners. Utilize our nationwide search to locate FSBO homes in any state or town. HomesByLender.com is your one-stop FSBO information source.

Regardless of whether you are selling or renting as owner or agent you can improve you chances of a sale by making sure you do most and ideally all of these key points, which I have found work best for both me and thousands of other owner/agents over the years.

1. Choose web sites wisely - paying to list on high traffic property sites is good but there is also high competition too - listing free on new sites usually means your ad sticks out more and may be the only one in your area given considerable advantages.

2. Explain your offer in detail - too many advertisers write a single sentence and expect to sell properties worth 200,000 - make up fullest details of facts about the property and the area and excite readers into finding our more, making a booking, arrange a visit or whatever positive action comes to mind.

3. Avoid writing “bull” people will not believe you when you write “the best condo in the state” since it’s based on your opinion. If you won an award then say so ” state champion for 4 years running” , Folk want FACTS, FACTS about pools, showers, room sizes, closeness to beach and entertainment, local food and drink etc

4. Using vacation auction sites to gain interest - start bids LOW and set reasonable reserves, you may not get many actual sales, but by linking your ad to your normal web site you can generate more enquires. Must auction sites are free to list and have auto relist features. Most have a SHOP or STORE facilities where you can promote your own web sites and other properties. Some operate on a commission on sales or small fees to enhance listings.

5. Add a decent first photo of the property itself, without autos or people and taken on a good bright day - if the sea or ocean or a pool is close get it in the pic also if you can.

6. Add more photos of the property also of both interior and exterior, some web sites charge for more photos but the small extra cost will be outweighed by the extra interest gained from viewers.

7. Answer questions quickly and avoid the need to raise questions - ideally cover most common questions in the details or an FAQ section, most folk will not ask but want the ANSWERS in the ad or on your web site.

8. For rentals get a reliable BOOKING CALENDAR - for each property - and keep booking up-to-date - people will NOT make enquires but want to know NOW if a property is free and if is so BOOK IT there and then online.

9. Prepare a guide to the property and the close area in PDF format or as a web page for people who book and make people aware of its existence in the listing for the property - this could swing that deal.

10. Set fair prices - it’s a competitive world - consider short lets or “extras” in with the rental “free car hire (with conditions) with 2 weeks rental”, free golf membership and the like. It’s hard getting people to view your ad, and you need to be able to CLOSE the deal, so make it ATTRACTIVE visually, in words and by price.

In the end web surfers want CHOICE - and accurate information on which to make a choice to book your place, or get more information.

Maurice Clarke is founding owner of http://www.internet-online-privacy.com a free and independent source of information about all aspects of online fraud and personal privacy issues. The site contains articles and web links highlighting the leading privacy issues and suggested preventions and solutions for both personal and business web surfers.

For Sale By Owner [FSBO] acts as a market place for those who want to sell their properties or homes and those who are looking forward to purchase property without involving any kind of middleman or real estate agent. Here, buyers and sellers share a common platform where they can interact directly to avoid any kind of miscommunication and misinformation.

The concept of for sale by owner has been proved quite successful in the real estate market; however, it has few shortcomings. In a typical real estate market, the best thing is that one can get easy finance as most mortgage companies rely on the local real estate agents to bring them the bulk of their business. With growing competition, the FSBO (for sale by owner) market took note of it and now days they are offering one of the best mortgage deals. Often, this feature of FSBO (for sale by owner) is misunderstood by the buyers who eventually begin to think that the sellers are offering finance at their end, which is not the case most of the time.

The most common reason that normally entices a seller to opt for FSBO (for sale by owners) is to save on the real estate commission, which indeed can run pretty high. The basic misconception is that the buyer also saves money by opting for a FSBO deal. In consideration of this fact, each year many of the home owners decide to choose the FSBO route to sell their properties. According to the National Association of Realtors “Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers”, 13 percent of all home sellers chose the FSBO (for sale by owners) market to advertise their homes.

Selling a home or property through an FSBO (For Sale By Owners) can be rewarding. There are several Internet sites on which FSBO (for sale by owners) may list their properties for sale. Few basic FSBO tips, some good For Sale By Owner (FSBO) website and some expert copywriting will help you successfully meet the desired results. Do not let anything stop you from listing your home as a For Sale by Owner home.

This article has been provided by Mridu Sinha. For further information on FSBO (for sale by owner), please contact ‘By Owner’ directly on 1-800-BYWONER or visit at http://www.ByOwner.Com

Image the following situation: you are home with your children while your spouse is away when you hear a knock on the door. It’s someone who saw your yard sign while driving by and wishes to take a tour of your home. You are now faced with a situation that many unrepresented sellers are faced with daily – do you turn away a potential buyer or do you let them in and perhaps endanger the safety of your family?

Realtors are often trained in home showing safety techniques and have quite a few tools at their disposal to mitigate these risks. They know the correct questions to ask and the red flags to watch out for. If you haven’t thought of this, here is a quick list of some things you should consider before you answer the door or the phone:

1. Do not show your home by yourself.

This is often difficult to do but is very effective in deterring problems. Your risks are significantly lower if you show your home to visitors with a friend or spouse present. If someone is not available to help you, then ask your visitors to stop by another time when you can arrange for some help.

2. Set appointments

Another tool is to automatically ask all stop-in visitors to come back at another scheduled time for a showing. This is also a great way to weed out the unmotivated who might only be interested in seeing inside your home and have no intention of actually placing an offer.

3. Keep groups of visitors together during a showing

Don’t leave someone downstairs while you show someone the upstairs or allow groups to split up. Thefts have occurred and some criminals are very skilled at getting themselves into this situation, claiming “bad knees” or other medical problems that require that they be “left behind”. If this occurs, have a helper or spouse keep the other party company while you show the home to the rest. If you are alone (hopefully you aren’t), ask them to wait outside while you finish showing the home to the rest of the party.

4. Keep a phone handy

If you have a cell phone or cordless phone, make sure you have it with you during a showing. Also, if you have a car alarm, keep your keys with you in case you need to use the “Panic Button” on your remote. You can also ask your visitors to wait outside while you “prepare the house” and call a friend or family member. Let them know that you will be doing a showing and will call them back when it’s done and if they don’t hear from you in an hour, to call the police.

5. Don’t let visitors box you inside a room

Always keep a clear avenue to an exit. Don’t go first into a room – ask your guests to go first.

6. Ask the right questions.

A few questions will tell you a lot about a potential buyer. Realtors are experts at reading people and you can be too, if you know what to look for.
Ask a potential buyer if they have been pre-qualified or pre-approved by a lender. If so, they are probably serious buyers. If not, you might want to ask them to set an appointment for a showing – if they are not willing to do this, they are probably either unmotivated or may be a safety concern.
Ask them when they’re looking to move and if they have a home to sell first. This will also give you an indication of motivation as well as warn you if they are unable to answer these questions quickly.
Ask how long they have been looking for a home. Again, this is a dual-purpose question. If your answer is “6 months”, you probably have an unmotivated buyer. If the answer is “Ummm…..”, you should watch out.
You can always ask to see identification before you let them in. Tell them that you just want to be safe - buyers will understand.
Ask them if they are being represented by a Realtor. Nearly 97% of buyers are represented by Realtors and should be accompanied by them when they tour homes. If they are working with a Realtor, ask them to have their Realtor contact you for a showing. If they aren’t working with a Realtor, there are many possibilities, the most innocent being that they have just started looking for a house and don’t yet have representation. However, other possibilities may include a lack of motivation, no desire to buy (I.E. “We’re just looking…..”), or other more dangerous reasons. Just be cautious and stay safe.

7. Be careful of what questions you answer.

Never tell someone when you won’t be home, especially over the phone. A better phrase is, “the house won’t be available for a showing at that time”. Other questions from a visitor/caller that would raise a warning would be, “Do you live alone?”, “Do you work during the day?”, “Will your spouse be home soon so we can meet them?”, “Do you have a security system?”, or similar probing questions.

8. Watch out for Red Flags

There are a few safety concerns that should be kept in mind and if you encounter them, think twice and maybe opt for an appointment instead of an immediate showing.
Visitors at night or early morning.
Two or more visitors if you are alone.
Visitors unwilling to set a scheduled appointment for a showing.
The types of probing questions described above.

Always remember that the safety of you and your family is your greatest possession – not your home. Nothing is worth giving up your security. If you are presented with a situation that might compromise this, always opt for another appointment and don’t open the door. The scheduled appointment is your best tool for being prepared for guests and staying safe. Serious buyers will understand and be willing to return at another time.

If many of these precautions are difficult or impossible, you can always seek representation from a Realtor. One of the many benefits of selling your home with professional help is that safety is always a top priority and many issues and concerns can be prevented and eliminated.

Eric Rogers - REALTOR
Century 21 Pro-Team
Local Aurora IL Real Estate and Yorkville Real Estate Expert

You’ve decide to sell “FSBO”, but have you done any home preparation before placing the ad. I am talking “curb appeal”. If you can’t get the buyer beyond the front yard, it isn’t going to sell as fast. To some people its’ location, location, location. I say its’ curb appeal.

Curb appeal is the difference in if it will sell in 3 weeks or 3 months. Usually, most owners can take a few weekends before putting up the ad and for sale sign, to get the curb appeal basics in place.

Curb appeal is like cash in the bank! It won’t break you either and believe me it makes a difference. Recently, some buyer customers of mine brought in internet flyers for about 10 properties they were interested in. I made appointments with the sellers and on three of the properties, the buyers said they didn’t want to go inside after we arriced at the property. When I asked why, they said there was no curb appeal.

Here are some curb appeal basics:

1. Landscaping - This is usually just an investment in time and about $200 for beauty bark and flowers. Remove any dead plants, dig weeds, spread some beauty bark, and plant some inexpensive shrubery or flowers. Don’t forget to mow the lawn on a regular basis and keep it green if it is the right time of year. Edging of the grass will make a difference when the buyers inspect a little closer. Zap the weeds in the cracks of the sidewalks and driveway. Some flower pots on the front porch will also give an added curb appeal benefit.

2. If feasable, give the home a fresh coat of paint. Don’t forget to unclog the gutters as there is nothing worse than water overflowing from the gutters.

3. Make sure all outside lighting is in working order. Replace fixtures or bulbs as necessary. Keep the lighting on in the evenings, as you will get some drivebys.

4. Make sure all clutter is removed from the yard. Don’t forget to educate your kids to keep their toys and bikes in the garage and not in the yard.

I once read in an article that the NAR (National Association of Realtors) reported that curb appeal was the main reason for 49% of the home sales.

Once you get your yard in order, step back in the street and give it a view. Also, approach it by auto and see how that looks. If everything looks in order, time to place that first ad and plant that sign.
Remember, curb appeal sells homes!

Tom Jacobson is a licensed agent in Washington State and has paid buyer rebates up to $11,000.
He offers a FREE 10 - day email course to further educate those potential buyers interested in getting an unadvertised rebate.

http://www.easyresponders.com

As equities increase in todays housing prices, more and more owners are deciding to sell “fsbo” to save on the commission and also to have more control over the selling process.

If you have never sold “fsbo” before it can be challenging and also rewarding. Giving it a try for 4 weeks should be enough time to test your resolve. In that short period of time, you should be aware of whether or not, going it alone, is for you.

Let’s review some of the benefits of selling fsbo:

1. Saving the Commission - In todays market most real estate companies charge around 6% with 3% going to the listing side and 3% going to the selling side. On the sale of a $300,000 house that results in an $18,000 commission coming out of your equity. If you can sell it on your own, you save that huge chunk of money.

2. Selling FSBO allows you to be in control of the selling process - when it is shown, advertising, buyer incentives, etc.

3. Selling and advertising “FSBO’ seems to be a magnet for some buyers. Just using the word FSBO in the heading of your ad should drive the masses to your property. Some buyers love “FSBO’s and try to avoid an agent at all costs.

Some of the draw downs to selling on your own:

1. Paperwork, paperwork and more paperwork. Just a standard transaction for a residential purchase in my office has over 20 pages of paperwork. As a FSBO, you want to make sure you are covered with too much paperwork and that may just be a hassle for some sellers going it on their own.

2. Headaches with negotiating. Some buyers and sellers who can’t come to terms just throw up their hands in disgust. An agent has experience with negotiating and is an excellent buffer between the buyer and seller. If negotiating isn’t your cup of tea, consider the help of a professional.

As you can see, there are many pros and cons to selling “by owner”. Currently, only about 25% of all “fsbo’s” that give it a try end up selling their own home. The rest either take their home off the market or end up listing with a professional.

Tom Jacobson is a licensed agent in Washington State and has paid buyer rebates up to $11,000.
He offers a FREE 10 - day email course to further educate those potential buyers interested in getting an unadvertised rebate.

http://www.easyresponders.com