Tips for Selling Your Home Without an Agent. Selling a house on your own is no walk in the park. But if you invest your time and effort in this task, it’s worth it. You can save up to 6 percent in commissions by not including an agent in your sale. The commission is usually charged on the home’s sale price after deducting the mortgage payment and other closing costs. A good number of for sale by owner ( FSBO) houses are being successfully sold every month. It’s a proven fact by several organizations, including the National Association of Realtors, that FSBO houses sell faster than those that hired agents. If you are confident you are up for this venture, the following are some tips to make your sale a success.
1. Come up with a Realistic Price
You must price your house right to avoid disappointment. The price should be realistic with its value. It’s wise that you make a rational decision, not letting your feelings towards the house impact your verdict. Buyers can quickly notice an overpriced house and ignore it. There are various ways to determine the value of your home. They include :
• Research on the sales of comparable houses in your locality. Here you can seek the services of a real estate agent who will conduct an informative audit of your home to the sales of local properties. This analysis will give you an accurate price, and it’s free.
• You can also take advantage of the internet. They are many real estate selling your home valuation sites like Trulia and Zillow.com, which give you an estimate of your house’s value. Their services are free as well, although the price might not be the most accurate.
• The best way to a perfect estimate of the value of your house is by hiring an appraiser. Be sure to check their license before acquiring their services. The con here is the cost of hiring an appraiser and that the appraisal will not be valid for the mortgage.
2. Ready your Home for Sale
You ought to make ready your house before potential buyers start viewing it. First, you should deal with the external part of the house to make sure it’s appealing. The outside of the house should be able to create a positive first impression. Ensure the flower beds and grass are well maintained. If the walls are rusty, do a repaint. Observe your home through a buyer’s perspective. Imagine yourself on the market for a house, determine things that would put you off buying a home, and deal with those first. Your main target is to make potential buyers picture themselves in your home. Therefore, it’s prudent to get rid of all the personal stuff like photos and portraits of yourself. Hire professional cleaners to make sure your home is neat and desirable. Update the fixtures in your house, arrange the furniture evenly, and repaint the walls to look uniform. Make all necessary repairs on the home. You can also make the home more appealing by adding colorful rugs and accent lights.
3. Compile The Data for Your Listing
Your listing should be a combination of the following information:
• Pictures- it’s advisable to hire a photographer to take professional photos of your home. If you do it on your own, make sure your photos depict a lot of natural light. Vary the type of shots taken from close-ups to landscape photos. You should take numerous images of different angles of the house’s exterior and interior sections and select the best of the best. A good photograph can sell your home fast.
• House details are the information on the home features such as the number of bathrooms, interior square footage, number of bedrooms, and information on the parking space, among others. The data presented should be precise. Utilize MLS listings to confirm all the information required to include in your listing.
• The Description- Make sure you create a factual description that is appealing to potential buyers. Avoid being too wordy but make sure you selling your home’s best features. Your report should be able to make a buyer picture themselves in your home.
4. Market Your House
There are various ways to advertise your home for sale. Here are some of the best ways to market a house
• Create a virtual tour of your home. Buyers don’t have to visit your property physically. Suitable virtual tours lead buyers from one room to the next. Add some soothing music to make it more attractive. It is either 360 or a video tour. An excellent virtual tour also shows part of the neighboring areas of the home. Most buyers love virtual tours.
• Get a creative yard sign and place it of your home for easy visibility. Make sure you buy one that can hardly be ignored.
• Market your house on the internet. Utilize social media platforms to advertise your home. With massive traffic on social media platforms, you are assured that a good number of buyers will view your house. It’s also a plus because interaction with potential buyers is fast and easy. You can also list your home on well-known websites like Zillow.com or HomeFinder.com.
5. Brace Yourself for Negotiations
If your home catches the eye of a buyer, they will present you with a contract. If the contract suits you, you can sign the deal, but you can revise it and submit it to the buyer if not. If an agreement is not met, the process repeats itself. It’s advisable to seek the assistance of an attorney on standard purchase contracts.
6. Ensure You Adhere to all Laws
There are specific statutes to be followed during the process of selling your home. Seeking the help of a real estate attorney is wise to avoid any lawsuits.