For Sale By Owner

One of the attractions to going the For Sale by Owner route is the mistaken perception of what is actually involved in successfully marketing residential real estate. Many people think a sign out front, a few Open Houses, a couple of newspaper ads and maybe even an Internet FSBO service, especially in a hot market, is all it takes. And if they can get a FSBO sign on a telephone pole on a busy street - it is Do It Yourself nirvana!

The truth is closer to establishing market value and adjusting to what is happening in the market, exposing the features and benefits to the maximum number of qualified buyers and then negotiating a deal, of which price is only one factor. It's not the number of potential buyers but the quality of each one that is important.

As a Realtor, Dan or Sue and Carole have the tools and expertise to net the seller more than they could on their own. MLS® is only the beginning, but as one of the most successful marketing systems in the world, it helps reach the vast majority of qualified buyers. A buyer who thinks your property is perfect as is will pay the most for it. A buyer going FSBO wants to save the same fees the seller does, plus he is generally a bargain hunter who is also looking for a deal. Seems a little incompatible with a seller who wants to maximize the dollars in his jeans!

For Sale by Owners focus on saving 4% or less of the selling price (most commissions amount to less than 4% of the total selling price) and not focusing on the more important 96% and the other terms of the deal. We can show you real life examples of how FSBO's have saved $10-15000 in fees and undersold their properties by $15-20000!

At the end of the day the FSBO always has the nagging doubt that they could have sold for more, because they just did not "test" the market as a whole and in most cases, they are right!