Massachusetts 4 Sale By Owner Blog

Moving In Western Mass? Discount on PODS

Liz Provo, For-Sale-By-Owner Advertising (Massachusetts 4 Sale By Owner) — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 11:07:13 -0500

Searching for a new home is FUN. Visiting Open Houses is FUN. Moving is NOT FUN.

Take if from one who made 13 apartment moves before finally settling down. With each of my moves I ended up renting or hiring a moving truck and still remember the many problems I encountered on "moving day".

Wrong sized truck waiting
Air conditioning not working in truck
Moving company guys smoked and had trouble lifting items
Friends who promised to show up early on moving day were late
Friends didn't show up at all - ex friends now
Bad smell in truck
Non-stop packing, lifting and then having to drive and do it all over again
Rain all day
Snow all day
Very, very hot all day
Late getting truck back - $$$ more money
Couldn't find truck rental place

I wish that PODS had been around when I was a nomad. With PODS, I could have ordered a unit that would be delivered to my driveway on the day of my choice. I could take as much time as needed to pack it and still have access to all my stuff if I needed it. If I needed to just store stuff for a while, PODS would have come and taken it to their secure storage location until I was ready to have it moved. They would move my container anywhere I needed - across town or across the country.

We are pleased to bring PODS to Western Mass and offer ANYONE who wants to order their POD through us, up to a 10% discount on services.

To learn more and to order, link here.

Real Estate Commissions vs. For Sale By Owner - A Family Moment

Liz Provo, For-Sale-By-Owner Advertising (Massachusetts 4 Sale By Owner) — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 12:07:01 -0500

In 2002, I was doing our first year-end sales figures, adding up the total commissions that our advertisers saved by selling their homes using our for-sale-by-owner service here in Western Mass. My very astute 12 year old daughter asked me what I was doing. I was at a loss for words for a moment, thinking of the scene in City Slickers, when Billy Crystal participated in Career Day at his son's school. He had the misfortune to follow a father who was in construction and had just saved someone's life and wasn't sure how to explain what he did for work at the local radio station. The class thought that he owned the station or maybe produced shows. As an advertising salesperson he quietly told them that he "sold air". A hush came over the crowd.

Well, getting back to my story...How could I explain what I did for work? I told my daughter that we saved people who sold their homes through us that year over $800,000. Her eyes got huge and she said, "You mean we made that much money?" I told her no, that the $800,000 would be what they would have paid to a real estate agent. She stared at me for a moment and quietly replied, "That's stupid. Why aren't you a real estate agent? The we would have had all that money." With a roll of her eyes, she left the room.

Since that time, my daughter has helped me out with countless marketing projects, and seems to enjoy helping out in the family business, but I have never forgotten her initial reaction to my newly formed business. Maybe Robin Hood heard the same stuff from Lady Marrion. Oh well.

Selling A Home By Public Auction

Liz Provo, For-Sale-By-Owner Advertising (Massachusetts 4 Sale By Owner) — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 15:31:49 -0500

Going, Going, Gone! If you've ever been to an auction you know how exciting it is. The adrenaline starts pumping as the item you have been waiting for comes up for bid. The auctioneer begins his banter, and the first bid is offered. SOLD to the highest bidder . . . . .

I've been to country auctions under a tent. I've participated in benefit silent auctions - most recently the "Show Us Your Bra" gala event in Northampton, MA. I've been to horse auctions and cattle auctions in a barn. I know about real estate foreclosure auctions. Until this year, I had never heard about a public property auction held by a "private owner".

As a "for sale by owner" real estate advertising service, we're always open to new ideas and ways for people to sell their properties on their own. When a local auctioneer approached us about advertising his upcoming auctions, I needed to be educated about the process.

He told me that the owner can set a reserve amount to avoid selling too low, that buyer's must be pre-approved before bidding, inspections may be made before the auction, but properties are sold "as is", and buyer's pay a "premium", like a commission to the auctioneer that is stated in the auction rules. The whole event can be over in 10 minutes! Now, that's fast marketing.

So far this month, we have advertised three auctions - one has sold, one didn't and the third just went online today. Take a look! It would be interesting to know how real estate agents view properties that are for sale by public auction. Do they search these properties out for their clients or do they assume they are not worthwhile. All I can say is that we are pleased to help educate sellers and buyers about the auction process and help consumers learn more about cost-effective ways to buy or sell a home.

Massreia Investors Coming To Western Mass

Liz Provo, For-Sale-By-Owner Advertising (Massachusetts 4 Sale By Owner) — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 09:56:39 -0500

Attention all real estate investors, landlords, flippers!

Thursday, August 7th - 6:00 PM - The Sheraton - One Monarch Place, Springfield MA

MASSREIA (Massachusetts Real Estate Investors Association) is coming to Western Mass. After much planning, a new sub-chapter has been created in response to the needs of investors in Western Mass area - Hampden, Hampshire, Franklin and Berskshire counties.

We have been asked to participate as a Featured Speaker for the opening event, and will present "Pocket The Profit - Selling Solo In Any Market", tools and strategies for selling (and buying) properties "by owner".

Meetings will be held the first Thursday of every month at the Springfield Sheraton (One Monarch Place), beginning at 6:00 for networking, and followed by the meeting.First meeting scheduled for Thursday, August 7, 2008. If you'd like more information, give us a call or log onto our website and join our newsletter for up to date information on these and other events.

Western Mass Open House Weekend - May 17th & 18th

Liz Provo, For-Sale-By-Owner Advertising (Massachusetts 4 Sale By Owner) — Sat, 10 May 2008 08:17:05 -0500

We are excited to announce our first Western Mass Open House Weekend, to be held on Saturday May 17th and Sunday May 18th. Participation in the event is open to anyone currently selling "by owner" in Hampshire, Hampden, Franklin or Berkshire counties of Massachusetts.

Home sellers will be encouraged to download and offer visitors a special newsletter which will include all open houses included in the weekend, with addresses, the seller's name and phone number and a photo of the property.

Buyers who sign up for our Property Alert Notifications will automatically be given access to all open houses, along with mapping directions, Virtual Tours online and Print and Go property flyers

Agents who work with buyers are welcomed to attend the event, or pass along the information to their clients. If you are a real estate agent in Western Mass and would like to be notified of future Open Houses or other events we may hold, please feel free to email me or call and you will be added to our mailing list.

NOTE: Sellers who use our services are educated about the role of a buyer's agent in the sale of their home. They have been given information regarding how the commission may be paid and most are open to buyer agent participation. You will find that the majority of homes advertised through us have been carefully prepared for the market. Many sellers have attended one of our Home Seller Seminars and understand how important it is to prepare and price for the market. It is not unusual for our sellers to pay for a pre-market home inspection and professional appraisal, or occasionally hire the services of a home stager or professional photographer. To see for yourself, feel free to their Virtual Tours online.

Be sure to sign up to receive our Online Newsletters to learn more!

Women Build 2008 - Springfield Massachusetts

Liz Provo, For-Sale-By-Owner Advertising (Massachusetts 4 Sale By Owner) — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 09:22:50 -0500

Massachusetts 4 Sale By Owner is pleased to lend our support to "Women Build 2008" project undertaken by the Greater Springfield, Massachusetts chapter of Habitat For Humanity. The Women Build 2008 campaign will get underway on Mother's Day weekend and will end next year at this time when the keys to a brand new home will be turned over to a deserving family in the Springfield area.

As a for-sale-by-owner real estate advertising service that is also a member of the Western Massachusetts Home Builders Association, we have had the opportunity to work with builders throughout our area, some of whom are accomplished female business owners and successful contractors. Statistically, women make up a very small percentage of those involved in the building trades. Through a special partnership with the Hampden County Women’s Correctional Facility, Women Build 2008 will provide low-risk incarcerated women the opportunity to learn building skills through on-site job training in the construction trade.

We would like to invite members of the Active Rain community as well as business owners throughout the area to join us in supporting the Women Build 2008 initiative. We are announcing the year-long event in our new Buyer's Guide To 4 Sale By Owner & Builder which will be distributed throughout Western Massachusetts.

If your company provides products and services to home buyers and would like to show your support for Women Build 2008, please contact us. Eligible businesses include: lenders, buyer's agents, home inspectors, attorneys, home furnishings, interior design, etc.

Buyer's Guide To 4 Sale By Owner & Builder

Liz Provo, For-Sale-By-Owner Advertising (Massachusetts 4 Sale By Owner) — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 14:43:22 -0500

We would like to introduce our brand new publication this spring - The Buyer's Guide To 4 Sale By Owner & Builder. This brand new, unique digest-sized guide is the first of it's kind (that we know of anyway) and is representative of the changing world of real estate as it embraces the for-sale-by-owner concept, is focused on the buyer's need for accurate information and resources beyond what an agent might provide, and regional in its approach.

Featured in this informative guide will be articles pertaining to financing, regulatory changes in Massachusetts, how to work with agents (dual agency, buyer agents, etc), green building and remodeling, property tax tables, and a great Q & A section. For the first time we are inviting area buyer brokers/agents to participate with us, using display advertising, writing articles for the guide as well as our blog, and for our website.

Buyers will be able to learn about relocating to Massachusetts, particularly Western Massachusetts through a series of articles relating to our towns, cities and community events. A drop distribution is planned for 15,000 and the guide will be revised three times per year with seasonal content. While we are initially focusing on Western Mass., we may extend the guide (online at least) to other parts of Massachusetts.

If any buyer agents, lenders, home inspectors, builders, attorneys or others who commonly work with buyers and who are reading this post would be interested in talking with us about how to be included in a local guide, please feel free to email us or call. This is a pretty exciting time for those who operate within the real estate community and related services who are looking for a new way to attract buyers of their services and those not afraid to explore new avenues.

Derrill's Race - May 4, 2008

Liz Provo, For-Sale-By-Owner Advertising (Massachusetts 4 Sale By Owner) — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 08:01:23 -0500

The crocuses are up, I can see some bare grass and it's time to dust off those sneakers in time for Derrill's Race. Word has it that local teams are already forming and as the race's webmaster, we are receiving email requests for information and registration. Derrill's Race is a 5K Run-Walk charitable event held on the Manhan Rail Trail, right behind our office in Easthampton, Massachusetts. To my knowledge, the use of the rail trail (Easthampton's five mile bike path) as our race route is unique and its hard for participants not to take in the beauty of the Nora Valdez mural and sculpture as they begin their run. I love having my office border the bike path. Haley (my loyal office dog) and I are often found taking a noon walk along the trail, meeting neighbors and visitors to town along the way.

I love the sense of community that living in a small town brings and Derrill's Race is a perfect example of why Easthampton, along with other small cities and towns in Western Massachusetts, is now being looked at as a highly desirable area in which to live and work. When I chose Easthampton as home almost twenty years ago, it was based upon location - 16 miles from Amherst, where I worked at the time, and 16 miles to Springfield, where my husband worked. Easthampton was the logical choice for us. A lot has changed in the community over the years - we became a city, electing a mayor to replace our Board of Select"men". We reinvented our downtown, now home to nationally known artisans and renovated long-idle factory buildings into incubators for many small businesses, restaurants and artists.

Visit Derrillsrace.com for registration information.

More Home - Less Money - Tips For Massachusetts Home Buyers

Liz Provo, For-Sale-By-Owner Advertising (Massachusetts 4 Sale By Owner) — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 07:49:49 -0500

In many parts of the country, property values have tumbled in recent months. Western Massachusetts, however, seems to be holding its own. Buyers who have been waiting patiently, hoping for prices to drop more, may be disappointed. Recent reductions in mortgage interest rates mark the start of the spring real estate season and will be welcomed by many potential home buyers. With prices remaining stable, how can buyers s-t-r-e-t-c-h their buying power further? Here are a few helpful ideas:

Cast a wider net. Rather than looking for a home in a specific city or town, think about looking within a radius of your work. Pinpoint your place of employment on a map and draw a radius that represents a reasonable commuting distance you are willing to consider. You may be surprised that your area includes additional living opportunities. You can even search for real estate online using a radius option. Often you will find a lower cost community. If schools are a major reason for choosing a community, you may want to weigh other educational opportunities available in Massachusetts - including public, private, regional or charter schools. Many communities participate in school choice, where students in one district may attend school in another district if space is available.
Make it pay. Consider purchasing a two-family home, letting your tenant help pay your mortgage. In the future you can keep the home as a rental property or sell it in favor of purchasing a single family residence. Be sure to consult with your attorney and/or CPA about the pros and cons of becoming a Massachusetts landlord.
Under-size. Just how big a home do you really need right now? There are advantages to looking at smaller homes with good "add on" potential. Look at neighborhoods where ranches are becoming two-story homes, etc. If you haven't had a chance to read Sarah Susanka's "The Not So Big House", try to do so. It may change the way you think about what a house needs to be in order to be "home".

One of the smartest ways buyers can be assured of getting the most home for the money is to purchase directly from the owner or builder. Remember, agents commissions are added onto the sellers asking price, so buyers lose by paying more for the property.

The Future of Syndicated Listings

Liz Provo, For-Sale-By-Owner Advertising (Massachusetts 4 Sale By Owner) — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 09:47:30 -0600

Now that RSS syndication is becoming utilized more frequently to allow real estate listings to appear on additional websites and real estate portals, I have been doing some thinking. What will happen to all these syndicated listings as they find their way across the Internet, replicating again and again. The original provider of the listing information has lost all control over the content the second the first syndication is made.

In December 2007 we began syndicating our regional for-sale-by-owner listings to a handful of hand selected websites based upon having compatible search engine rankings and those that did not exist for lead generation or other affiliate advertising promotion. We also checked other FSBO websites to see where they were promoting their syndication. Many of these companies say they will syndicate your listing to 20, 30, 50 sites or more. Before you jump on the chance to upload your home for sale on Sulekha.com, one of the many partner sites touted by Fizber.com, you may want to check it out. It appears to be a free classified website for the US/India marketplace. A quick search of Boston single family homes returned only 7 listings. The first listing I checked was also posted as a home available in New Jersey. HMMM.

While doing some research for one of our home seller seminars, I was searching for homes in Springfield, Ma and clicked on a link to Homesbyowner.com where, much to my surprise, a photo of one of our seminars appeared as a supplemental Google Base listing. As RSS feeds begin cloning themselves, being duplicated on site after site, I am now seeing the same listing duplicated 5 times on one website, all having been pulled from different sources. If a private seller posts a listing on more than one website, it is not unlikely that the listing will now end up being syndicated back to the original website. Following me? We all know that the majority of FSBO websites are loaded with outdated properties to make them look bigger and better than they are. Enter syndication and these websites bulk up like they're on steroids. Maybe syndication isn't such a good thing after all.

Buyer Brokers and Private Home Sellers

Liz Provo, For-Sale-By-Owner Advertising (Massachusetts 4 Sale By Owner) — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 09:43:06 -0600

While some real estate agents go out of their way NOT to show a home that is offered "for sale by owner", many buyer's agents are finding that it pays to include FSBO showings along with MLS listed properties that would meet their buyer's criteria. Learning about privately offered homes for sale may take a little extra work, but the end result is that your clients will be pleased that you are not steering them in one direction only.

Many for sale by owner advertising services offer Property Listing Alerts, similar to MLS feeds where you may be notified of new properties coming on the market. We recently expanded our alerts to include status and price changes and even open house announcements. The internet has made it possible for a lot of information to be visible and easily shared, often using Web 2.0 features where you can email a PDF listing to a client with a click of the mouse, view Virtual Slide Shows, etc.

For best results when approaching a private home seller on behalf of your clients, we highly recommend:

Make sure that your clients understand that they may be responsible for paying your fee as most private home sellers have priced their property without the idea of paying a commission. That said, let them know that you will try to negotiate the best price for them, no matter what home they choose.
When calling private home sellers, do NOT start of by dangling your buyer in front of them like a carrot, while trying to get them to agree to pay your commission over the phone. This will turn them off very quickly and you are likely to lose the opportunity to show the home to your clients.
Do identify yourself up front as a buyer's agent representing one client. Your goal should be to set an appointment to bring your buyer to see the home - period.
When negotiating on behalf of your buyer, understand that many sellers are aware of how your commission can be handled so that it does not affect their bottom line.

We have had many sales reported by our advertisers where their has been buyer broker involvement and the majority have been very positive. Typically, the broker's commission has not come out of the seller's pocket. This works well, especially if the sellers have priced their property based upon a professional appraisal, which we recommend.

The real estate industry is changing rapidly and more home sellers (and buyers) are taking the time to educate themselves about the process. In areas where there is a strong regional for sale by owner service, consumers tend to be easier to work with. They have had the benefit of understanding how buyer's agents work and are less likely to feel that all calls from agents are listing requests in disguise.

Real Classified Ads By FSBOs ---who haven't come to our seminar yet!!!

Liz Provo, For-Sale-By-Owner Advertising (Massachusetts 4 Sale By Owner) — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 15:56:41 -0600

From time to time I find an interesting marketing idea from a private home seller who is struggling. In addition to finding signs that are attached to the front of the house (for extra visibility, I presume), classifieds are always a good source of fun. Recently I saw an ad in the local paper that said

"FSBO - 3 bed, 2 bath ranch on quiet street. Asking $235,000. Will take $220.000, call xxx-xxxx."

"FSBO - Great home near park. Then, they included a website name with no ad# and no phone number." Because the website was a freebie and loaded with junk, there were about 100 listings in their city. Maybe they thought "great home" would be the key to find them.

"FSBO - 3 bedrooms, nice yard, near elem. school. Call xxx-xxxx." When I spoke with the gentleman and mentioned that their was missing information in his ad, he said "I only have one bath so I didn't want to put that in. I didn't put the price in so people would call and I'd have a chance to talk to them first." He told me he got lots of calls and so I asked him what response he had. It suddenly dawned on him that they were all calling to ask the price, then they hung up.

This is why we started having seller seminars and now invite attorneys, inspectors, appraisers, FSBO specialists (like me), stagers and lenders to help.

The Humorous Side of FSBO

Liz Provo, For-Sale-By-Owner Advertising (Massachusetts 4 Sale By Owner) — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 15:01:53 -0600

One of our home sellers who was using our for-sale-by-owner services was pretty high strung and prone to anxiety. As he was preparing his home for the market he did all the right things - had his home appraised, got a pre-listing home inspection, and even used the advice of a home stager to attract buyers.

While having some roofing done, it was brought to his attention by the contractor that he had some pest damage. Now, he's the kind of guy who paid for ongoing termite protection, so you can imagine how upset he was to think that he was INFESTED. After further investigation, he found that the damage was old and not a current problem, but he was none the less preoccupied with the report.

His property had just gone live on our website and the calls from interested buyers were coming in. A buyer called to inquire about his home and asked if he had any pets. Immediately, he became nervous and answered, "Only old ones but I got rid of them." The woman paused, then said, "Oh, I'm sorry," thinking of his loss. It was only after she related to him about her allergies to dogs that he realized his error. They both had a good laugh.

How To Sell Your Own Home Seminar Series - 2008 Calendar

Liz Provo, For-Sale-By-Owner Advertising (Massachusetts 4 Sale By Owner) — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 15:06:11 -0600

2008 Seminar Schedule

"How To Sell Your Own Home In Today's Market

February 16^th - 1:00 p.m.
March 8^th - 1:00 p.m.
March 29^th- 1:00 p.m.
April 19^th - 1:00 p.m.
May 10^th - 1:00 p.m.
September 13^th - 1:00 p.m.
October 18^th - 1:00 p.m.

You will learn how to:

Prepare Your Home For The Market
Determine Your Asking Price
Evaluate Local Advertising Options
Avoid Overpaying For Ineffective Advertising
Hold a Successful "Open House"
Show Your Home The Stress-Free Way
Instill Confidence In Your Buyers
Avoid "Predatory Investors"
Work With Agents On YOUR Terms
Reduce Stress On Your Family and Pets
Negotiate With Buyers (and their agents)
Confidently Use Current Marketing Tools That Appeal To Buyers
Protect Yourself From Listing Agents In Disguise
Use the Internet To Your Advantage
Maximize Your Selling Potential In A Tough Real Estate Market
Prepare Information For Your Real Estate Attorney

We recommend that you attend our seminar if:

• you are considering using an agent, but can’t afford to lose your equity
• you want to save money by not paying a hefty commission fee (6%)
• you want to learn about how to advertise on the MLS without giving up your right to sell privately
• you are trying to sell by owner and not getting good results
• you want to remain in control of the process
• your property is listed with a lazy listing agent
• you listed with an agent/friend thinking you'd get better results
• you want to sell faster and more efficiently
• you want to sell by owner but avoid costly mistakes
• you want control over showings and follow up
• you want to know all your options
• you will be buying in a more expensive market and need every penny
• you cannot afford to stay in your present home and need to sell
• you are just curious about whether this will work for you

Seating is limited. Registration Required.

Call 413-529-2970 or 888-920-FSBO

$10. p.p./FREE to current advertisers

Can You Sell By Owner In A Slow Market?

Liz Provo, For-Sale-By-Owner Advertising (Massachusetts 4 Sale By Owner) — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 14:36:09 -0600

Massachusetts 4 Sale By Owner was recently interviewed by a reporter from The Warren Group (Banker & Tradesman) who asked if I thought our business was increasing or decreasing due to the current market slowdown. While both buyers and sellers hunkered down over the holidays, recent activity on our website is a sure sign that buyers are starting to look once again - thankfully. In fact, I just did a quick look at where our website visitors were coming from yesterday and found that within about an hour of tracking, we had traffic from Haverill, MA, Florence, SC, Worcester, MA, Boston, MA, Reston, VA, Northampton, MA, Phoenix, AZ, New Bedord, MA, Frederick, MD, San Diego, CA, Buffalo, NY (I can understand why they might want to leave the lake effect snow behind them!), Goffstown, NH, NY,NY, and the United Kingdom. Not bad for a regional for sale by owner service in Western Mass!

In the last week I have spoken with four new advertisers, all who have had their homes on the market for some time. One of them said that in eight months he didn't get a showing. Another signed a contract last July for three months with no luck and resigned what they thought was another three month agreement, but now learned that the agent locked them in for six months. They didn't get a copy of the contract at the time and are now trying to figure out how to get out of the listing. A third seller said that she needed to bring her price down and couldn't go any lower and still have to pay a commission. The fourth seller said he'd done friend a favor by listing with him and now regretted it.

No one knows your home better than you and buyers really do appreciate being able to talk with you face to face. It's old school to think that real estate needs to be kept an "arms length" transaction. Today's buyer wants instant access, Web 2.0 Technology, simply to be able to get what he wants when he wants it in a way that is simple and without interference.

Selling by owner in a tough market is, in my opinion, one of the best ways to sell quicker and save as much equity as possible. That said, and before fellow Active Rain followers tell me that private sellers don't know how to price their houses, are at risk for getting sued more, will sell for less money and don't know what they're doing, and can never get the kind of exposure needed, I'd like to share the following secrets to success:

Prepare your home well - in any market, but especially a buyer's market where there's lots of competition
Skip the CMA and go right for a professional appraisal. Use the report to base your price without inflating it. A CMA is not recommended as it only includes MLS data and cannot satisfy a lender for a mortgage requirement.
Hire a good real estate attorney who will represent you. Only an attorney has the ability to "represent" a seller for legal issues.
Do advertise on the internet, but be careful where you post. National websites are often loaded with outdated inventory or are more concerned with being a lead generator for affiliates, ie. mortgage companies, etc. than they are helping you sell your house.
Look for a local for sale by owner service who can provide support and regional advertising exposure as well as Internet exposure.
Go to a seminar and learn how to sell by owner. Many regional services offer seminars to the public.
Purchase professional looking signage
Post on the MLS if you want. Many flat fee services exist to give you exposure to the buyer broker market and syndicate to public sites like Realtor.com, Boston.com, and others. You will pay around $300 - $500 plus whatever you are willing to compensate a buyer broker (1 - 3%). If a buyer finds you through a public site, and doesn't have a buyer's agent, you pay zero commission.

So, yes, you can sell "by owner" in a slow market.