FSBO Conversion Marketing Tool- The Nickel Letter - Good Idea? or Longshot?

GREENVILLE, NC - Home of the ECU Pirates!

FSBOs are a big part of our market, as in any town.  We have a diverse economy and didn't feel the effects of the recession for a long while.  Then it hit. BAM!  We're slowly recovering, up 6.4% this month from last.  However, people still feel that they can sale their home FSBO with little to no marketing.  It just baffles me! 

I saw this sign below, on one of our streets this week.  Are you kidding me? 

I want to ask these people, is this your Marketing Plan? A personally painted piece of plyboard on a busy street? To me, this speaks for itself about the condition of the property.  A FSBO sign @ Lowe's isn't but $5 - I already know you're a cheapskate! How will out of town buyers find you? Do you have internet exposure? 80% of buyers start their shopping on the internet - will you be left out... BUT you and I both know.. they are hard headed!

When I see FSBOs, I send the "nickel" letter.  So far, out of roughly 80 sent, I have obtained 7 listings.  Thats just under 10%.  The Letter is below.. Check it out.  USE IT! *personalize it*.  Let me know if it works for you!  I attach a nickel (real, yes - it costs just 5 cents) using some tape, to the top of the letter.  It doesnt effect the weight too much - it still mails for the standard letter rate. 

Dear Seller:

I noticed you are For Sale by Owner. Maybe it will work for you?  If so, I will be the first to congratulate you for beating the odds! Nearly 85.0% of FSBOs end up giving up and listing.

Even if it works, in the long run, you might end up wishing you had a nickel for every time a bogus "BUYER" called on your For Sale by Owner sign and asked to see the house on short notice.  They think nothing of interrupting the life of a seller, when they actually have no way to buy a house in that price range.  You'll know it when you meet them.  Oh, they say nice things, and they like the decor, but they never make a fair offer.  If you notice, they often avoid eye contact.  They may even pay an unusual amount of attention to your possessions or family photos...      

You might want another nickel for each time a "BUYER" promised a seller that they would come back with an offer as soon as they got a few things in order....  Finally, you could be wealthy indeed if you had a nickel for every time a "STEALER - DEALER" offered 80% of list price to somebody who was selling, "By Owner" in our town.

Has any of this happened to you?  Tired of lookey lous, low ballers, and time wasters?  Want it to stop?  Maybe you want to short cut the process before it happens to you?  Want to Fast Forward your sale and meet some Real Buyers who will pay fair market value?  I can pay for the ads, wait by the phone, and pre-screen the buyers for you before showing the house.  I get them to offer at least 10% more than they will offer you, and I only charge 5-7% for the help, which of course is negotiable.  I get them to start at an average of 90% of market value on opening offer and then negotiate on your behalf to an average of 97.2% of listing price.  Sound good? 

I genuinely want to help you sell and statistics say I can get Real Buyers to make better offers than they make to owners!  Don't you owe it to yourself to at least investigate?  I am as close as your phone!  If nothing else, remember this:  "Real Buyers + Real Marketing = Real Results"

Warm regards.... 

Deryck S. Wilson, Broker, REALTOR®