How to Sell Your Own Home

For Sale by Owner vs. Real Estate Agent

Selling your home as “For Sale by Owner” just may be the best way to sell your home or it may end up being the biggest mistake you could have made. You may be tempted to sell your home to avoid paying a real estate agent, but at the end of the day there is a lot to take into consideration when it comes to selling your home yourself.

Selling your home yourself could end up being the best decision you’ve ever made or it could lead to costly financial mistakes that end up costing you more money than what you would have spent buy paying a real estate agent.  

The Pros and Cons of Selling Your Own Home

The Pros of selling your own home:

• Saving money by not paying a real estate agent.

• Communicating directly with potential buyers vs. passing messages back-and-forth between yourself and the real estate agent.

The cons of selling your own home:

• When selling your home yourself, statistically homeowners actually end up with less money. Homes that are sold 'For Sale by Owner' are sold for less than what they would sell for with an agent.
• Selling your home yourself could lead to potential legal troubles and issues due to accidental mistakes that could end up costing you extra seller charges, as well as tax issues.
• Selling your home takes a lot of time and effort. If you’re a busy person, you just may not have the time and it might make life easier for you to leave this to the pros.

For Sale by Owner Tips

If you’ve decided that you’d still like to sell your home, then you’ll want to follow these 'For Sale by Owner’ steps:

Step 1:  You’ll want to prepare your home to attract buyers. Make any needed renovations and get things cleaned up. You will want the home presentable and in tip-top shape in order to sell.

Step 2:  Do NOT overprice your home. Overpricing your home will make competing homes look like a better value and it also reduces buyer interests.

Step 3:  Get yourself a good real estate attorney who will protect your interests throughout the entire process.

Step 4:  Find the best sites to market your home, as well as marketing offline.

Step 5:  Learn how to negotiate offers from potential buyers.

Step 6:  Have your home inspected by a general inspector to give potential buyers the assurance that the house is safe, doesn’t need repairs and is “move-in ready.”

Final Thoughts

If all of this seems like too much for you, then put the work of selling your home into the trusted hands of a highly-trained real estate agent who will make sure that all of your home-selling needs are met. To learn more, contact Luis Carrillo of Keller Williams Realty today.