The Best Way to Find and Contact FSBOs

I used to do this before I got tired of spending lots of money for nothing. My broker says if you can turn a FSBO you can do anything! Well, so far no go. I've sent out tons of letters at quite an expense called a few of them and ran the risk of getting someone complain about my call violating the no call list. I've sent out tons of emails in response to local online classifieds ads and foresalebyowner.com type web sites. I usually get no response or they eventually list it with an agent they know. But, one of the top selling agents in my area beats on doors of these FSBOs everyday. She's more of a listing agent than a anything.

IMO contacting FSBOs makes sense but they are hard to convince. I've even tried offering them a discounted commission for a short while and they still wont' take it.

"They" say that becoming their friend and staying connected is the main thing, so that when they get ready to list (and most of them do) you will get the business.  You can't argue them into listing with you.  Put yourself in their position.  Has anyone ever won you over by telling you that you are not smart enough to do something.  You have to be tactful.

The hard part is staying in contact.  Who wants to be known as the stalking Realtor?  That's not a good brand.  :-)

Sarah Rummage
Nashville TN
www.Nashville-Homebuyer.com

First off, I wish you great success. 

Surely someone in Atlanta is publishing a For Sale By Owner magazine.  Get that.  Also look in the Atlanta Journal daily.  Also visit every fsbo open house you can find.  Great way to not only get your foot in the door, but your whole body.   I would prepare a For Sale By Owner Checklist.  This is a list of things a seller needs to do in order to have a chance of selling their home.  This list should have all the things on it you would give to a person whose home you were listing.   

I would contact the fsbo and offer for free this list and your services to help them make sure they are doing all they can to make their home marketable in this down market.  Take this list with you to fsbo open houses.  Give it the owner and go over it there if you they will give you the time.  I would offer to do open houses for them using a plain open house sign without your company name on it.  Imagine the leads you could get from doing this. 

When asked why would you do this, you say, "Hopefully you will tell others about me or should you decide at some point you do want to list your home with someone you will consider me.  Besides, this is what I do.  I help people get thier homes sold.  I like your home a lot and I would like to be involved in helping you sell it.  Plus, the more homes I can help get sold, the less inventory we have out there and prices will start to go back up. That simple."  Or something like this.  Whatever you feel comfortable with.

Once you are helping them, you stay in touch with suggestions, sales updates, interest rates from different banks, etc.  Drown them in information about what is selling, what has sold, what is for sale etc.  You are working for free right now, but most fsbos, in my experience, turn to a realtor at some point.  Just keep in mind, all these people care about is "what is in it for me".  Keep showing them the advantage to them of working with you. 

You might even consider holding a For Sale By Owner Seminar to help people who are thinking about doing it themselves.  This gets you in front of people who want to sell and they get to see you helping them.  Once you talk about all the things they need to do and LOOK OUT FOR, they may decide they would rather let you deal with it. 

These people are like all sellers.  They want to sell, they want the best price for their homes and they want it done today.  One big key is to find out WHY they want to sell in this market.  Once you know that, feed on it, use it, keep referring to it, keep reminding them what their goal is and how what you are doing for them is going to help them achieve their goal.  You do have to be careful since they may not tell you the real reason they are selling at first.  You may have to dig.  A big key for me is when they say, " I don't have to sell.  I can wait."  This really raises a flag in my mind.  If they can wait why don't they.  There is more to it than they are letting on.  Find out what it is. 

I did one of these fsbo sheets I would be happy to email you if your would like to see it.  Nothing magic about it, but it might give you an idea or two.

Again, much success to you.

Heres a great way to go after FSBO market. There is a new website just launched called  advantageml.com  they are trying to populate their site with as many listings as they can and are offering a 1 year membership for $ 99.00. It was built by real estate agents for realestate agents.

They have alot of cool tools and training, plus blog and networking for agents all over the country.

Anyways included in your membership is unlimited use of their Virtual Tour software. Go to the FSBO and offer them a free Virtual Tour!!! No strings attached. Most FSBO's would love that. You take pictures load them on advantageml your name is at top of listing (Buyer Leads) and FSBO is happy

directing everyone to check out their Virtual Tour, people who check see your info (Buyer lead) and when it comes to the 80% of FSBO's that end up listing with an agent...Who they gonna call? The 9 other agents that really did not offer them anything or the one that did something for them for free?

Great way to build up listings and if by chance the FSBO sells their house? They will tell all the people they know about the one agent that did help them...win win

Offer support...  Deliver.  Be a resource.  Let them know that you can help them without being pushy or locking them down. 

Show them the VALUE in your services. What do you bring to the table like: number of picture you put in MLS, Realtor Enhancement on Realtor.com ( if you have it ), an information box on sign, your office staff if a call comes in and your brand. Hope it helps.