With so many homes on the market these days it could be discouraging to think that you are at the mercy of other people whenever you need to sell your home. I have bought and sold homes for over thirty years and so this is not the first time I’ve seen a market flooded with homes for sale. Naturally I see it differently because I’m an investor, so that means this is an excellent time for me to buy. But I don’t purchase property without a plan, and my usual plan is to resell a home after improving it.
Since I have had a lot of experience, I can tell you that finding a buyer when you want to sell your home yourself may be easier for you than it is for anyone else. I’m talking about the idea of For Sale By Owner, which means you run ads yourself, show your home yourself, and hold open houses as well. If this all sounds like too much work, remember that real estate agents get paid for doing this work, and selling your home yourself is one way to keep your money instead of paying a commission. Although you will undoubtedly need some professional assistance to close your sale, such as an attorney or a title company, you have all the skills you need to actually locate a buyer yourself.
The first thing you need to do is find a quiet time when you can be alone in your home and go through it with a notebook and a pen, taking notes to use when you write your classified ad. Writing ads that describe unique features such as, “triple pane insulated windows in the bedrooms,” or “stylish gas log fireplace insert,” will make your ad stand out from all the others online or in the newspaper. Most people aren’t too creative when they place classified ads, so yours will definitely stand out by including plenty of details.
Then, when you start to get calls on your ads, be prepared to ask questions when people call you. Ask them what they are looking for in a new home and that way you’ll know what to talk about. Chat with them a little before setting an appointment. People appreciate the additional information and it also makes them more curious to see the home.
And finally, run ads online and in the newspaper announcing an open house. Consider scheduling it for a weekday as well as a weekend day, and say, “private appointments available,” so that people can see it on their own schedule if they cannot make it to the open house. But the open house ad will have done its job anyway, which is attracting interested buyers when you want to sell your house. Serve up some refreshments and don’t forget to collect names and phone numbers of your visitors.