Posts Tagged truth about fsbo
I’ve Got Some Big FSBO News Of My Own!
Posted by Deane in Sale Of Author's House on March 31, 2010
My husband and I decided, after living through the snowiest winter Baltimore has ever had, to follow a dream we’ve had for years. We are going to sell our home here in Maryland, my home of the past 17 years, and move to southern 
Arizona. We had previously looked at buying a house there 4 years ago, but the market there was sizzling hot then, the worst time to buy. Now the market there has tanked. Which makes it a perfect time to buy there.
The first thing I want you to know is yes, I will be selling FSBO just like I teach you. I already have my Truth About FSBO system out (I printed it out and put in a binder) and am following it checking off things as I do them. Frankly, even I having sold many of my own houses would be at a loss without the step-by-step approach. I can’t remember all this stuff!
Before I even picked up a paintbrush I got an appraisal. Yup, “Miss FSBO” paid for an appraisal. Hey, this is no place to screw up. If you don’t price your house right you won’t sell it, at least not easily and not for a long time.
I’m going to be chronicling the sale of my house on TruthAboutFSBO.com/blog. You might think I’m taking a big chance, “What if she can’t sell her own house?!?” . Well, stay tuned. I’m so confident that I’ll sell it fast for a good price that I’m laying myself on the line here. You can watch me sell my house as it happens. It either will be a big success or a flop, in which case I’ll really embarrass myself. I don’t HAVE to do this, but I want to show you selling FSBO successfully really can be done.
The last month we’ve been getting the house in tip top shape. We had our hardwood floors refinished. That was the only thing we paid to have done. We stripped wallpaper and painted. My husband removed a bathroom vanity, fixtures, sink, and mirrors and replaced them with all new. It looks fantastic – like a different room – for around $800. We did a quick painting once over on all the woodwork in the house to freshen it up. I also painted our shutters and front porch railing the same color that it is/was. I couldn’t believe how much it had faded. Now it really pops! I washed the windows in side and out. What a difference that makes – everything now sparkles.
Outside, I trimmed bushes and trees. We had a lot of damage from the 5 feet of snow we had. I’ve reseeded some bare spots in the lawn, cleaned the decks and sidewalk, but mostly I’ve laid mulch. So far 56 bags and counting. But, man , is it ever worth it. I can’t think of anything you can do to your yard that gives you more bang for your buck than laying mulch. We’ll have our driveway resealed in a few weeks, unfortunately we can’t get anyone to do it until after we’ve listed it. We’re not waiting on this.
My son just bought his first house a few weeks ago, so the timing was perfect. I gave him some furniture and miscellaneous stuff that he needed and I decided wasn’t worth moving. We keep our belongings to a minimum so our decluttering was a minimal effort. However, we will be having a big yard sale before we move of things that won’t make sense to move. I’ll be able to sell my lawn mower – no grass in the desert. Whoopee!
So the house is rehabbed, decluttered, and largely cleaned other than normal weekly cleaning.
Starting tomorrow I’ll be keeping an online diary of everything I do to sell my own house, so stayed tune and you can either watch me succeed or watch me flash and burn!
Get Your Home Ready to Sell Now – Spring is Right Around the Corner
Posted by Deane in Preparation on February 7, 2010
If you are like us here on the east coast, you are digging out from a record breaking snow. You are probably pining for 
spring, which seems like a l-o-n-g way off. But spring is only 6 WEEKS AWAY! So if you plan to put your house on the market this spring, you should start getting ready now.
While you are relatively housebound is the perfect time to go around your home with the inspection and cleaning check lists and the decluttering plan you got with The Truth About FSBO. Unless you keep your house in spotless, perfect condition, you probably will need every minute of those six weeks to fix, clean, paint, and declutter.
You will need to do, as my husband likes to say, get rid of the “yuck” factor. What does that mean exactly? Removing anything outdated, dirty, or cluttered. Almost every one has “yucky” areas that you have grown used to and just look past. I’m embarrassed 
to admit that yesterday I was rumaging in the closet under my basement stair case and found a pile of sunflower seeds and peanut shells – double yuck! We clearly had a mouse in the house sometime that made that area his home.
Almost every house needs the woodwork and trim repainted. A white semigloss will really pop. Repaint any walls that have scuffs or is a wild color that might put buyers off like if your teenager painted their walls black. Sort through every closet and kitchen cabinet – you don’t want a prospective buyer opening something up and having pots and pans crash to the floor or have towels and pillows land on their heads.
To be on track for spring, consider doing one room and one “area” each weekend. An “area” would mean a hall closet, garage, section of the basement, etc. When you look at it that way, six weeks suddenly doesn’t sound very long, does it? You are probably thinking, “I need 6 months!” So if you want sell your own house at the peak time, you need to get started right away.
Don’t forget to stage your home before you put it up for sale. Think about how to rearrange your furniture to make each room look larger and more inviting. Get rid of any heavy dark window treatments and replace with some sheers. Put the Pepto-Bismol in the medicine cabinet and put an attractive candle or soap holder on the bathroom sink instead. There is lots of staging advice including staging videos in The Truth About FSBO.
So don’t delay, get started today to be ready to sell your house this spring!
“Sell Your Own Home” Frequently Asked Questions
Posted by Deane in Miscellaneous on October 29, 2009
As an experienced real estate investor who teaches homeowners how to sell their house “for sale by owner” or FSBO, I find many people tend to have the same questions.
Here are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about selling your home yourself:
Q: How do I know if I’ve “got what it takes” to sell my own house?
A: If you can answer “yes” to these questions, you are an excellent candidate to sell your own home:
- Do you have basic computer skills? Can you surf the net, shop, and fill out basic forms online? If you do, then you will have no trouble doing your FSBO marketing, such as placing your flat fee MLS listing.
- Can you devote 4-5 hours on you initial FSBO marketing? (Remember, you will a lot of time not having to research and find an agent, and then meet with them to fill out their paperwork.)
- Are you open to seeking additional education? Most seller’s “don’t know what they don’t know” and this is where they can fall into trouble.
Q: It seems that I’ll need to do a lot of computer and internet stuff. I’m no “techie”. Can the average person can handle it?
A: Since you have gotten as far as reading this article online, I’d say absolutely! If I can do this, you can do this! I am not a tech person AT ALL. (Compared to the guys in my family, my computer skills are downright primitive!) The most difficult technical thing you’ll do for your FSBO marketing is download digital photos of your house. If you don’t know how, I’m sure you know someone that can show you. Do you know anyone under the age of 25? They’ll know how!
Q: Does selling your home yourself take a lot of extra time? Especially the marketing?
A: It depends! The marketing can if you have to put together a good marketing plan from scratch, then research and test to find the best internet-based tools and services. But once you have these things, I’d plan on an initial 4 hours to get all your marketing set up and 2 – 3 hours per week to talk to buyers and show your house.
Actually, having an agent takes a lot of time! Just trying to pick a good one, meeting and signing the listing agreement, and continually being in touch with your agent takes as much time as doing all your marketing yourself!
Q: Will my FSBO marketing cost me very much?
A: ABSOLUTELY NOT! If you went “all out” with your FSBO marketing, getting custom FSBO signs, a flat fee MLS listing, and place a FSBO listing on a the most popular “for sale by owner” site, you’d spend around $800. But I’ve sold houses spending under $100! There are at least a dozen excellent places to advertise for free online. The number one place for effective free advertising is Craigslist.
Q: I worry about having the right “for sale by owner” forms and documents. Isn’t there a lot of paperwork and documents I have to handle?
A: Again, not really! A standard “for sale by owner” contract is a relatively uncomplicated document. The standard realtor sales contract is much longer because much of it is to protect them, not you. You can get a sales contract, addendum, and any disclosures required in your state from a title company or purchase a FSBO documents package online.
Q: Will selling my own house make it more difficult to sell than if I used a realtor?
A: Definitely not, if you price it right, get it ready right, and market it right.
Q: I really want to sell my own house. But I’m scared. Where to begin? I’m afraid of the details I don’t know.
A: The fact that you realize you don’t know all there is to know is a wonderful thing! Really. I see too many homeowners jump into selling their house, think they know it all, and don’t have a clue what they are doing. You can get into some serious trouble that way.
You are right, “the devil is in the details”. That is particularly true in real estate. There are a lot of details you n
eed to know about. Some mistakes could cost you a lot of time and money, or even a lawsuit. So don’t just jump into selling your home yourself without first doing a little research.
Why not save yourself a lot of time, trouble, and worry when you sell your own home? Find out more. Sign up for “knock your socks off” FSBO tips at The Truth About FSBO today!
Mistakes Not to Make When Selling Your Own House
Posted by Deane in Preparation, Uncategorized on October 29, 2009
Home and Garden TV has identified common mistakes to avoid if you want to sell your own home quickly and for the most profit.
- Waiting until spring to sell.
- Not understanding the real estate contract.
- Going it alone without researching first.
- Ignoring lowball offers.
- Wasting time on an unqualified buyer.
- Skimping on marketing.
- Sabotaging the showing.
- Not having your house in top showing condition.
- Over-improving.
- Overpricing.
And if you are an owner of “The Truth About FSBO”, you already know all this 
!
Thank you to “The State”, South Carolina’s Homepage” for bringing my attention to this article from HGTV.
Keeping Your Cool When Selling Your Own House
Posted by Deane in Miscellaneous on October 28, 2009
I understand that keeping your cool when selling your house isn’t easy.
Here are some ideas to help you from getting stressed out when selling your house.
1. Don’t worry if you don’t do all the ideas in “The Truth About FSBO”. I’ve given you lots of information and lots of ideas. Actually, I have NEVER had to use all the FSBO marketing ideas to sell a house. I pick and choose from the list of ideas that have worked for me. So don’t kick yourself or make yourself crazy trying to do it all. Do what makes sense to you with the time and resources you have available.
2. Don’t worry if you don’t do everything “perfectly”. There is no such thing, anyway. Do your best, and rely on help when you need it – ask questions on The Truth About FSBO Community online or ask your title attorney or mortgage broker. Take advice from people that are involved in the selling process professionally.
3. That being said, don’t take advice from people that don’t know what they’re talking about. There are always naysayers. I’m sure you’ve already had people say you’re crazy! People who have never sold a house themselves will be happy to give you their advice.
On one level people think they are going to “protect” you from making a terrible mistake. On another level, I believe people get jealous when someone leaves behind the “normal” way of doing things and takes off to do something 
different. Something perhaps they wish they had the guts to do themselves!
The Top Ten Things Your Realtor Doesn’t Want You To Know
Posted by Deane in Miscellaneous on October 28, 2009
As an outspoken proponent of the “for sale by owner” movement, I write about this topic extensively, but I read an article written by a realtor I wanted to share with you. Among his top 10, he includes how little time realtors spend getti
ng their license (as little as 10 days) and how much the hourly rate can be for a listing agent – thousands of dollars an hour. But don’t take my word for it. Here is the link to read the rest of the ten things your realtor doesn’t want you to know. You may be surprised. And glad that you chose to sell your own house!
A Surprising FSBO Selling Statistic You Need to Know
Ironically, I read this surprising
statistic in two different places in the last week, plus my sister-in-law confirmed it with her real life experience this weekend!
So synchronicity is at work here to make sure I get this important message to you.
So here we go: “One out of three for sale by owner sellers sell their house to someone they already know!”
I guess that shouldn’t shock me, but it does. Just think of all the people listing their house with agents, spending tens of thousands of dollars on commissions when perhaps all they need to do was tell everyone they know! Yikes.
And think of all the people selling FSBO marketing their houses and skipping this critical avenue for finding buyers!
And nowadays, telling everyone you know is just an email away.
I was at a family gathering and my sister-in-law told me she had sold 3 of her houses “for sale by owner” to someone she knew and it went swimmingly. She said the 4th house they listed with an agent. She can’t remember exactly why, but she said it was a big, fat pain.
That made me think about my personal residences. I realize that I bought my current home from a family member and the house before that from a neighbor. For some reason, I hadn’t fully realized the significance of this!
So one of the best home selling tips I can give you is to be sure to put the proper energy into your neighborhood marketing. If you own The Truth About FSBO, make sure to use all the “grass roots” FSBO marketing ideas there to effectively market to your friends, family, and neighbors!
FSBO Sellers Greatest Dread? It’s the Paperwork!
Posted by Deane in Administration on October 21, 2009
On the top of the list of things that “or sale by owner” sellers dread, it’s the paperwork. There really isn’t that much involved for the seller, the burden in this department goes to the buyer who is getting a loan.
But what documents that do need to be provided are extremely important and have to be filled out correctly. You might get a contract from a title company or real estate attorney you will use. I provide a sample contract in “The Truth About FSBO”.
Or you can buy a FSBO documents packet online. I’d suggest Standard Legal . You can purchase a “for sale by owner” contract plus all disclosures specific to your state – for only $15! They are known for having the most up-to-date, legally accurate, and easiest-to-use contracts in the industry.
They will also prepare all your documents for the sale of your house for only $69. No more wondering if you put the right information on the correct line!
They will also help you find a local attorney for free.
So don’t let home selling contracts be your downfall! Check out Standard Legal for all your “for sale by owner” forms today!
Selling FSBO Strong in Wisconsin
According to Raynor James of FSBOAmerica.org, “One of the best FSBO markets in the United States is Wiscon
sin. Going FSBO in Wisconsin is nearly as popular as using a realtor. The FSBO market is strong throughout Wisconsin, but particularly mention has to be made of Madison. The FSBO Madison market is so popular, it is hard to imagine a real estate agent surviving.”
If anyone has experience with selling “for sale by owner phenomenon” in Wisconsin, I would love to hear your opinion on why it is thriving so well there!
P.S. FSBOAmerica.org is currently offering 1 month’s free listing on their site. You might want to take advantage of it.
Be Careful What Your FSBO MLS Listing Says!
When creating your flat fee MLS listing, it’s better to under deliver than exaggerate a claim. For example, if you put on a new roof 2 years ago, you can’t list that as a new roof! It has to be less than one year old for anything to be called “new”. If your house has room in the basement that you use as a fourth bedroom, don’t call it a 4th bedroom, un
less it has a window and a closet. No closet? Call it a study or an office.
You can get into legal trouble if you make claims that aren’t true.
Read this important article on FrontDoor.com for more ways to stay out of trouble when creating your FSBO MLS listing!
