Thursday, November 20, 2008

Selling Your House Yourself

So, you are thinking of selling your house yourself. It’s a project, but it can mean significant savings. Before you decide whether to sell your own home, you should consider some of the advantages and disadvantages of doing so.

By selling your own house, you can save thousands of dollars. There’s no brokerage fee or commission to a realtor- all the proceeds of your home or your own. Of course, this is the best benefit of selling your own home. You also have total control of the transaction. You don't need to worry about someone else making errors. You're always available for showings answering inquiries, etc.

However there are some disadvantages to selling your house yourself. After all you must rely on your own instincts you don't of the education or experience of a realtor. When you're selling your own home, all of your marketing and advertising costs, come out of your own pocket. This can add up in a hurry. However, there are several online programs that can help you list your own home for free. Keep in mind, though, when you as a free service, you won't be able to access multiple listing services and you will have to seek out buyers one at a time.

Another mistake many people make in selling their own home is not knowing how to price the house. You don't want under price and lose value, but if you price too high you won't be able to get buyers, especially in a tight real estate market.

There is a lot of paperwork involved in selling a home. Remember you will need to handle the legal and financial forms on your own. Another problem, you can run into is buyers often think that if you're selling your home yourself and not paying commission, they should be saving money. This can make negotiations difficult.

Perhaps one of the most difficult things of selling your house on your own is disconnecting yourself emotionally, try to remember you're selling a house not a home. If you can’t remove your emotions from the building, you will have a much more difficult time selling it on your own.

Before anyone looks at her home make sure you clean everything thoroughly. Remove all clutter and distractions and pack up and put away most of your personal possessions. A buyer will be more likely to see themselves living in the house, if your personal belongings are put away.

Don't forget the outside. Make sure all the landscape is looking fresh and neat. Finish any small repairs that need to be done. A new buyer certainly doesn't want to look around and see nothing but projects he has to tackle winning moves in. Even if you don't use a realtor you're still going to need some professionals involved in your transaction. You need to be prepared for a first-time buyer. You may need to help your buyer choose a mortgage broker, broker as well as all other details right through the closing. It's a good idea to make connections with a mortgage broker before you begin to show the whole. They will often have a list of approved clients that haven't found a house yet, so this can be a great way to find a qualified buyer. Your broker can also estimate closing costs for your home and help you with financing tips for marketing, such as no money down, interest-only options and other financing strategies.

Make sure you know who you are marketing your home to. Who is your most likely buyer? Is a first-time homeowner, an empty nester or a family? By figuring out who your ideal buyer is, you can make the most of your advertising budget.

You need to advertise your home. Classified ads, a sign in the front yard, free home listings, and a brochure box all will help you get the word out that your home is for sale.

Your buyer has the right to have your home inspected. It's a good idea to have the home inspected before you ever advertise it for sale. You're obligated to make any major repairs, so it's a good idea to them all before you ever begin to show your home.

When you're selling your house yourself, be prepared for closing once an offer is made. You need to take it to your lawyer. If you don’t like the offer, don’t just turn it down. Make a counter offer. Don't be afraid to negotiate in ways other than dollars and cents in a tight real estate market. Maybe you can leave the window treatments or appliances. You're better off making a few concessions than to wind up with another six months of mortgages payments on a house you no longer want to live in.

It is possible to sell your own home, effectively. You just need to have a few tricks of the trade up your sleeve before you start.

One more thing: you should consider getting help with selling your home yourself at ForSaleByOwner.com. You can also create a free home listing at FREEhomeownerlistings.com.

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