Nearly 80% of those who bought a home last year began their search online. If you are selling your own home, an online For Sale by Owner (FSBO) site is almost a must. According to real estate agents, most people browsing FSBO sites will see at least one home they first viewed online, and about half will buy a home they found on an online home sales website. . Knowing that, how can you not take advantage of all the new sales techniques available to those who are selling their own homes?
What kinds of sales techniques are available to you if you sell your own home online? Depending on the site, you can literally have a 24/7 open house without having to open your front door. With photos, multiple listings, virtual tours, and floor plans, you can literally let potential buyers tour your home without ever leaving their homes.
There are several different ways to sell your own home through an online FSBO website. Your best option is to hire a local real estate agent for a flat rate listing, which will entitle you to list your home on a multiple listing service. With a flat-rate listing, you pay a local real estate agent a flat fee of a few hundred dollars for the one-time service of listing your home with the Multiple Listing Service. Once your home is listed, you can post it on MLS websites, where it will be viewed by hundreds of realtors and thousands of potential buyers.
Another way you can get your home listed on an MLS site is by hiring a real estate agent with an Exclusive Sales Agreement. You agree to pay that agent a 2-3% commission if a real estate agent sells your home during the time it is listed through them, but you reserve the right to sell the home yourself without paying any commission. Again, your main goal, since you are selling your own home, is to get the home listed on a multiple listing site.
There are also a number of FSBO sites that will allow you to list your home on their sites for a fee. Look for the best deal – They range in price from a one-time flat fee to a 2% commission when you sell your home.
Tips for Selling Your Own Home Online
– Upload at least one photo of your house that shows it in the best way. If you can, have a professional photographer take your picture.
– Does your house have a beautiful fireplace? A great view of the city? Be sure to post a photo of that; The best way to sell your own home online is to make it look its best.
– Give buyers the information they want to know. Include information about the school system, neighborhood, local stores in your online ad. The more they know, the more likely they are to be ready to buy when they come looking.
– If your home price is in the high ranges, consider investing in a virtual home tour so prospective buyers can get a comprehensive tour of your home online and fall in love with it before viewing.
– Use your listing page to print brochures that include photos and descriptions, and post them locally.
The Internet gives you new tools to sell your own home. Just plug it online and see how far you can go with some photos.