You're ready to put your home or land (house, townhouse, condo, apartment, farm, ranch, finished lot, raw land, etc.) on the market as a FSBO (for sale by owner). You've priced your property appropriately and gotten it ready to show. How are you going to market it so that it gets exposure to enough potential buyers to actually sell?
Signs
In some parts of the county, the real estate market is so hot that you need do little more than buy a "for sale by owner" sign at the nearest hardware store. Simply put it in a prominent position on the front of your house and stand back.
In other areas, a great deal more marketing is needed, but a "for sale by owner" sign is a good place to start. Directional signs ("home for sale" with an arrow) at intersections leading the way to your property are useful, too, if your location lends itself to that.
Classified Ads
A classified ad in your local newspaper is a good idea and is generally not expensive. A short ad repeated a number of times is apt to be more effective than a long ad run once, or only a few, times.
Bulletin Boards/Posters
Are there bulletin boards where you work? In neighborhood shops and restaurants? At your church? Any place you, or members of your family, frequent that has something like a bulletin board is a good place to post notices of your property's availability. If you have the use of a digital camera and a computer, you might want to do a one-page poster with several photos of your house, a description and contact information. Consider having tear-off strips at the bottom with your phone number repeated on each strip.
Magazines & Community Publications
You may want to check the cost of putting an ad in "For Sale By Owner" type magazines. Most communities have such magazines and you don't have to be a realtor to buy an ad.
Brochures
Brochures or one-page flyers can also be a useful method for marketing your home. You can use the same one you made for bulletin boards or you can expand on it a bit. Use more photos, have captions under them identifying the rooms, garden areas, tennis court, community club, pool and other benefits to buying your home.
There are several things you can do to get your brochures in front of the public. You can buy a brochure holder (typically, a plastic box with a hinged lid on a stick which gets "planted" in the ground near the curb in front of your home) from the hardware store. Plant it in a prominent place in front of your home and keep it stocked with brochures.
Don't get annoyed when "noisy neighbors" pick up your brochures. Your neighbors can afford homes priced similarly to yours. They probably have family and friends whom they'd enjoy as neighbors who can afford this price range, too. Smile when you see a neighbor picking up a brochure; another marketing ambassador is on its way.
Also keep a supply of brochures in your home to give to prospective buyers who come to look at it. People looking for a new home usually look at a more than one property, and can get overwhelmed with too many properties. "Is this the one with the built-in book cases or was it the one across town?" The house whose best features go with them via a brochure with color photos and salient information is memorable. Buyers tend to write contract offers on properties they remember and can visualize.
Consider taking your brochures to your peers at work. After all, you find it convenient to live in your home and work there; might your associates know someone who'd find it a similarly pleasant arrangement? Ask them.
Internet
There are several Internet sites on which FSBOs may list their properties for sale. Some of these permit sellers to include photos, information about "Open Houses" they're holding, etc. Prices for this service varies. Try fsboamerica.org or go to your favorite search engine and check out a few.
Open Houses
That brings up the notion of "Open Houses." In many areas, sales frequently take place because of an Open House attended by potential buyers. If you are in a location with good traffic, an open house can be an excellent tool. You can promote your Open House in any, or all, of the venues we've discussed above. It's also often effective to install an Open House sign with helium balloons tied on with bright ribbons on the day of the Open House.
Whether you use a realtor or sell your home on your own, marketing it is going to be the key to getting a quick sale. It takes some time and access to a few tools, but most sellers can put together a successful marketing program.
Raynor James is with http://www.fsboamerica.org - providing homes for sale by owner, "FSBO", properties. Are you thinking, "Should I sell my home?" Visit http://www.fsboamerica.org/seller.cfm to sell your home sale for free for one month.
If you prefer a home that is unique and has... Read More
First impressions count, buyers will have already formed an impression... Read More
One of the biggest mistakes people make when selling a... Read More
Property Investing Secrets: When you Make Property Easy to Buy... Read More
New Marketing and Design Psychology ideas help you stage homes... Read More
There are many expenses that come with buying a home.... Read More
I really believe in getting an education in real estate... Read More
If you're looking for the 'real' Spain where the culture,... Read More
Not so, says the author of this article and four... Read More
There has been speculation in the media recently about the... Read More
Brazil Property - FortalezaThe PlaceWhat to do in a place... Read More
Recently I closed on the sale of two homes. They... Read More
Many homes remain unsold for a long time because they're... Read More
Home sellers who are prepared to help buyers find financing... Read More
In this country millions of homes are sold every year.... Read More
Choosing the wrong Home Inspector can cost you a lot... Read More
Wouldn't you rather go to Tahiti? Are you a landlord... Read More
Are you a realtor with curb appeal or are you... Read More
We've all made bad decisions in the past. Don't you... Read More
The world of real estate has pretty much stayed the... Read More
Advice to Help When You're Buying a HomeFirst time home... Read More
Southern california real estate foreclosure:If you want to find southern... Read More
Owning a house is part of the American Dream. Depending... Read More
Real estate agents, Canadian citizens and foreign investors interested in... Read More
Over the last two years there has been so much... Read More
Real estate investments come through a variety of different options.... Read More
Sellers need to keep their safety in mind when prospecting... Read More
Many people believe that a real estate broker is needed... Read More
Want to know why Strata Title Hotel Investments can be... Read More
When you sell your home, appraisers use comps (comparable market... Read More
First, lets start with what it is. Curb appeal is... Read More
Purchasing a home can be a complicated and confusing process,... Read More
Do strangers scare or intimidate you? If you're planning to... Read More
We all have seen some book called "How I Turned... Read More
Did you hear that? Prices of houses in Phoenix have... Read More
Buying a house is the best way you can create... Read More
Delaware, and the rest of the original British Colonies, has... Read More
Real estate investors familiar mantra location, location, location are nervously... Read More
There are many reasons why you would consider joining with... Read More
In October 1999, Oregon was one of the first states... Read More
This story is true and not meant to hurt anyone,... Read More
When you buy a home, you need to be aware... Read More
For those looking to invest in the real estate market?keep... Read More
Real estate continues to be a very important part of... Read More
The Murcia region in Spain benefits from some of the... Read More
Doesn't it seem like everyone you know has a friend,... Read More
Everyone has heard a story or read about someone who... Read More
Central Illinois is an area rich in cultural activities and... Read More
Negotiation is the process of communication back and forth in... Read More
We probably answer this question for someone a couple times... Read More
By being creative, you can play the game of real... Read More
Real estate investing has become popularized today because of real... Read More
Finding a rent-to-own house is one of the many ways... Read More
Florida Investment Property ? Why Investing is a Wise Decision... Read More
Prospecting for leads is by far the most difficult part... Read More
All of us have emotional preconceptions and assumptions. They are... Read More
Here to stay and firmly established in the U.S. mortgage... Read More
As the second largest city geographically in Florida, this beautiful... Read More
The Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA) is a consumer... Read More
If you want to become a real estate investor, find... Read More
There are mobile homes for sale, for much less than... Read More
There are numerous advantages to owning a home. One of... Read More
YEEHAW!!!!!! The south will rise again!! Can't you just imagine... Read More
Did you know that every year thousands of UK properties... Read More
San Diego county has always been known for its Luxury... Read More
Identity theft has been a hot topic in the news... Read More
Real Estate |