How to sell a house For Sale By Owner (FSBO)

Is it necessary to hire a real estate agent to sell your house? No, but selling you home independently may be very trying as many tasks are to be completed that an agent would otherwise be handling. Below are the pros and cons to selling on your own.

What might the benefits be for selling a home FSBO?

You are in charge of the process. When selling for sale by owner you are the decisionmaker and can choose the path according to your own preferences. And with a real estate agent, they may have multiple clients at the same time, so your deal may not have top priority over others, delaying your timeline.

You would have more personal one on one interactions with the potential buyers, perhaps quickening the negotiation process when structuring a deal.

There would be more control of when you would like to list and show your property, based on your schedule.

The local real estate housing market may be strong with possible buyers and there might be no need for a realtor to get bids on your home.

You’ll be saving on real estate commission fees. Without hiring a real estate agent involved, you can save up to tens of thousands of dollars in fees.

There may already be an interested buyer; perhaps a relative or a friend of the owners. That would make for an easier and smoother transaction.

There may not be a rush to sell the home quickly, and perhaps the homeowner wants to take the time to see what offers the property might receive.

What might be the disadvantages for selling a home FSBO?

Typically, FSBO homes are sold significantly lower in price than a home listed by a realtor. You won’t have the professional guidance from an agent who has the understanding of the local market and what the home should be listed for competitively.

The number of available buyers may be limited. When searching for a suitable home, buyers usually depend on a realtor as agents actively work together to promote properties with each other. Without the assistance from a realtor, your listing may get fewer views.

As mentioned above regarding saving on real estate agent’s commission fees, yes you can save substantially by not hiring an agent. However, you will be only saving the ‘listing’ agents fees, and if the home purchaser has hired a ‘buyers’ agent, then you will be responsible for their commission fee.

There is a lot more time and effort involve selling FSBO. Choosing an appropriate sales price, market to buyers either through social media or newspaper ads, staging and coordinating the home showing, and of course preparing the proper documents and negotiations with the buyer.

There would be a cost for a home inspection. With a typical transaction involving real estate agents, the buyer is responsible for the home inspection in determining if there are any repairs needed. However, when selling a home for sale by owner, it is the homeowner who usually pays for the home inspection to entice the buyer’s interest in purchasing.

Alternative to selling FSBO.

If you are selling a home in poor condition and with major needed repairs, selling it to a real estate investor might be a viable option. Real estate investors usually are all cash buyers, and they will buy you home in its existing ‘as-is’ condition, without any prior repairs needed, and often skip the home inspection. Real estate investors typically offer 50% to 70% of the property’s fair market value, and can save the homeowner the uncertainty with financing.

If you need fast cash for you FSBO home, we can give you a competitive offer covering all the fees and repairs for you. The process is simple and quick, usually complete within a week or so. If you’d like to know more about our services, contact us at webuyhousesfastsocal.com, or call at 818 573-0860, and we’d be happy to help!