There’s more than one way to sell a house. While many homeowners choose to work with an agent, others are interested in the For Sale By Owner, or FSBO, approach. It’s not for everyone, but if you have the time and inclination, it can help you sell the house on your terms and keep all the profits for yourself!
We’ve been working through a blog series called FSBO 101, providing some general advice for how to sell a home without the help of a Realtor. So far, we’ve discussed:
- Eligibility; how do you know if you’re qualified for selling your own property?
- Staging, renovation, and ensuring your home is ready for market.
- Pricing, and ensuring that you get the asking price right the first time.
Today, we turn to another important topic: How do you actually market the place? Homes don’t sell themselves, and even a really attractive listing won’t generate interest if nobody knows it’s for sale.
That’s what we’re going to be discussing today. Before we get into that, though, make sure you’ve requested your free, unbiased, independent report from SOLD.com—the best way to find out how to sell a home!
Want to Get Your Home Sold? You’ve Got to Market It!
Now, here are a few tips for getting your listing sold through effective marketing.
Write a succinct yet compelling description.
What’s the ideal length for a home listing? According to the research, getting your listing to around 50 words will help it sell quicker, and for top dollar! The trick, though, is that while you want your listing to be brief, you also want to make sure you’re hitting on all the key selling points of your home. A good rule of thumb is to think about your potential buyers and hone in on what their living experience would be like; for instance, if you think the home is likely to go to a family with small kids, you might emphasize that it’s on a quiet street, within easy walking distance to the park, zoned for a great school, etc.
Make sure the descriptions match the images.
On a related note, when selling your own property, it’s important to have real estate photos that match your description. For example, if you talk about the beautiful sunroom, make sure you get some pictures that capture that sunroom! And if your yard is obviously tiny, don’t brag in your description about how it’s spacious. A disconnect between photos and description will send buyers scurrying.
Consider hiring a professional stager and/or photographer.
Just because you’re going the FSBO route doesn’t mean you can’t seek professional help. You’re saving a lot of money on real estate commissions, so consider putting some of that toward a professional who can make your home look enticing to potential buyers. High-quality photography, in particular, can be make or break.
Create a website.
It doesn’t hurt to use Wix, Squarespace, or even WordPress to make a small, dedicated site for your listing—including a simple URL you can include on signage and share on your social media accounts. Give buyers an easy way to get more details on the Web—and make sure the site includes your contact information!
What About an MLS Listing?
One more thing: These days, it’s incredibly hard to get your place sold without getting it an MLS listing. MLS listings are what show up on real estate websites and apps. And, a lot of real estate agents won’t show their buyers your home if it doesn’t have its own MLS.
So how can you get an MLS listing of your own? One way is to work with a flat-fee broker, someone who will charge you a small price just to get your home set up on the listing service. This is often a wise investment made by FSBO folks. You can learn more about this option when you get your FREE seller’s report from SOLD.com.
And that does it for these marketing tips—but don’t go far. We have one more post coming to wrap up this series: FSBO 101: Showings, Open Houses, and Talking with Buyers. Check it out!
