Selling your home by yourself, without the assistance of a Realtor, can be incredibly rewarding. But it can also be tough. It’s critical to consider all aspects, from pricing to marketing, before you embark on the FSBO journey.
That’s why we’ve been working our way through a blog series all about how to sell a home without an agent. Thus far in our FSBO 101 series, we’ve discussed:
- Eligibility; how do you know when you’re qualified to sell without an agent?
- Renovation, cleaning, and staging your home.
- Getting the pricing right (the first time).
- Marketing and getting an MLS listing; after all, your home isn’t going to sell itself!
Today, we wrap up the series with a final post about showings, open houses, and interacting with buyers. We hope it’s helpful to anyone seeking to get their place sold without the help of an agent.
House Selling Tips: Showings, Open Houses, Talking with Buyers
Showing Your House
Normally, when you work with a Realtor, it’s the agent who orchestrates all the showings. In fact, homeowners are discouraged from even being present during their home showings. When you’re going the FSBO path, though, it’s obviously a little different. Here are some key considerations.
Scheduling
You’ll want to offer showings during times that work well for you, so decide in advance which hours of the day and which days of the week you’d like to be open for house hunters. Note that you’ll want to be as accommodating as you can here, and you’ll definitely need to do showings on weekends, which is when most house hunters are available. With that said, don’t overschedule yourself, and do allow some time to decompress and get your house put together again for the next showing.
You might also consider having showings on banking holidays, when a lot of your buyers will be off from school/work and thus able to come tour your property.
Hosting Buyers
When buyers come to tour your property, it’s important that you make them feel welcome. Be warm and friendly, and not too pushy!
Ask buyers which features matter most to them in a home. Then, as you show them around, point out areas where your house meets their needs, or where it could be adapted to meet their needs. Always adapt your “sales pitch” to the buyers you’re working with.
Make sure you have key documentation available—disclosure forms, HOA or condo association documents, and a flyer you can give buyers to take home with them.
Be Informed
Remember that buyers are going to have plenty of questions to ask you, so make sure you do your research into issues like school zoning, crime statistics, etc. Also keep in mind that many buyers will be touring with their agents, so don’t let that intimidate you!
Don’t Give Too Much Away
You always want to be honest with your buyers, but that doesn’t mean you have to reveal everything about your motives for selling. For example, if you’re under duress to get the place sold quickly, don’t say so, because it might mean you get lowball offers from buyers who think you’re desperate.
Get Contact Info and Follow Up
Always make sure you get the name (with correct spelling) and phone number for each buyer and follow up with them by phone the day after their showing—simply thanking them and asking if you can help further.
Open Houses
It’s also recommended that you hold one or two open houses, particularly within the first 30 days of your home being on the market. Some key things to remember here:
- Make sure your home is staged, decluttered, clean, and pet-free before the open house!
- Be prepared with plenty of flyers and information.
- Advertise the open house as much as you can, including on social media and with signs in the neighborhood.
- Time the open house right—in many neighborhoods, Sunday afternoon is the preferred time for these events.
Learn More About How to Sell a Home Yourself
That about does it for our showing and open house tips, and indeed for the whole FSBO 101 series.
Still curious about whether this is the best route for you? Request your FREE seller’s report from SOLD.com today, and get individualized house selling tips from our team of experts!
