For Sale by Owner

In today's economy, we all want to save money any way we can.  We understand your motivation to get the most money you can for your house and also to watch your costs.  Every Seller we work with has our shared goal to net the highest possible price in the shortest possible time frame.  Be sure to check out the FREE reports link and look under both the Seller & For Sale by Owner section where you'll find helpful lists like this: Top 10 Marketing Tips.  

Want to see competing homes for sale? If you currently have your home for sale by owner in Austin or surrounding area, we would be happy to send you a report of all homes similar to your home that are currently on the market. That way you can see how your home compares with the competition (the report includes pictures, sq ft, year built, and all details). To get this free report, just email us at tammy@familypair.com and include your home's address. We will respect your position as a For Sale by Owner Seller and only send you the information you have requested.

Been on the market for several weeks and no offers? If you are feeling frustrated because your house has not sold, you may want to check out this list of reasons why your home hasn't sold.  This is another report available on our FREE reports page packed full of helpful and informative reports such as guidelines on showing your property, steps of the closing process, and more.

How do our listings get top dollar for their homes? Our clients know when they hire us that they will receive the maximum possible selling price.  Our proven top dollar marketing plan is comprehensive and effective.

Recent statistics in 2010 show less than 10% of sales were For Sale By Owner (FSBO); most Homeowners who try to sell their homes FSBO end up listing with an Agent. The number of FSBO sales has been steadily decreasing. An incredible amount of time, marketing, and required real estate expertise goes into selling a home. In fact, the founder of a popular FSBO site recently listed his home after 6 unsuccessful months of trying to sell on his own (home was successfully sold by his Agent with multiple offers).

The many benefits in having an expert sell your home:

1. More Money for Your Home: Although Homeowners who list FSBO expect to save money and increase their bottom line by paying less commission, the statistics show otherwise. In fact according to NAR's 2010 profile on sellers & buyers, deals involving agents netted $199,300 vs. non-agent assisted deals getting only $140,000. Most of your money will be gained or lost during sales price negotiations. Most FSBO Sellers do not have access to recently sold/pending homes, making it extremely difficult to justify a price. Our

2. Expert knowledge: we have the most up-to-date information on pricing your home and know about competing properties in your area.  We also are aware of anything happening in the current local market that may impact your home value. For example, the Austin city council passed an ordinance requiring certain homes in the city of Austin to get an energy audit. We will know if your home needs it and all up to date information affecting you. Not being aware of important issues like this could delay and complicate your home sale.

3. Time savings: In today's busy world, who has any extra time?  It is extremely time-consuming to try and sell your house on your own. You must be available to show the property whenever potential Buyers want to see it. You must educate yourself on real estate law, home inspections, mortgage appraisals, complex real estate contracts, and much more.  Is it possible to piece together the information necessary to get a home sold?  Yes, but for most people, it makes more sense to hire an expert.

4. Top notch negotiation: there are many complex stages of negotiation in a real estate transaction from the sales price to the closing date to the inspection repairs.  We have all the expertise and training you need to objectively evaluate offers received and give you the best advice. In addition, we know how to effectively work with Buyer's Agents to get the deal done while still serving your ultimate best interests.

5. Effective marketing & MLS database promotion: some FSBO sellers hire websites to post their home in MLS.  These Agents you may never meet may not use the right MLS keywords to generate showings or miss promotion of important features due to limited knowledge.  Pictures may not highlight the home properly or be taken from the correct angles.  The marketing flyer may leave out important selling features that today's Buyers want to know. Not being listed on dozens of home-searching sites means your home is essentially out of the game when Buyers do their online searches.  We'll give you a proven and effective marketing plan from start to finish and make sure you home is sold for top dollar.

6. Pre-qualified Buyers: one of the biggest benefits to listing with us is that you won't waste your time showing your home to curious neighbors, people who cannot afford it, people with bad credit, or people who may have to sell their home first.  When the home is listed, it will be shown only through a lockbox by Buyer's Agents (a much safer way as well) and most require their clients are pre-qualified before they start showing them homes.  Please review this free questions to asking before showing report, one of the many reports you can find on the FREE reports page.

Every Seller who hires us wants the most money they can get for their home and that is always our shared goal.  Keep in mind if you are reviewing limited service companies that charge a reduced commission, be sure you read all the fine print.  Many of these Agents only put your house in the MLS database and a sign in your yard with little or no marketing.

Ask what happens if your house doesn't sell and needs more marketing to get it noticed? What if additional working hours are required if a serious problem comes up during your home’s inspection? Wouldn't you like to get feedback on all your showings, so you know what Buyers think and can make adjustments if necessary (follow-up on every single showing is always part of our marketing plan)?

Listing with our full-service Mother/Daughter team means we will provide top notch customer service, frequent communication updates, a robust marketing plan, and assistance through every step of the real estate process from listing to marketing to closing your home. You won't have to worry as we do all the work.  Still want to give For Sale By Owner a go?  Please visit our FREE REPORTS page for tips on selling FSBO.  We can give you a free, no-obligation market analysis at any time (just click the link Home Value Request).

TIPS TO GET YOUR HOME IN SHOW-READY CONDITION:

1. De-clutter & completely clean. One of the most important and time-consuming items on the list, it is critical to get your home looking its very best. Have you ever toured a builder's model home?  This would be the ideal for how you want your home to look.  Kitchens and bathrooms should be sparkling clean and all clutter completely removed. This is an inexpensive way to make your home show its best potential.

2. Neutralize, take care of necessary maintenance & upgrade.  One of the easiest and most affordable things you can do is paint and freshen curb appeal.  Other great bangs for your buck include upgrading light fixtures, flooring, and kitchen appliances.  But be careful to stay within the neighborhood norm. If none of your neighbors have a sprinkler system, then you don't need to install one to compete.   

3. Stage your home to sell. Now that you know you're ready to sell, it's important to know that a home you sell is much different from a home to live in.  Most people like to live in comfortable homes with magazines and books on the tables, dogs and cats nearby for companionship, and favorite artwork and paint colors in our rooms.  However a home put on the market needs to appeal to the widest number of Buyers. Your choice of a purple bedroom color may turn off some Buyers. Pet odors may decrease the perceived value of your home.  Listing with us means we take a comprehensive tour of your home & make staging suggestions and offer professional help if necessary.

4. Disappear during showings & respond to feedback. When your home is on the market, you need to keep it in show-ready condition.  It's important to be gone whenever your home is shown so Buyers don't feel rushed and may take their time seeing all the great features. Sellers who sell their homes the quickest are the ones who respond to Buyer & Agent feedback.  One drawback to For Sale by Owner is the difficulty in getting feedback after showings.  We take the time to follow up on 100% of showings to our Seller's homes. Then we email all feedback directly to you, so you know what people are saying after they view your home.  For example, if we are getting consistent feedback that Buyers really dislike the wallpaper in your bathroom, then this issue needs to be addressed.  Try your best to follow up whenever possible or ask for feedback during the visit.