Selling your home on your own as a “For Sale by Owner” (FSBO) can be tempting. With real
estate commissions amounting to a percentage of the sales price, many owners consider
selling their homes on their own to save money. Selling as a FSBO is more complicated than it
might seem, but if you can avoid the most common mistakes, you will have a better chance at
a good outcome.
• Not Pricing the Home Properly – Doing market research on your own is tough. Too
often a FSBO is not priced correctly.
• Not Advertising Properly – Marketing a home is more than an ad in the local
newspaper. Online sites are where people go to look. Will you have a video or virtual tour? Professional photography? Staging?
• Saying Too Much To Buyers – Homeowners are rightly proud of their homes, but telling
buyers everything they know about the home, good or bad, can turn off a potential
buyer.
• Not understanding the contract, deadlines or contingencies – All of these can derail a transaction easily
• Not having connections to mortgage lenders or title companies – how do you know which is reputable?
• Not Disclosing Problems or Defects – Just because the home is being sold by the seller,
it doesn’t mean they are not subject to the laws governing seller disclosures.
• Not Negotiating Terms – Not only the price, but the terms are negotiable. These can be very unfamiliar to a FSBO.
Selling a home without an agent is possible. However, without doing the proper research ahead
of time, it may actually end up costing more in the long run. In addition, you will expend a lot of time and effort.
Let a professional handle it and go on with your life!
First Weber sells real estate throughout Wisconsin & more: Metro Milwaukee and Southeastern WI, South Central Wisconsin/Greater Madison, Southwestern WI, Western WI & parts of Minnesota, Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, Central Wisconsin, Northeast Wisconsin and Wisconsin’s great Northwoods. You can start searching for Wisconsin real estate and Wisconsin real estate agents at firstweber.com