Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Just wanted to update everyone. I did a couple showings just by advertising on Craiglist, and today I did a flat-fee to list on the MLS (Cost $300). So that went live around 2 pm, and I got calls for 2 realtors before 5 pm and a couple showings setup. We'll see how it goes...
Very nice web site. YOU CAN DO THIS. I sold FSBO several times, even in a bad market. This can be done but you have to be dedicated. It appears you are dedicated.
Some suggestions:
- You want a 1 page flyer, not a 4 page flyer. Include reference to the web site on the flyer and say "for more photos go to www.abc12345.com".
-Remove "call us for more details". This is obvious if there is a tel# provided they know to call for details or a showing, etc.
-I think you want 2 photos on the main page...one outside photo and a spectatular kitchen photo. You want them to like it enough to look at the other photos and then want to come see it!
-On the main page- say "brokers protected" and also on flyer. I think this is the term that means you will pay 3% commission. A realtor wants to know this immediately. You mention it lower in one of the secondary pages, but it needs to be front and center. Find out the correct term that is used in your area. ( I think you will give folks without an agent...3% off list price? I did this when selling FSBO and buyers were very glad to get the 3%)
-Instead of saying remodeled, can say updated, recently painted, etc. It might sound better.
-is the area sought after or in demand? Those are good words.
-I don't like the photos of your exercise eqpt. Can you move them for the photos, them move back? else omit those photos? It draws attention to the fact that the home is too small to fit that eqpt "out of the way". This is a negative, IMO.
-In your home page description...call it a 2 car garage....not a 2 stall garage.
-Try to get a front photo (on main web site home page) that shows it is a 2 car garage...it could be a 1 car by veiwing the photo. Also remove the flag for the photo...it is way too prominent and is the focus for the photo.
-Repost on craigslist at least once a week. Delete old post when you do this. Reword the main subject text and change around some wording each time you repost. Try different photos. Some ads work better than others. Always put the price and city and subdivision in craigslist header. Omit fluff words in craigslist and stick to one paragraph or bullets and use all 4 photos every time. put your web site craigslist and say 'for more photos".... I got most craigslist inquiries within 24 hrs of a new posting. Once the old craigslist ad is a couple days old, they just don't view it.
-Stay professional at all times. DONT TALK TOO MUCH AT SHOWINGS. Agents and buyers will be asking you open ended questions that could BLOW THE SALE or force a lowball offer. You want to give simple answers or even say you will get back to them if too much info at that time. Show the home and get out if their way. Never talk and talk. My spouse was a talker and it was so bad that we had to keep spouse away for showings as I was able to keep mum. I used to let them in for a showing and then go to the back yard and read a book on the lawn chair...and told them they can let themselves out and if they needed me I was in the yard. Some folks came out to say "bye" and others didn't. if agents showed the place, I was NEVER there and allowed them in via a lockbox or would go there 15 minutes ahead and leave the door unlocked for them. (the home was vacant so this was easy)
Last edited by sware2cod; 09-08-2011 at 12:05 PM..
Very nice web site. YOU CAN DO THIS. I sold FSBO several times, even in a bad market. This can be done but you have to be dedicated. It appears you are dedicated.
Some suggestions:
- You want a 1 page flyer, not a 4 page flyer. Include reference to the web site on the flyer and say "for more photos go to www.abc12345.com".
-Remove "call us for more details". This is obvious if there is a tel# provided they know to call for details or a showing, etc.
-I think you want 2 photos on the main page...one outside photo and a spectatular kitchen photo. You want them to like it enough to look at the other photos and then want to come see it!
-On the main page- say "brokers protected" and also on flyer. I think this is the term that means you will pay 3% commission. A realtor wants to know this immediately. You mention it lower in one of the secondary pages, but it needs to be front and center. Find out the correct term that is used in your area. ( I think you will give folks without an agent...3% off list price? I did this when selling FSBO and buyers were very glad to get the 3%)
-Instead of saying remodeled, can say updated, recently painted, etc. It might sound better.
-is the area sought after or in demand? Those are good words.
-I don't like the photos of your exercise eqpt. Can you move them for the photos, them move back? else omit those photos? It draws attention to the fact that the home is too small to fit that eqpt "out of the way". This is a negative, IMO.
-In your home page description...call it a 2 car garage....not a 2 stall garage.
-Try to get a front photo (on main web site home page) that shows it is a 2 car garage...it could be a 1 car by veiwing the photo. Also remove the flag for the photo...it is way too prominent and is the focus for the photo.
-Repost on craigslist at least once a week. Delete old post when you do this. Reword the main subject text and change around some wording each time you repost. Try different photos. Some ads work better than others. Always put the price and city and subdivision in craigslist header. Omit fluff words in craigslist and stick to one paragraph or bullets and use all 4 photos every time. put your web site craigslist and say 'for more photos".... I got most craigslist inquiries within 24 hrs of a new posting. Once the old craigslist ad is a couple days old, they just don't view it.
-Stay professional at all times. DONT TALK TOO MUCH AT SHOWINGS. Agents and buyers will be asking you open ended questions that could BLOW THE SALE or force a lowball offer. You want to give simple answers or even say you will get back to them if too much info at that time. Show the home and get out if their way. Never talk and talk. My spouse was a talker and it was so bad that we had to keep spouse away for showings as I was able to keep mum. I used to let them in for a showing and then go to the back yard and read a book on the lawn chair...and told them they can let themselves out and if they needed me I was in the yard. Some folks came out to say "bye" and others didn't. if agents showed the place, I was NEVER there and allowed them in via a lockbox or would go there 15 minutes ahead and leave the door unlocked for them. (the home was vacant so this was easy)
Thank you for the advice. I've already done the 1-page flyer, and I purchased a flyer box and put it out in the yard.
I'll get some better pictures of the room without the exercise equipment, along with getting the language fixed on the website this weekend.
I was a little unsure how to handle the 3%, since you are correct, I'm willing to discount 3% if they don't have an agent.
I REALLY appreciate your last comments, regarding the showings. I've had a couple Realtors come visit, and I've just been asking them if they would like a tour or would rather look around themselves. Both times they've opted for the tour, but maybe I should just not even give the option? I'm not a big talker, so I've been not saying more than I thought needed ... But I'll work on keeping it even more simple.
I've had a couple showings where the agents have brought their clients, and I've treated it as if I'm the other realtor -- I get myself, wife, kid, and puppy out of the house for the set time.
My other question -- Is it professional to follow-up with the realtor after the showing to ask for comments/feedback, or should I not bother?
I wouldn't have even thought of doing FSBO if I had the impression that any of the Realtors I interviewed would put forth the effort that I have so far. None of them wanted to do open houses, have a flyer box, realtor open house, make a custom website, etc... I figured I might as well try this until the Spring and see how it goes. So far, so good. Several showings, another scheduled for Saturday. The last Realtor that came through was looking for an out of state client, and she made the point to tell me that she would be "in touch" with me soon regarding the house... So we'll see.
How do you expect buyers to find you in all that?
---
From the standpoint of an actual buyer:
When I saw a property that met my criteria (98% of the time on Trulia)...
I was on the phone to the listing agent within minutes.
I'd nail down a few Q's and then arrange for a walk through asap.
That usually happened in a matter of hours...
sometimes stretching into the next morning.
---
How much attention are you getting?
drive-by lookie-loos? stop and ask? e-mail inquiries? calls to come by and look?
do you have any way of measuring traffic on the web site... maybe a hit meter?
But mostly... how many people have actually crossed your threshold to see it?
Update: Got my first offer today! However, it is 10% below my list price, plus they want 50% of closing costs, and it is contigent on their house being sold (They are stating they are 100% sure the house is going to sell, as their rich Uncle is going to be purchasing it).
While the contigency sounds odd, even more unusual is that they made an offer after only 1 showing.
I'm going to negotiate on the price, which I'm not too worried about. It is the contigency that bothers me. I'm going to ask for a kicker clause that I can still market it and accept better offers.
... but I feel I have my house priced right since I got an offer within 5 days of going live on the MLS, and only 5 showings ... Plus another possible buyer is VERY interested. Looking good so far going the FSBO route.
How do you expect buyers to find you in all that?
---
From the standpoint of an actual buyer:
When I saw a property that met my criteria (98% of the time on Trulia)...
I was on the phone to the listing agent within minutes.
I'd nail down a few Q's and then arrange for a walk through asap.
That usually happened in a matter of hours...
sometimes stretching into the next morning.
---
How much attention are you getting?
drive-by lookie-loos? stop and ask? e-mail inquiries? calls to come by and look?
do you have any way of measuring traffic on the web site... maybe a hit meter?
But mostly... how many people have actually crossed your threshold to see it?
I guess since I'm FSBO, I have no way to get listed on Trulia.
I'm getting 1 to 2 showings per day, plus several emails per day asking questions. I've got Google Analytics on my website, so I can see traffic that way.
5 home viewings so far, 1 offer as per my other message. 2 more viewings scheduled for tomorrow (Sunday). I think there is a 2nd offer coming very soon as well. Not sure how that compares to if I would have an agent in this market? I'm feeling quite good at this point actually.
Since I'm not in a hurry/rush to move, I'm doing this until April 1st. If it isn't sold by then, I'll get a Realtor.
about the other offer. See if you can contact them and let them know you have an offer and you wanted to check with them about their offer before you responded to the other one. You do NOT want to tell them what you do or don't like about the other offer. Just that it is on the table at the moment.
This way you can have 2 offers in front of you and decide which one to counter. When you counter, give a short time frame for the expiration...so they move quickly.
Maybe the 2nd offer doesn't have the contingency. I would not want a contingency... at all. Not even with a kick out clause. But that is just me. You can always counter to them with no contingency....But first see what you can get out of the buyers that did not yet offer.
***I had an offer at hand when I did FSBO and knew there was an interested party and called them to let them know. They did decide to offer quickly and I ended up selling to them. The fact that there was another offer made them move fast. I even got a 3rd offer while it was under contract with them.
what state or you in...or general area of the country. Just curious where there is good activity like you are getting. Congrats...I knew you would do well. You seem to really be on top of this. Not everyone is cut out to do FSBO...but some folks do it very well. You seem to be in that category.
about the other offer. See if you can contact them and let them know you have an offer and you wanted to check with them about their offer before you responded to the other one. You do NOT want to tell them what you do or don't like about the other offer. Just that it is on the table at the moment.
This way you can have 2 offers in front of you and decide which one to counter. When you counter, give a short time frame for the expiration...so they move quickly.
Maybe the 2nd offer doesn't have the contingency. I would not want a contingency... at all. Not even with a kick out clause. But that is just me. You can always counter to them with no contingency....But first see what you can get out of the buyers that did not yet offer.
***I had an offer at hand when I did FSBO and knew there was an interested party and called them to let them know. They did decide to offer quickly and I ended up selling to them. The fact that there was another offer made them move fast. I even got a 3rd offer while it was under contract with them.
what state or you in...or general area of the country. Just curious where there is good activity like you are getting. Congrats...I knew you would do well. You seem to really be on top of this. Not everyone is cut out to do FSBO...but some folks do it very well. You seem to be in that category.
I had started doing what you suggested before I posted this, and the 2nd offer did come through. It ended up being only 1% less than my listing price. Went back to offer A, they came up to about 1.5% less than my listing price, plus they were going to get me a signed contract on their house this week, and put money against that promise.
I ended up just taking offer B, although I probably could/should have negotiated more ... However, they haven't actually viewed the house, and are using their friend as a realtor down here who lives a couple minutes away. She convinced them to purchase it sight unseen (The purchaser lives about 1500 miles away), plus they will let me rent it month-to-month until I find my new home (125 miles away). We have a 4-month old at home, so we have all kinds of family/relateives planning to visit since we live about 1,000 miles away from them. With the Holidays coming up, it just made the most sense.
I almost had a 3rd offer as well, but it didn't turn out.
Regardless, the home is now under contract, and we start the process of inspections & appraisals. I'm not worried about the appraisal, as we just had one done less than 3 weeks ago to use as a tool to make sure we were pricing the house right... So I'm right in line there. Just the inspection, and since I've been over this house top to bottom during the remodel, I'm not too worried about it either.
I feel very, VERY good to be under contract in about 2 weeks since listing, doing FSBO, and getting multiple offers. Thanks for all the comments/guidance everyone gave, and lets hope this deal doesn't fall apart!
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
