How to Sell Property by an Owner
When the time has come for you to sell your home the thought of handing over that hefty commission to a real estate agent can be disheartening. On the other hand, selling a home yourself can pose quite a challenge. If an owner is serious about taking on this daunting task, do the necessary homework.
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Instructions
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First, put a "For Sale" sign in front of your house as soon as possible. You may want to list your cell phone number on the sign so you are less likely to miss calls from prospective buyers.
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Decide how much you want to sell your house for. Find out how much other comparable homes in the area are listed for and how much they have sold for in the past six months.You can find out how much houses sold for through public tax records.
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Clean your home before showing it to a prospective buyer. Make sure there are no beds left unmade, no dishes lying around and no garbage that was not taken out. Do your best to make it look like a model home by ensuring it is spotless and that there is a nice smell to the house.
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Fix anything that is broken or looks run down. A few strokes of paint, a hammer and some nails can do wonders in improving your profit when you sell your home. If you own pets, make sure they are not present when you show the house and remove unsightly signs of the pet such as dog droppings in the yard or unkempt kitty litter boxes.
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Find your target audience and advertise to them--a lot. Use a full-blown marketing campaign by taking photographs of the house, using print advertising in newspapers and real estate publications. Consider direct mailings, and eFliers on the computer. Make use of Facebook and MySpace to spread the word about the house. If a marketing tactic does not seem to be working after a few weeks, try another.
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Plan an open house. Consider doing so on a Saturday as opposed to the traditional Sunday. This will set your open houses apart from the others.
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Tips & Warnings
Only deal with potential buyers who are preapproved by a lender to avoid hassles.
Always be prepared to write a counter offer with a potential buyer.
If the buyer does not like your price, offer to pay some of the closing costs for him.
