Selling your own home can work if you sell it quickly for very close to your asking price. Otherwise... the odds really weren't in your favor. If your FSBO Fizzled, even though you did "everything right" don't feel bad. It's not easy. Certainly not as easy as may have been suggested. If it didn't work for you, it probably wasn't your fault! It may have been due to many reasons, maybe one of these listed below...

Not All FSBOs Sell,
But at Least You Tried!

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If trying to sell your own home has become a disappointing effort and you would like to try something different, I will be happy to help you. Just fill out the form below and I will be in touch with you very soon.
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Jon Nelson MBA
Broker Associate

Certified Residential Specialist

Senior Real Estate Specialist

Graduate REALTOR Institute

Accredited Buyer Representative


FSBO Fizzled? It very likely wasn't anything you did wrong and here's why:
Budget Pressure
If you are already squeezing the budget, you may not have had the available funds to effectively market your property. Listing agents relieve this budget pressure by paying the up-front costs of advertising and other services for you out of their own pocket, moreover, they only get paid back if the house sells. Think of it this way, agents in effect are making sellers an unsecured loan for marketing costs, and sellers dont have to pay this loan back unless their house sells. Good deal? Yes indeed.
Unintended Messages
Selling as a FSBO can send unintended messages to potential buyers. Many potential buyers may feel that FSBO sellers are really just "testing the waters," and are doing so without any particular commitment to go through with the sale. FSBO sellers, they reason, have chosen not to make a commitment to a real estate broker and are therefore unrepresented. As a result, potential buyers (and their agents) may fear the deal will be overly complicated or that they might not have any recourse should problems arise post acceptance.
Out of the Way Places
If your home is "off the beaten path" or has no other listed homes for sale nearby, chances are slim that an agent is going to bring a buyer to your door, primarily because they arent going to be aware that your house is for sale. This is especially true in a buyers market.
Buyers' Agents
Many professional real estate agents prefer to work with buyer clients, which is to say that they have a buyers agency agreement in place. This is because the BA agreement ensures that an agent will be paid for their work. By the same token, many buyers also prefer to be represented, knowing that the agent they are working with is working for them. With listed homes, 99 times out of 100, the buyers agent commission is known up front and is being paid by the seller. With a FSBO, the commission will have to be negotiated, otherwise the buyer will have to pay it. Many buyers instruct their agents that they dont want to see a FSBO if the commission isnt being paid by the seller.
Buyer Comfort
Buyers are often uncomfortable asking questions directly of the seller. As polite people, buyers dont want to embarrass a homeowner by asking what that "horrible smell" in the laundry room is, or pointing out that all the windows will have to be replaced. As such, they may leave the FSBO seller with the impression that they "really liked" the home when in fact they didnt like it at all. So just as your hopes peak, the "interested" buyer disappears.

Salesmanship Counts
If you are not a trained salesperson who knows how to negotiate and handle objections, the chances of you becoming either defensive or getting skunked by a sharp buyer are significant.

 

We are all experienced buyers of things because thats what we do most of the time. But how much real experience do you have being on the other side of a major transaction? The Sellers side? And especially how much sales experience do you have with very expensive transactions that are frequently complicated and always highly regulated by state and federal laws?

 

Your home is likely your most expensive asset. It is not a cop-out or sign of weakness just because you would prefer to have your rights and interests looked out for by a professional. In fact, its in your best interest to be looking out for your own best interests, and thats what your real estate agent does.
If you have tried FSBO and it Fizzled, maybe it's time to consider listing. If so, I would like to help you.
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