Your home is probably your most valuable possession, and the decision to sell will determine some important aspects of your future. Selling up, particularly in order to buy a more valuable property can bring financial rewards, and offers the chance for a new and potentially more rewarding lifestyle.

Although, selling your home is usually an emotional experience, and while each sale is unique, many sellers fall into some common traps. Doing your homework when deciding whether or not to sell your home, is just as important as doing it when you are deciding to buy a new home. Selling your home can be an exciting time for a homeowner, but it may also become a stressful and frustrating process if you go forward without knowing all of your options. Consider the following before you take the final plunge:

Make sure you haven't overlooked any of your home’s advantages and only focused on its flaws.

• Have you informed your family members and discussed their feelings about your wanting to sell your home?
• Do you have a reasonable idea of how much your home is worth?
• If your home doesn’t attract offers anywhere near the price you are asking, what will you do? Is yours a case of “sell at any price”, or do you have the time and circumstances to wait for a better offer?
• Have you considered the option of renovating versus selling?
• Have you considered renting your home and taking out a mortgage on your future property?
• What if your old home is sold before you find a new one?
• Have you explored what properties are currently on the market, and are you sure you can find one that is affordable?

EXPOSURE, EXPOSURE, EXPOSURE!

You can't sell your home fast if no one knows that it’s on the market. Part of selling a home successfully is advertising. You can advertise the sale of your home through media such as home magazines, newspapers or the internet. We know of thousands of people who have successfully sold their homes themselves, without the help of any real estate agent because they advertised.

Advertising remains the most important component in the marketing process. Today, however, this means much more than placing an ad in the local newspaper. FSBO Home Marketplace, the original internet real estate brokers, has the knowledge and resources to market your home through an array of proven successful methods. We were formed with the sole purpose of marketing your home precisely where the pools of buyers for your home are most likely to be found.

When real estate markets transition from seller's to buyer's markets, agents tend to put even less money and work into selling listings. However, at FSBO Home Marketplace we believe that employing strong and extensive marketing techniques is just smart business, regardless of whether we’re in a seller’s or buyer’s market. In seller's markets, good marketing can bring higher prices and quicker sales; in buyer's markets, it means exactly the same thing. Aggressive marketing might not sell your house immediately, but it will make your phone ring and fill your inbox with emails. The one thing we know for sure, if the phone isn’t ringing or your inbox isn’t receiving emails, then you won't sell.

Most home buyers begin a home search online, so good photos are essential. Advertisements without photos or a photo of only the exterior of your home are often passed over and ignored. A buyer may then wonder what this seller is hiding. Buyers are visual. FSBO Home Marketplace employs techniques to make your photos look ten times better than your competition's.

Today videos are very popular and having them included in your marketing plan will increase, one hundred-fold, your chances of being seen. Virtual tours aren't just to showcase million-dollar homes anymore. Every home should have either a video or virtual tour, even if it's only two rooms. Buyers love, love, love video and virtual tours. A good video or virtual tour will grab a buyer by the hand and lead them from room to room, showing a 360 by 360 degree view.

Signage encourages home shoppers to call you immediately. It's free advertising! If your home is on a corner lot, put up two signs. Check with your homeowners’ association, because some homeowner associations prohibit real estate signs and some HOAs allow only window signs. Communities with HOAs may have an approved sign for sellers to use while advertising. Another option is to talk to your neighbor whose home is located at the corner of a busy street and ask for permission to put a sign in their yard with an arrow pointing toward yours.

Not every home is suitable for an open house due to location or other factors, and sometimes the only way to determine that is to try it and see if it works. If nobody comes, that's probably a good indication. However, if your home is located near a high traffic area where buyers often swarm, then it's a good candidate. Place open house signs throughout the area directing buyers. Do not forget to employ the open house strategy that we discussed earlier.

When you select a company like FSBO Home Marketplace you will find that most of your marketing efforts are included in our advertising and marketing solutions. All marketing should be geared toward making your phone ring and increasing traffic to your home. Avoid common marketing mistakes by being flexible with showings, offering incentives to buyers and obtaining buyer feedback.

In one word, EVERYWHERE! Everywhere you can. EXPOSURE, EXPOSURE, EXPOSURE! After all, you are entering the market cold, whereas a real estate agent has been working in the business for a while.

FSBO property websites are fast becoming popular and offer you a wider audience than the traditional real estate agent’s website. How does a buyer in another state or country actually find you on that "one of many" realtors’ websites in your area? It’s like a finding a needle in a haystack. The advantage of using FSBO Home Marketplace is that we have the partnerships in place to get you on as many websites as you think necessary to market your home, and it is a simple process you can complete in just minutes.

At FSBO Home Marketplace we believe it is. To illustrate this point, according to the National Association of Realtors® Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers 2008, over 87% of all home buyers and 94% of buyers aged 25 to 44 years used the Internet to search for homes.

With that kind of command, it is clear to see the power of the internet today as an essential way to reach millions of customers. Selling a house successfully is a numbers game. The more exposure that you can generate for your property through online advertising, the more activity you will generate and the more showings you will have. The more showings you have, the more likely that an acceptable offer will be generated in the shortest period of time.

Every day, more of our interactions seem to move online. In most cases, this allows us to communicate faster and more effectively than through other types of communication. Online advertising has become the most popular way to make contact with other people.

Online ads are an effective way to diversify your customer base and reach a new audience. If you have primarily marketed through other methods like newspapers, magazines, or any kind of electronic advertisement, you have a very limited potential audience. Online ads could potentially reach every single person with internet access. The best estimates say that’s over 1.4 billion people worldwide. And, the more people that see your home, the better chance you have of selling it.

Let’s start this off with a word of caution. FSBO sellers want to save money when selling their homes and we support that full-heartedly. But advertising and marketing are not the places to skimp. A wise man once said, “It is better to spend a little more than you expect than a little less than you should.” With all the money you will be saving by not hiring an agent, spend the biggest chunk on advertising.

Typically, a homeowner who chooses to sell without a realtor will spend between 2% and 3% of the eventual selling price of the house on sales-related expenses. For example, if your home is worth $200,000 you should expect to spend in the range of $4,000 to $6,000. Using FSBO Home Marketplace, we can help you save even more depending on your particular situation. You decide. The total cost is up to you.

To start with, let's look at some of the reasons why you may choose to sell your house without a Realtor:

You haven't owned the house that you're selling for very long. In most cases, owning a home for only a short period means that your equity in the house is low. The lower the equity, the more a Realtor's commission will cut into any profit that you might acquire from the sale of the house. If the sale won't net you enough to pay the Realtor's commission, you will have to pay out of your pocket at the closing. In this case, selling without a Realtor is your best choice.

You have the money up front for advertising and marketing costs. Without a Realtor, you will be responsible for advertising your home for sale. These costs may include internet advertising with FSBO property web sites, printing costs for flyers and the price of signs to attract buyers. While this typically runs into hundreds or thousands of dollars, it's still a great deal less than the commission you'd pay a Realtor.

You have the time and availability to take calls from prospective buyers and show your house. Plan to be available to take calls regarding your property for sale at odd hours, and schedule tours at times that are convenient for prospective buyers and not necessarily for you! A flexible schedule will make it far easier to show your house and get it sold quickly.

Absolutely! People selling their home FSBO (For Sale by Owner) are already taking a proactive posture in getting their home sold quickly, at a fair price and with as little out of their pocket as possible. However, the statistics show that nearly 70% will list their homes with a real estate agent within the first 6-8 weeks, over 12% will never sell at all and less than 10% of all FSBO home-sellers will sell their houses without outside help, in most cases this means without a real estate agent's help. The #1 reason that this happens is because people who choose to sell their home alone, didn’t have a plan for systematically marketing and selling their house. The #2 reason is that most sellers simply didn’t attract enough potential buyers. A lack of potential buyers means fewer or, worst case scenario, no offers. This is a direct result of reason #1. But, this doesn’t have to be YOU!

Can you sell your own home without using a real estate agent? Many home sellers would like to sell their own house without the expense of using a real estate agent. BUT, have YOU got what it takes? There are a whole series of steps that you need to master if you are going to sell your own home successfully and beat the professionals at their own game.

Ask yourself a few questions starting with: Do I feel confident that I can succeed? Are you aware of and have you considered all the elements that go into making a successful house sale and have you asked yourself if you are up to the challenge? If you answer “yes” to most of the following questions then you are definitely someone who has the confidence, knowledge and ability to sell your own home.

Do you have the time to sell your own home? Selling your own home can be a time-consuming affair. You need to prepare the property, prepare your marketing materials, show the house, deal with negotiations etc. It all takes time and effort. You have to do what the real estate agent would normally be doing if you were paying them. Can you devote the time and resources? Will you have the needed exposure?

Can you get your home into a “sellable” condition? The showcase look is what sells property. Are you willing and able to give your property the necessary makeover both inside and out? If you want to make sure your house attracts the maximum number of potential home buyers you have got to make it look its best. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to spend a lot of money. You may be able to use some of the items that you have stored away.

Can you properly price your home? You need to research the local housing market so you know who your likely buyers are and how much they are willing to pay for a home like yours. You need to find out the asking and selling prices of houses similar to yours in your local area. Of course, using FSBO Home Marketplace provides you with plenty of resources to make this a simple step in the process.

Can you prepare a marketing plan? There is a lot to consider when putting your property on the market. You will need to draw up property details, design and book advertising, upload photos, put up flyers, organize showings and keep a record of all your potential buyers. Once again, as a client of FSBO Home Marketplace we will help you with your marketing plan, design your ads, write your text , upload your pictures through our Partners Network and provide you with the proper tools to create and implement an awesome marketing plan.

Are you able to deal with people? It can be a challenge dealing with a lot of potential home buyers looking at your home. Are you comfortable showing people around your home and not take any negative comments personally? At FSBO Home Marketplace we believe that since NO ONE knows your home as well as you do, this is really one of the easiest areas for our clients to succeed.

Are you capable of negotiating a sale? At some point in the process you will need to respond to the offers you are receiving. You will need to work out a negotiating plan that will get you the best possible price as quickly as possible. If you need help in this area FSBO Home Marketplace will get you in touch with experts that will become priceless members of your team.

If you answered most of these questions positively, then you can answer “yes” to the question “Can I sell my own home?”

That’s great! Assuming that means you do not want to use a realtor, we need to make sure that you understand that it doesn’t mean that you complete the process of selling your home all by yourself. You must assemble a team to help you through this process.

For example, you may need the help of a mortgage banker or lender. The job of this team member is twofold: First, they can pre-qualify your interested buyers. This way, you can quickly determine which buyers can be approved for a loan and that they are financially capable of buying your home. Second, they can prepare financing breakdowns for your home so that you may include them on your flyers or in your advertising. The sheets can provide potential buyers with concrete figures as to how much they will need for a down payment, monthly payments, etcetera, in order to buy your home.

Next, you will need a real estate attorney and/or title company. If you have an attorney, this is the time to solicit his or her help. If not, consult with friends, family, or neighbors to refer you to a competent professional to handle the legal aspects of selling your own home. You can also use the one of our many partners’ service providers to help you find qualified professionals that include title companies, lawyers and more. Real estate attorneys/title companies will help you in preparing the sales contract once you have found a buyer. In addition, they can help you draft or revise your disclosure documents or other necessary documents pertaining to the sale of the home.

So, even though you are “selling your home on your own” you still need the help of qualified professionals to complete the process. FSBO Home Marketplace and its partners will help through every step of the selling process.

If you really want a quick, easy sale for top dollar, advertise seller financing. If you own your home free and clear and don't need an all-cash sale, offer to carry back the mortgage. Even if you can't carry back the first mortgage, maybe you can offer to carry back a second mortgage. This will minimize the buyer's cash down payment, thus greatly increasing the number of prospective buyers for your home. If most homes in your area sell with FHA or VA mortgages, offer to pay some of the costs to lower the buyer's cash requirement. The result will be a higher sales price and an easy, quick sale.

It's official! Private Sales are faster than through Agents!

Reuters reported on June 15, 2007 that a survey conducted by Alliance & Leicester has found that private home-sellers using websites to market their properties have sold their homes in an average of less than two months, while those using the more conventional real estate agency route were taking over three months. Eight percent of the 2,384 people interviewed said they had used Private Property Sales sites (FSBO). This is up from the commonly accepted figure of 5% in the previous year. A spokesperson for A&L said “Using a real estate agent to sell your home is generally viewed as part and parcel of the moving process, but the research suggests that DIY methods, such as using the Internet to sell a home, are becoming more popular.” So, you not only save money, you also sell faster privately. Not a bad combination!

Plenty of home owners in the current market are ditching their real estate agents to save on fees. In fact, I would definitely be looking to sell my own home if I was a seller. Selling your house yourself can be a lot faster than through a realtor, especially with the right sales strategy.

Many people wonder why less than 20% of home sellers undertake the task of selling their houses on their own when the potential savings by not having to pay a real estate commission can add up to $4000, $8,000, $12,000 or more (minus your expenses.) Possibly it has something to do with the illusion of expertise. Many home owners who consider selling their homes themselves back off when they see the level of knowledge and commitment that is needed to do an effective job. Of course that’s what people used to think about stock brokers and travel agents and now the internet has all but replaced them. But without a doubt, the most successful “for sale by owner” home sellers are those who take a proactive role in the process, whether it ends up being a “for sale by owner” or a sale by agent.

First and foremost you need EXPOSURE, EXPOSURE, EXPOSURE!

At FSBO Home Marketplace we believe that selling your home on your own requires you, the seller, to have patience and perseverance. It’s not something you can do if you don’t effectively market your home or if you are too busy to answer the phone and/or emails and be able to show your home to buyers. However, selling your home on your own will save you thousands of dollars in real estate commissions and is something definitely worth the effort and time you put in.

The most successful home sellers are those who take an active role in the process, whether you use an agent or sell it on your own. If you feel that the best route is to sell your home yourself, then having as much information as possible is crucial. That is why FSBO Home Marketplace is with you through the entire process from the beginning to the end.

FSBO Home Marketplace makes it easy for you to put your ad in front of up to 36,000,000 monthly unique visitors. Our advertising solutions are unequaled on the internet. We are the original internet real estate marketing brokers. With our wide range of marketing programs, you get to choose just how aggressive you want your advertising to be and what options you want to include. So, with FSBO Home Marketplace, you are always in charge. WE WORK FOR YOU!

There are many desperate home owners and real estate agents struggling to sell property in the current market. Sales strategies that may have worked well in the past are failing, and a completely fresh marketing approach is required. If you've recently asked "who can help me sell my house?" then FSBO Home Marketplace is the company that can help you.

The first step to selling a house quickly in the current market is to re-focus your advertising strategy. People know full well that the current property market is struggling, so buyers are out looking for good values. Your ads should scream VALUE! With FSBO Home Marketplaces professional ad writers, we can do that for you on every website you choose in your program. This doesn’t necessarily mean asking for a price that is well below market value. Instead, we use phrasing that will pique the interest of buyers and drum up excitement towards purchasing your home.

In addition we use the maximum number of photos available to you in your chosen marketing solution. Nothing sells a home like pictures. We know that buyers are visual and want to see everything about your home and that is why our marketing solutions offer such a wide choice of photos, videos and virtual tours.

LUCKY YOU! If you are reading this answer to your question then you are in the right place. FSBO Home Marketplace offers many marketing solutions that can help you sell your home in your time frame, get the best price for your home and at a cost that is both economical and affordable.

Ninety percent of sellers reported that their home was listed or advertised on the Internet according to the National Association of Realtors® Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers 2008.

With the prevalence of the internet, it is to your advantage to advertise online. The internet is a fast way to reach millions of people locally, nationally and globally. For a nominal fee, FSBO Home Marketplace will allow you to advertise online, including color photos, floor plans, virtual tours and even video. The choice is yours. With over 1.4 billion people using the internet on a regular basis, this cost-effective and comprehensive mode of advertising is an incomparable option for selling your home.

Compared to other forms of advertising, the internet provides you with more space to give the details of your home, neighborhood and community. You can also include your website address in your flyers, yard sign, as well as, online. This directs interested buyers to your web pages where they can find out more details about your home.

This is the most common question currently being asked by home sellers all around the world, especially in slower markets like those we are now experiencing. Yes, you do want to use the internet to sell your home because the internet can help you sell your home in a rapid manner by presenting it to a huge audience of potential buyers. Where you look online and which websites you decide to use, will make all the difference between success and failure.

If you plan to sell your home by yourself, then you'll want to use a company like FSBO Home Marketplace that will give you the opportunity to expose your property on as many websites as your budget allows. FSBO Home Marketplace provides you with the most diverse variety of internet sites to help you market your home. We do not have any financial interest in any web site, so we only offer the best sites to our customers. As the original internet real estate marketing broker we are committed solely to our customer’s success.

Buying or selling a home can be a very intimidating venture. Many homeowners are tempted to just turn over the reins and enlist the help of a real estate agent. STOP! Do not hand over your hard-earned cash to a realtor when you can do the job yourself? In reality, the only role of a real estate agent is to act as a liaison between you and the buyer. By cutting out the middleman, both parties can save money and potentially even expedite the buying/selling process. But before you get too excited, it’s important to understand the time and effort involved.

Both buying and selling on your own is a serious undertaking. It involves a considerable time commitment in planning and research. By eliminating the middleman, you save money and with any luck will realize a greater profit. However, remember that you must now assume the role of realtor. It’s a great deal of responsibility, but with a little fortitude (and the help you receive from FSBO Home Marketplace) it will be well worth the effort.

What are the reasons why you may choose to do without the use of an agent when looking to sell your home? Most importantly is the obvious financial benefit. By assuming the role of Realtor, you can pocket the 6% real estate commission. For instance, if you sell your home for $400,000 using a Realtor, $24,000 of that goes to pay the real estate commission. For most of us, that’s a lot of money. In addition, you maintain control over all aspects of the transaction. Selling on your own allows you to choose your asking price, move it up and down at will and determine when and to whom you show your home.

Another advantage to you selling your own home is the opportunity to make a quick sale if necessary. Let’s say you’ve found your new home and need to move in as soon as possible. The pressure is now on to sell your old home. As a FSBO seller you have the option of lowering the asking price (1% - 5%) below the market value, attracting more buyers. Even after reducing your price for a quick sale, you are still netting more money than you would have had you used a broker.

Finally, no one knows your home as well as you do? After all, you live in it. So who better to sell it than you? You’re also an expert on the neighborhood, the school district, the community, etc. This makes you better equipped to handle the sale of your home and to answer any questions the buyer may have about your house, the development or the community.

Certainly this is a question that you must answer for yourself but, as far as FSBO Home Marketplace is concerned, the answer is usually no, and there are several reasons why we believe that is true. Americans spent about $1.14 trillion buying 6 million homes in 2006—both records. Yet the flat commissions paid to the Realtors who handle the vast majority of those sales, averaging 6%, act as an enormous tax on the entire transaction process, taking wealth from both buyers and sellers in what is often the largest financial transaction of their lives. Yes, it's true that selling a house can be a complex task, but so is writing a will and even an attorney won’t ask for 5 or 6% of your net worth as compensation for preparing those documents.

And what do you receive in exchange for that commission, which can add up to $12,000 on a $200,000 home? In many cases, not much. To receive a Realtor's license, all that is necessary in most states is 60 to 70 hours of training and passing an exam. Let’s face it, the person who cuts your hair probably has trained for 1,000 hours or more and they only get $25 for a haircut.

Please understand one thing; an agent is not required—legally or otherwise—to be a part of any real estate transaction. Traditionally, and thanks to the National Association of Realtors, agents continue to be a big (but unnecessary) part of the real estate process and people can choose to use their services or not. However, they should be mindful that an agent charges an expensive commission averaging 6 or 7% of a home's purchase price. That's $18,000 on a $300,000 home.

In fact, a recent survey by the Office of Fair Trading found that around 15% of people have tried selling their homes privately. A staggering 91% said that they were happy with the experience and most said they would do it again.

Again, the answer is an emphatic "NO." Even the agent's own trade group—the National Association of Realtors—says that more than 87% of buyers go online to search for homes; that’s up from 2 percent in 1997. This tells us that sellers don't need agents to market their homes but rather a quality Internet Marketing Broker to do the marketing work for them. FSBO Home Marketplace can get you in front of up to 36,000,000 unique visitors every month. That's more than 44X's more than our nearest FSBO competitor.

FSBO Home Marketplace knows this sounds repetitious but the answer is still NO. There are plenty of online pricing reports and professional appraisers that can price a home better than an agent can. Once again, FSBO Home Marketplace and their Partner Network will give you all the tools necessary to properly price your home.

According to studies from Northwestern and Stanford Universities, FSBO sellers are as effective at maximizing their home price as agents. Furthermore, once commissions are factored into the equation, the FSBO seller came out ahead financially.

Any competent real estate attorney and/or title company can handle most, if not all, of the paperwork for you. In most states a real estate attorney can be hired for less than $1,000, a fraction of the cost of an agent's 6% commission. Once again, FSBO Home Marketplace and their Partner Network will get you in touch with all the experts you need to ensure a successful real estate transaction.

We don't see any benefit to hiring an agent. You are just paying your agent a whole lot of money for very little work. Honestly, since they're paid on commission, more times than not, they are working for themselves. They want the deal to be made, so that they can get paid and go home. They counsel the buyer to offer less than the asking price and they convince you to lower your asking price because that closes the deal quickly. The truth be told, for every $10,000 you lower the asking price, your agent loses only $150 in commission.

As stated in one of the questions above, Realtors will not necessarily get you more money for your home; in fact, the opposite is more likely to occur. If you sell the home on your own, you are likely to pocket more money. In addition, they complicate negotiations as in the example above, costing you thousands of dollars while losing only a few hundred out of theirs. Realtors may be able to give you prices of comparable properties which have sold recently, but will they be able to tell you if those houses were really comparable to yours? When using only square footage, bedrooms, baths and past closed sales as a comparison, that leaves to question any upgrades and improvements you might have made in your home. Again, this tactic can cost you tens of thousands of dollars.

OK, in all honesty, there is one advantage. That is, if for some reason you can’t show your own home then you will need to have an agent show it. Unless, of course, you have family or trusted friends that can show it for you, then again we see no advantage.

According to the National Association of Realtors® Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers 2008, the primary reason that sellers (59%) chose to sell their home without the assistance of a real estate agent to a buyer they did not know, was that they did not want to pay a fee or commission.

If you feel like you need to have a Realtor involved to feel comfortable in the sale of your home, then contact your customer service representative at FSBO Home Marketplace and they will put you in contact with reliable and “cost-effective” Realtors that have been pre-screened for you.

Not to sound flippant, but our first answer is, “whatever anyone is willing to pay for it.” There are many tools now available on the internet to help you in deciding what to ask for your home. The "Heat Map" featured on www.trulia.com is one tool that can help in estimating how home values in your neighborhood compare with the overall real estate market in your city. A word of caution though: Trulia’s data for current homes for sale, is a small sample of the overall market because they get data only from real estate agents that have taken the extra time to give it to them. So it is not representative of all the listings or sales activity in a given market.

Secondly, you can take advantage of Internet websites that offer free home automated valuation models. While these are the least accurate estimates of house value because they are computer-generated, they are based on public data about recently sold properties and they are free. Using several sites such as www.zillow.com, www.realestateabc.com or www.reply.com, you will be able to get several computer-generated estimates that can help you establish a range of value for your home. HomePoint.com also offers a free house value report.

Do your homework before setting your asking price. There is a concept in real estate referred to as the pricing pyramid. Essentially, the pricing pyramid is an economic concept that illustrates that the higher we price any home, the fewer interested buyers there will be for that home. So, we want to price our home at a slight premium given its value; however, we do not want to overprice it to the point that it will not receive enough market to make the phone ring.

Keeping the above example in mind, a good range to consider when pricing your home would be to offer it at a 1% to 5% premium over the market value. The premium you pick within this range should reflect local market conditions. Today’s market favors buyers so chose a premium in the lower range.

When negotiating your price, never divulge your lowest price or bottom line to anyone. And by that, we mean not to tell anyone including your friends, co-workers and family. This kind of information has a way of getting out, especially when a friend of a friend happens to be interested. By revealing to anyone how low you are willing to go, you offer them the opportunity to start negotiating from that point and work you down even lower. Simply tell all potential buyers to make you an offer. Protect yourself from being low-balled.

Pricing your home effectively is the key to success when selling. If you get this step wrong, all of the advertising in the world won't help you. You must price your home properly in order to attract buyers and progress towards the sale, although your home is really worth what someone is willing to pay for it. Visit our resource center where several widgets are available to help you price your home. Listed below are a few of the major websites that can help you in determining your home's value.
www.zillow.com
www.domania.com
www.homegain.com/homevalues
www.eppraisal.com
www.realestate.yahoo.com/Homevalues

It may be trite but it’s oh so true, “Pictures are worth a thousand words.” FSBO Home Marketplace can’t emphasize enough that photos of your property are paramount. . Let’s make this very clear, when it comes to the success of marketing your home they are imperative. Studies have shown time and again that property advertisements without pictures are often times passed over by potential buyers. Even one picture is better than none, but as we have mentioned before, when it comes to marketing your home, “do not skimp.” Buyers are visual, but they are also skeptical. If you’re not showing your home with numerous beautiful pictures, they wonder what it is that you are not disclosing. When it comes to photos…the payoff is high, so you have no excuse for not spending the money for photographs that show the buyers exactly what they want and need to see.

If you have poor quality photos, don't expect buyers to beat down your door. They are going to look at that blurry photo and come to some derogatory conclusions about your home’s worth. If you don't think the home is worth showing with as many photos as possible, then why should they think it's worth the price?

Pictures are a two-dimensional walkthrough. They can be staged, just as homes can be, to accentuate the positives and eliminate the negatives. Try to see your home as a buyer. FSBO Home Marketplace takes pictures of the features that you, as a buyer, would be interested in seeing. We photograph the rooms with as much natural light as possible, to give the impression of an air of openness. When possible we try to photograph the home in bright daylight. There are many tutorials on how to stage your home so as to get the best pictures. A good set of photos can encourage people to actually come and see your home

Pictures can make or break your marketing campaign. Use them wisely, use them a lot and make sure they showcase the highlights of your home while minimizing its imperfections.

Forty-two percent of FSBO sellers used yard signs according to the National Association of Realtors® Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers 2008. FSBO Home Marketplace furnishes all our clients with yard signs.

In addition, every FSBO Home Marketplace client gets 2 directional signs. Place your directional signs at the end of major streets. Use several if you live in a low-traffic neighborhood. You may purchase additional signs for a nominal fee from our Sign Shop. We provide you with your first set of self-sticking labels with your address so that you may attach them to your signs.

It's very important to have flyers about your home on your sign. FSBO Home Marketplace customer service representatives will help you with your flyers, if need be. If you don't have a printer, FSBO Home Marketplace offers print services at very affordable prices. Post your flyers on the bulletin boards at work, at churches, in the supermarkets, the universities, libraries and fitness centers, just to name a few. Many homes have been sold just by making this simple effort.

The Pride of Ownership you’ve taken in your home is noticed from the moment someone drives up. The buyer will know if they like what they see within the first 8 seconds. If the outside of your home is a mess, then the buyer will naturally wonder how you’ve taken care of the inside. REMEMBER, YOU ONLY HAVE ONE CHANCE TO MAKE A FIRST IMPRESSION.

The more inviting your home looks, the more qualified buyers you will attract. Start out by maintaining a well-manicured front yard. Focus on neatly trimmed bushes and free of weeds. All flowerbeds should appear well kept and attractive. Make sure that any shrubs and bushes are also trimmed. Examine the outside of the house and decide whether or not it can be spot-washed, power-washed, or if it needs a new coat of paint. Check that your windows and screens are free of cracks and tears and replace them if needed. Be sure that the windows are sparkling clean and remove any chipped paint.

Your front door and entrance way should be in immaculate condition. Consider a coat of fresh paint. It gives the home a flawless appearance. Make sure the entryway light and doorbell are in working condition. To increase “curb” appeal, you may also want to plant flowers around the sides of the home.

Thoroughly clean-up your home. Wash all the walls to make sure they look fresh and vibrant. If you have wallpaper, check for tears and loose pieces and repair as soon as possible. Shampoo the rugs, mop and/or wax the floors, and dust everything. Mop any hardwood floors and wax them until they shine. Don’t underestimate the impact a clean home can have. Next, remove all unnecessary clutter. This will help your buyer better visualize how they will redecorate your home to suit their taste. Oil all hinges and tighten all your doorknobs. This would be a good time to take care anything that squeaks.

Cleanliness of the kitchen and baths are extremely important to a home buyer. Make sure that all your bathrooms are spotless. People immediately notice their condition. Take care to ensure they remain fresh and clean. If necessary, replace any leaky faucets and re-caulk tiles. Clean your kitchen! Attack and remove any grease on the stove and walls. Oil and/or wipe down all the cabinet doors, and clean off the refrigerator. Run a lemon or orange through the garbage disposal to give your kitchen a clean and fresh smell. Try not to cook offensive smelling foods prior to any scheduled appointments. You have grown accustomed to the imperfections in your home and have been willing to live with them but prospective buyers notice everything and it will make a difference when finalizing their decision. By taking the time to make these small improvements, you automatically make your home more attractive to your buyer and in turn can improve your chances of getting a higher offer. If you find it financially difficult to paint, purchase new carpeting or update odds and ends, then you may want to consider offering your buyer an allowance for those things. Buyers sometimes like to decide what color of carpeting to install or what color paint to choose.

“Home Staging” is a term used for describing the act of preparing a home for resale and has been proven over the years to be one of the best ways to get you the price you want in the time frame you require. The presentation process is all about enhancing your home to its fullest potential, which will in turn; make a significant difference in the buyer’s eyes. Staging does not mean transforming a house by giving it a sterile and lifeless environment. It means creating a feeling of warmth and hominess so that the buyer gets a sense of “Home Sweet Home”. This is because "staging" sets the scene throughout the house to initiate immediate excitement and curiosity. Staging is what you do after you have eliminated clutter, organized closets, painted, rearranged or eliminated extra furniture giving the look of openness, made necessary repairs and accessorized. De-personalizing your home is also important factor to consider. It allows the buyer to see past articles similar to knickknacks, photos or diplomas that may distract them. In setting the atmosphere you may also want to consider having the proper lighting in each room. Lighting is instrumental in creating pleasant, emotional reactions in the buyer’s mind. “Home Staging” has been proven time and time again to be one of the best ways to get the most desirable offer. Many times it makes the difference between a sale and a no sale. The following simple steps are some that you may never have dreamed of and don’t necessarily have to cost a lot of money. You may have many of these items already. If you don't, they can be purchased at any home decorating store, Target or Wal-Mart.

Mirrors
Plants / Silk Flowers
Nicely Scented Candles and Candle Holders
Artwork
Area and Throw Rugs
Throw Pillows
Quilts
Baskets
Tables & Chairs
Fancy Bath soaps and Spa supplies
Decorative Towels in the Baths

USE YOUR IMAGINATION AND SHOW IT OFF!

1. Let FSBO Home Marketplace take great pictures of the outside of your home. Fresh paint or power washing makes it look like a million bucks.
2. We will also take pictures of the entranceway. Making it look enticing and welcoming all potential buyers.
3. Buy some shrubs that are in flower and plant them before photos of the yard are taken by FSBO Home Marketplace.
4. We will also take photos of the front, side and back yards. Make sure they’re cleaned-up first.
5. Wash down the walls and make sure all pictures are straight.
6. If you have purchased a marketing solution that includes a video we will take a video of the inside. Remove all clutter and make it look spacious.
7. Remember that too much small furniture makes a room look crowded so move it before pictures are taken.
8. FSBO Home Marketplace will describe the property for sale in positive terms. Remember the reasons you purchased your home.
9. Mention all the amenities that are close to your house, such as pools, parks, golf courses, airports and hospitals, etc. Sometimes location is more important than the slight imperfections in your home.
10. How far to the beach, mountains or major venues in terms of driving time.
11. Have a floor plan of your home? If not, draw one up, photograph it and we will upload it to the appropriate websites.
12. You can never have too many photographs. FSBO Home Marketplace will help you find just the right marketing solution that will allow you to show off your home.
13. Have more than one way for prospective buyers to contact you. Home phone, cell phone, email address, Twitter. Always make sure that the buyer has a way to get in touch one way or the other.
14. Price the property using methodology mentioned in previous questions.
15. If the property has any unique features be sure to mention them.
16. Add a way in which the buyer can save money, such as insulation, solar water heaters, “green” light bulbs, southern exposure to save on heating and shade trees to help with air conditioning costs.
17. Comment on the storage space. Everyone loves plenty of closets.

1.  Why are you selling?
2.  How much did you pay for the home?
3.  How much do you owe on the home? A Buyer wants to know this because the price you paid affects how much negotiating room you might have. If you bought the home many years ago for a very low price, there is a large potential profit and the seller might be willing to sell below the market value.
4.  What is your final asking price or bottom line?
5.  Distance to closest public transportation & bus stops
6.  School Zones - Elementary, Middle & High School
7.  Is your home convenient to shopping, churches, sporting events and entertainment?
8.  Is the Mortgage assumable?
9.  What down payment (earnest money) are you expecting?
10. What are the current interest rates? An interest rate is based on a person's credit history. So you will have no idea what interest rate a Buyer will qualify for with their bank.
11. How much will the closing costs be? The amount of closing costs will depend on what items are customary for buyers and sellers to pay for in your area.
12. Will you owner-finance or Lease-Purchase?
13. Age of house, roofing, plumbing, HVAC and wiring?
14. Any foundation problems? For example: water in the basement, settling, cracks
15. Room dimensions and total square footage
16. Lot Size
17. Your average cost of utilities throughout the year, especially during harsh winters and hot summers (including water, sewer, gas & electric)
18. Homeowners Association Fees and how often paid. What do you get for the fees?
19. Any liens against the property - taxes, assessments, etc...
20. Amenities and any special features that set your home apart from others - pool, landscaping, lake or river rights or zoning and nonconforming uses.
21. Do I have to be a member to enjoy Clubhouse privileges?
22. What privileges? What amenities does the Clubhouse offer?
23. Is your furniture negotiable?
24. Does your home include a Home Warranty?
25. How old are your appliances? Are the included? If not, are they negotiable?
26. Easements and deed restrictions
27. What past problems have you had with this house? Seller disclosure forms do not require disclosing past problems that have been corrected.

There are many different strategies that we suggest when it comes to showing your own home. One of them is instead of showing your home each time someone calls and wants to see it, pick one day during the week and at specific time (a couple of hours) that will be convenient for you to show your home . Several times a month, schedule a formal "Open House". Set snacks out on a table with full-color flyers. Put up a "Open House" signs and advertise the open house on the internet. (Call FSBO Home Marketplace’s customer service representatives and they may be able to help you spread the word.) Make sure to record this time on your answering machine when you are away from your phone.

During your "Open House" and whenever showing your home, it is important to put your emotions on hold. Don't get offended if a potential buyer doesn't like your paint choices or kitchen size. Make the buyers feel comfortable enough to ask questions or they may not say anything and will quietly and quickly exit your home. Ask the buyer a few questions such as "What do you think about the large kitchen?" or "How do you like the imported tile floors?” Buyers will ask real estate agents hundreds of questions about a home they are visiting, but they don't want to offend an FSBO seller and may not really get to know your home. It’s like a stranger showing another stranger your home. So, put on your salesman's hat and take off your house slippers!

If you want to stay in the same home you live in now, but you are having problems paying the mortgage, don’t despair, THERE IS HELP OUT THERE. This happens to many people and they unfortunately choose to move away from their beloved home that they're so comfortable in, to get away from the high mortgage payment. THE LAST THING THE BANK WANTS IS YOUR HOME. This is nothing to be embarrassed about. Remember, many people worldwide are finding that they can't afford their mortgages. Selling homes and renting them back from the buyer occurs every day. It really is a great opportunity for you because you will not have the financial difficulties that you’re having now. The trick is to recognize you need help as soon as possible in order to sell your home and minimize your losses.

For one reason or another people are always buying and selling homes. With that in mind, the answer would be YES. This is a great time to swap properties, move up, downsize or purchase investment properties. Another advantage is that since property value is going down, the property tax for your new home will be relatively lower if you buy now, rather than if you wait for the housing prices to come back up to sell your house and then buy it on an ‘UP’ market.

OK, everyone says that now is not the best of times to be selling a home. Consider this scenario though; there are many homeowners out there that want to sell, but are not selling. However, at the first sign of a recovery, they will be listing their homes for sale too, meaning that there will be even more homeowners trying to sell their homes than there are now. So waiting is not necessarily a good decision either.

If you have good reasons to sell your home (too big, too small, not enough bedrooms/bathrooms, you hate your neighborhood, you’re being transferred or divorced, etc.), then it can be a very good time to buy, particularly if you're buying up; yes, you'll take a loss, but the person you buy from will likely be taking a bigger one. Our advice is to focus on your personal needs, not your investment profile, and if you still want to sell and buy, it's a very good time to do it now.

Yes. But that is not necessarily a bad thing. "The big problem right now is that we've got this huge inventory of homes and that huge inventory is putting intense downward pressure on prices across the board," says Nariman Behravesh, chief economist for INS Global Insight. On the other hand, declining prices combined with the lowest mortgage rates in 40 years make this the best time to buy, if you have the cash or the credit.

For many buyers this is the right time to go out and purchase a new home. So, follow all our suggestions and make your home the most visible in the city.

At FSBO Home Marketplace we have a policy of never giving advice to people as to whether or not they should sell in the present economy. We are not trying to be evasive, but it really is a question you must answer for yourself. So, instead of answering your question of whether or not you can sell your home in this economy, let’s focus on what needs to be done to be successful should you decide to sell your home.

In many parts of the country, it's hard to sell a home right now. There are two primary reasons: The first reason has to do with a reduction in demand. There are fewer home buyers today than a couple of years ago. People are losing their jobs in record numbers right now, so less people are in a position to buy a home. Let’s face the facts, we are in an economic recession, and whenever that happens, major purchases are the first thing to drop off.

The second reason is that it's hard to sell a home right now is the over-supply factor. There's a huge inventory of homes in most cities across the U.S., largely as a result of the foreclosure crisis that has swept across our country.

When selling a home under these conditions, you need to do the following: Proper research is critical in getting to know what homes are selling for in your area, how long they are staying on the market, etc. So once again, use the strategies that we have outlined in previous questions. Remember, the price you paid for your home one, two, ten or twenty years ago is no longer relevant. Sorry, we know that's a hard pill to swallow, but you must understand and accept the current economic situation of today. We can’t stress it enough. Make sure you have priced your home competitively based on current market conditions, stage your home effectively in order to highlight the good features and eliminate the bad and market your home to the widest possible audience, to lessen the effects of a buyer shortage.

This is where it pays off to have FSBO Home Marketplace help you. We can assist you in marketing your home to over 36 million internet users. No one else can deliver these kinds of numbers. Why? Because FSBO Home Marketplace is the original internet real estate marketing broker that specializes in marketing solutions designed to use the entire scope of the internet, not just relying on one website. We have no financial interest in any one site so, unlike our competitors, we can make available to you the best websites with the most traffic at the lowest prices possible.

Since the real estate market is in such bad shape at the present time, you might do better to sell your own home rather than have someone do it for you. That way, you can eliminate the need to pay a commission to a Realtor and end up with more money in your pocket when you sell.

In a volatile market, learning how to sell your home may be somewhat intimidating. It is possible to sell your house quickly with a profit using a company like FSBO home Marketplace. Utilizing our Partner Network and correct pricing, your house will sell sooner than you ever imagined. As a seller, you can still sell your house for a reasonable price in a buyer’s market and make a profit. For sellers, it is especially important to price the house appropriately and be patient. Since there is an overabundance of houses available, buyers will avoid a house that is overpriced, especially if there are reasonably priced new houses in the same area. In addition, sellers should take special care to clean the house, mow the lawn, and repair anything that is in broken and painting the walls is always a good idea. Make sure your home is as move-in ready as possible before it goes on the market.

Let FSBO Home Marketplace take great photos and purchase the proper marketing solution that will properly show off your home.! Before a buyer considers calling you to make an appointment to look at your home in person, they will assess your listing by looking at it online. To attract attention to your home we take the best and brightest photographs possible. Try not to have pictures taken until you've de-cluttered your home. This way the buyer is able to see the forest through the trees and will be able to imagine where their belongings will go.

FSBO Home Marketplace writes very descriptive comments. While there so many homes on the market, simply noting the numbers of bedrooms and baths has become insufficient information for a home buyer. It doesn't tell a buyer why they should make an appointment to see your home. Good marketing tells a buyer why your home is more desirable than the others that are currently on the market. Clients of FSBO Home Marketplace have nothing to worry about because that is one of the added benefits of being one of our clients. We will professionally compose all your ad copy for every website that you are on. We couldn’t make it any easier!

Use virtual tours and/or videos of your home. Buyers today begin their home searches online. There is no better way to view a home than in the comfort of your home in front of the computer, looking at a 360 degree tour or video. Additionally, the way many buyers search these days, a video will get you higher in the search results every time. They give your buyer the feeling as if they are standing in the middle of each room touring it. They will know everything they need to know before picking up the phone and calling you for an appointment. FSBO Home Marketplace and its Partner Network will help you get the virtual tours and videos that will make your home STANDOUT over all the others.

Create the illusion of open space in your home. We’re not talking about misrepresenting your home. But you can create the illusion of space by simply moving some of your belongings out of the house or just moving them from one room to the other. Experts recommend that you put as much as 30% of your belongings in storage when you're planning on selling your home. By getting rid of clutter and personal items, rooms appear more spacious and brighter. Don't forget to open window draperies and blinds when showing your home. Also, adding a mirror to a wall gives the impression that the room is larger.

The question of "how do I sell my home for the most money" is frequently asked these days, especially since the onset of the current economic crisis. Unfortunately, overpricing your home right from the start is not likely to work. Another way to approach getting the highest price is to set your asking price lower and then create a sense of competition among your buyers so that they bid more than what you're asking.

First find out your home’s value using one of the methods explained above. You should start with a price that is very competitive, so go as low as you feel comfortable. Remember, people are not going to overpay given the current economy. So be realistic.

Once you're comfortable with a competitive price, it's time to start advertising. You need to focus on your buyer in every ad that you place. Remember, it's not 2006 anymore, and the power is no longer in the seller’s hands. This is another advantage to using FSBO Home Marketplace. Since we compose your copy for every website within your program, it is all custom designed with that customer in mind. We inform your prospective buyer why your home is the perfect place to call Home Sweet Home. They will know all of its distinguishing characteristics and features so that they decide to buy your home instead of another. FSBO Home Marketplace takes high quality photos and we upload them on the internet for you. If your marketing solution calls for it we will make a video if you really want to drum up excitement. Be creative and unique!

Apart from your solid advertising campaign from FSBO Home Marketplace, you need to boost the impression of competition among your buyers. One of the best ways to do this is to have an open house in the early evening on a Sunday. Invite all your prospects, friends and family over to become more familiar with your home and you may want to consider offering a few light refreshments. All of this activity will create a stir of excitement among your buyers and will give you an excellent opportunity to talk about your house face-to-face with your guests. When your buyers see all the other competition they will feel more pressure to bid high and fast.

Having a relationship with a lender is very helpful when selling a home on your own. You may receive phone calls from potential buyers that are only interested in low or no down payment options. Not that it’s a bad thing to get these calls. But working with a mortgage company or banker allows you to just direct them to your lender, explaining that you will gladly set up an appointment to show your home once they have been prequalified for a loan. Some buyers may balk at this but it will enable you to work with serious, qualified buyers that are ready to purchase your home. Other buyers will already been pre-qualified, so just take down the information about their lender and verify it before going any further. This is completely legal.

Keep in mind that an unqualified buyer may cost you precious time and money. If they are unable to acquire financing and you proceed with the sale, you will have tied up your house for months and potentially passed up other qualified buyers in the process. As a result, you should make sure that your buyer is pre-qualified prior to having your attorney or title company draft the sales agreement.

Of course you can always qualify the buyer on your own. The downside there is that buyers may be hesitant to share their financial history with you and you may feel uncomfortable asking for it. The information you will need to collect is the buyer’s monthly gross income, their various monthly payments (i.e. car payments, credit cards, loans, etc.), credit history, and down payment sources.

Of course you don’t have to help your buyer obtain financing, but in today’s market every little thing helps. You can add it to your advertising or leave it out. Either way your ad can attract interested buyers. Not to be repetitive but the reason that you should be using FSBO Home Marketplace is because our Partner Network can give you many different ways to approach buyer financing.

In today’s market very few buyers have the cash to make the necessary 20% down payment. That means that you as the seller, if you are in the position to, may need to assist them with the down payment. In seller-assisted financing, you continue to hold the deed and receive monthly payments from the buyer. Should they default, you will reserve the right to foreclose on your home. Even though you risk the chance of missed payments or default on the loan, there are also many advantages. Seller-assisted financing helps you to increase your pool of buyers, as well as, giving you more negotiating power to help expedite the sale of your home.

As soon as you purchase your campaign you will be directed to our Property Information form. We ask that you fill out this form as completely as possible and then hit the "submit" button at the bottom of the form. At that point, you will be directed to our photo upload page. Since this is a Java Program you will be told that the program certification has been verified and can the program proceed. Answer yes. (The reason that we go through this process is to protect our servers and your information) Fill in your last name in the appropriate box, hit browse and select your pictures for upload. Remember you can select multiple pictures by holding down the control key while selecting pictures. When finished hit the upload button and you are done. You will see a notice of completion at that time. That's all there is to it.

Just put it all in an email and email it to Client Services. That's all there is to it.

A short time after we receive your order we will call to schedule your photographer at your convenience. make the appointment and that's all there is to it. Of course, you will want to have your home tidied up for your appointment so that we take as little time in your home as possible taking the pictures. Any questions? Email Client Services.

Your signs will be shipped within 3 days after we receive your order. You should receive it a couple of days after that. If you need riders (signs that sit atop your main sign) please be sure to visit our sign shop and order those immediately or call Client Services and we will help you over the phone. That way we can ship all of your signs at once.

We ask you to send us an email or call us to schedule your "phone walk-through" at your convenience. Please set aside at least a half-hour for this call.

The speed at which your ad is posted to all your websites is dependant on a few things. First, we must collect all the data from you and your "walk-through" in order to compose the best ad copy for your home. Secondly, we must compose your ad copy, email it to you for approval/changes and you must then email back your approval/changes. Thirdly, we need to get a photographer out to your house (except the Basic Campaign) to take the pictures and then have them upload the pictures to us. We will then make any corrections to the photos (enhancements) and then we will begin posting your ad to all your websites.
So, the time frame is dependant on all these things happening. That is why we ask you to help us by scheduling all your appointments as soon as possible. Be patient though. Our mission is to get you the best advertising possible for your home. If you want us to rush ahead, well you're the boss, but that would never be our advice. You only have one time to make a good first impression.