FSBO Guide - Authorify

How to Prove to FSBO Sellers That They’ll Get More Money if They Hire You

Realtors® can sell homes for more money tha FSBO sellers can on their own. Unfortunately, not every agent believes this to be true. Until you really understand that fact, you’ll always struggle to list FSBOs. Why? Because before you can convince someone else, first you have to convince yourself. Perhaps this story will help convince you. I recently listed a FSBO. The house had been on the market for three months at $189,900, with little activity. I put the house on the market for $200,000. It then sold two months later for $198,000. On their own, given how long their house had been on the market, the seller likely would have accepted a reduced price of $185,000, had a buyer made that offer. Perhaps they would have accepted an offer as low as $180,000. However, I was able to sell it for more money. How did this happen? Here are four reasons. You might be surprised to know that they’re the same By listing through a Realtor®, most sellers net more money in their pocket — even after they pay the agent’s commission. Remember, the average home sold by a Realtor® sells for $230,000 while the average FSBO home sells for $184,000, a difference of $46,000. This doesn’t mean that a Realtor® can sell the home for more money every time, but the numbers support that they often can. ● Reason #2: The whole selling process is easier when the seller hires an agent. I talked to a title company manager who handles FSBO closings and Realtor® closings. He told me that when a FSBO sells their home, it takes about 45 days for the two parties to sign the sale contract. He said that sometimes they don’t sign the contract at all until they sit down for the closing process. When a Realtor® sells a property, the sale contract is usually signed in less than 48 hours. This is no small matter. Have you ever heard of “buyer’s remorse?” That’s what it’s called when a buyer makes a commitment to purchase your home and then begins to question the wisdom of that decision. reasons 91% of sellers use a real estate professional to sell their home. ● Reason #1: We can sell homes for more money.