FSBO Guide - Authorify

Another 7% claim they advertise their FSBO on Facebook or some other social network, and 16% put their faith in online classified ads. Those kinds of scattershot efforts are a huge gamble, given that 51% of buyers say they find their homes on the internet. The most effective online advertising relies on knowledge of the local market, copywriting that hooks the reader’s interest quickly, and keywords chosen with surgical precision. These are elements best left to real estate professionals! ● Showing a House Well Many FSBO sellers use excuses to rationalize their unwillingness to perform necessary repairs such as painting, patching, or even simple chores such as cleaning and decluttering the residence. They might say they’re too busy, they lack expertise, or they can’t afford materials or professional help. Here’s an example from a FSBO I listed recently. The owner had tried selling the home unsuccessfully for almost a year. During that time, the house had been dirty, poorly maintained, and hadn’t shown well. The seller had never cleaned the house. After all, it was a vacant investment property, and he believed he had enough work to do on his own residence. A few weeks after I listed the property, I got him to clean up the place. Obviously, it showed so much better. A little while later, we got an offer. Even when FSBO sellers are willing to put in the effort making repairs and modifications, they’re likely to spend their money and time on the wrong projects — like converting a garage into a bedroom. You’ve probably known homeowners who wasted money adding a bathroom to a little-used part of their basement; an island that restricts traffic flow in the kitchen; or — shudder! — a high-cost, high-maintenance swimming pool. How many sellers have labored over backyard landscaping that has no effect on curb appeal? Homeowners are rarely skilled at showing their houses. They usually don’t take time to find out much about prospective buyers. Consequently, these sellers don’t know what to highlight and what to downplay when conducting a tour of their property. Their people skills might also be poor. Some stand glumly with their hands in their pockets. Others annoyingly hover over prospective buyers. Either way, house hunters are unlikely to express their concerns candidly to the homeowner.