Are You Selling Your Home as " For Sale By Owner" (FSBO) 

It can be difficult and time consuming. Before you decide to sell your home FSBO, There are some important questions you may want to ask yourself:

Do you have any knowledge of real estate and contract laws?         If not? Are you willing, and do you have the time to research them?  At least minimally enough, to protect you from a potential lawsuit, if a mistake is made?  

Real Estate agents/Realtors^® are professionals and are thoroughly trained in real estate legal issues and contract law.

Real Estate agents/Realtors^® are usually required to carry Errors and Omission Insurance, and in many cases in amounts up to 1 millions dollars. 

What is your real motivation "To Sell"? And in selling, as a FSBO?

Are you selling to save money?

It is no secret to buyers that if you are selling as a FSBO, you are not paying commission. Do you think they expect you to get the savings?  No! They want to discount your home by the amount of the commission!  Many investors search out FSBO sellers, as investment property. Seller's who use a real estate professional make 16% more on the sale of their home, than sellers who go it alone, according to recent (NAR)National Association or Realtors^® statistics.

Yes! Realtors^® fees can be expensive. Not nearly as expensive as other professional services. Would you consider operating on yourself, or a family member, to avoid a doctor fee?  Or perhaps representing yourself in a court of law, to avoid a lawyer fee?  Unrepresented sellers often do not understand the complexity, range and timing of tasks they will have to perform, if they don't use a professional. Realtors^® are real estate professionals who are experts in marketing and negotiation.  

Realtors® have to pay all of the advertising and marketing fees, and put in countless hours of work to effectively market your home, they get paid nothing if the home does not sell, and could potentially lose $1000's.

Is Safety an issue, for yourself, your family, and your property?

Have you considered what methods; you will use to screen potential buyers?

Perhaps if someone showed up at your home, at night, and wanted a tour of your home, would you let them in?  If you didn't could you lose out on a sale? Our real estate offices have strict policies for meeting customers at the office and photocopying their driver's license, writing down tag numbers, and have strict safety procedures to keep their agents safe! 

Do you have the time and flexibility to show your house to potential buyers?

Do you have the time on a weekend to devote to an open house? 

Can you get time off work to show the house?

Often! Relocating or Out of Town Buyers, come into town for short periods of time, hours, maybe a day or two. Their schedule will not allow time for home sellers that can’t be available, when they need to see a home. Can you afford to pass up a potential buyer?

Can you separate yourself emotionally enough so you can effectively negotiate, if you do receive an offer?

In addition, Realtors^® are experts in attracting qualified buyers. A professional can show a home more objectively than can a seller who may be emotionally attached to the home, and who might become unraveled/unnerved by a prospective buyer's critical comments

Do you know and understand the seller’s obligation when it comes to different types of loans?

Do you know how to price your home appropriately?

Pricing a home is a difficult process and requires a lot of knowledge and research, Realtors^® can help a seller set a realistic price, and ensure the proper paperwork and various disclosurers and inspections are completed and handled correctly.

Realtors^® know best how to prepare a home and maximize value, provide broader exposure to the market and are more likely to generate multiple offers, than a seller on their own. 

On average according the National Association of Realtors®, the typical FSBO home sold for $187,200 compared to $247,000 for agent-assisted home sales.

Now! I'm not trying to change your mind, or dissuade you, from your decision to place your home on the Columbus Indiana and area, housing market as a FSBO.

NO! Not my intention.I wish you good fortune in your effort, and I hope you succeed. If I can be of service to you by answering questions you may have, feel free to call me and ask!

Martin Dorgan 812-603-1368