 Posted 1/28/2007 6:42:14 AM
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| We are trying to sell our house on our own and haven't had any interested parties. We priced it the same as 2 others houses for sale in the area and ours is newer and bigger. We have had almost 600 views on owners.com within the past month. I have placed an ad in the local newspaper and community news. I am reallly considering going to a realtor at this point. But I am also considering the flat fell MLS option. Doesn't anyone know a good website with low flat rates? I found one for $299 and that is about the lowest I could find. And do people really have success with it? I hate to keep putting money out and then have to turn around and use a realtor anyways.
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Posted 1/28/2007 9:00:48 AM
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Hi Julie
I know exactly what you mean. We have similar issues, house cheaper than competitors etc. We put our house on mls from the start which is 5months now and we've only had 1 enquiry from that.
We focus more on this website with 1500 hits, yard sign, flyers and once we put and Ad in the paper with no enquiries. Realtors in my area say they are so busy and some properties have sold. Houses we are looking at where we are moving to are selling of course all with realtors.
we were recommended to do this by a neighbour who did it and said it was so easy. We are about to also give up as we feel we are pumping money to no avail. After all how can you sell a house when nobody comes through the door. As for curb appeal, ours is the best looking house on the street. A house similar to ours up the street from us being sold by a realtor has had the same amount of lookers in 2 weeks as we have had in 5 months. What does that say!!! Sorry for the despondency but it gets to most sooner or later.
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Posted 1/28/2007 9:58:44 AM
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| I appreciate your honest response. I think you have helped me make my decision. We have a contigency on a new home until March 1and at this rate we will lose our dream home. I don't want to keep pumping out money either to have to turn around to pay a realtor anyways. It definitely was worth a try based on the good stories I heard. But I do hear much better stories when realtors are involved. I have been hearing that people buying homes like to deal with realtors and are a little leary of FSBOs. Well good luck in your venture also.
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Posted 1/28/2007 3:19:50 PM
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Julie, there are many options to selling your home not just doing everything yourself. A program that i use with FSBOS is get the seller of the home your buying to pay the listing commission. Remember everything is negotiable not just the price of your home.
Matt
Remax agent
www.bergenhomeseller.com
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Posted 1/29/2007 4:50:53 PM
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HI Julie,
It's tough to sell a home when you have the pressure of closing on a new home. That's why most real estate experts recommend selling your home first before buying a new one. But that's water under the bridge for you.
You put your house on the market at the slowest time of year - Dec. 23 - so while people may be researching houses on the web during the holidays, they're definitely not ready to buy. We are only just now starting to see the market pick up.
The national average for home sales which is tracked for real estate agent represented homes is 63 days.
So I recommend that anyone who plans to sell their home FSBO give themselves at least two months to sell.
Here are Forum seller comments on the length of time it took to sell their homes under Forum "Making the Sale" http://www.owners.com/forum/Topic250-19-1.aspx
You have the added burden of living in New York which has been suffering from the buyer's market where the number of sales and sale prices have been down.
The MLS is where most agents go to look for homes for their buyers. And, real estate agents have a fiduciary duty to show ALL potential homes to their buyers, including FSBOs. Our MLS program is $377 and our sellers have had great success with it: http://www.owners.com/Services/MLS.aspx
Best of luck to you with the sale of your home.
FSBO Guru
Owners.com
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Posted 2/1/2007 7:00:57 PM
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Julie,
I have a client in the exact same position. Although, she didnt put her house on the market until AFTER she signed a contract on her dream home, again water under the bridge for her as well.
MLS would be a great option for you, however....
Should you decide to go with a realtor, make sure they understand your position and bust their butt for you. I am not afraid to admit that there are some that will get the listing and not do a whole lot. Be sure and question their marketing plan for your property and hold them to it. Make them earn that commission. I charge on the higher side of commissions, and to be honest, no one ever grumbles, but they also see all my listing everywhere! I have pitty for them, I just signed with an investor today and am listing 44 properties, I need to figure this one out, I think its time to do announcement in newsletter form :-)
Its not always enough to just stick in on MLS. Make them work and earn that commission.
Brande Bradford
Bradford Realty Group
"What you give, determines what you will receive"
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Posted 2/8/2007 3:12:06 PM
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Julie,
I posted my house on the MLS using the flat fee through www.valueMLS.com They are great as far as I can tell.. When you sign and get all the papers faxed back to them they had my house listed on the local MLS within 2 hours, and any changes you want made after they are quick and get those done within the hour. They are very friendly, courteous. I couldnt ask for a better Realtor to list it. I dealt with 4 realtors before going FSBO and I'll never use an agent (at least in Fredericksburg, Va. again to sell my house. If your still planning the route of doin the MLS check out valuemls.com .
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Posted 2/20/2007 12:54:27 PM
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| Yes, had the very same problem with my house however, be patient if you can. This seems to be a bad time all over for the seller(s). I need to sell mine ASAP, so I did hire a Realtor, however, I looked around and did some searching on the internet and found one that works out of her house without added expenses and got my listing for 3% if she sells it and 4% on MLS, so I am saving a lot of $$$.. Market just now picking up and starting to see some activity after 5 months of NOTHING!!!!!!!!!! Hope this helps.... Ed[/size]
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Posted 2/24/2007 5:02:36 AM
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Hi Julie,
Creating activity is what you need, marketing your home to everyone you can think of through the internet, friends, relatives, sending out cards or invitations to lunch open house to 50 households nearby. Get out your Christmas card list and send them a flyer and invite them to lunch. Put together a few door prizes, it can be done on the cheap, everyone knows someone who is going to buy a house. Why not your house.
This will create activity, put out many signs directing people to your location. Follow up with a weekend ad in the newspaper. Offer incentives to buy now...i.e. interest rate buydowns. instead of lowering your price help the buyer get a better rate. Something to think about good luck....
Michael E. Jones
Mr. Northwest Valley
Ken Meade Realty
15210 North 99th Avenue
Sun City, AZ 85351
(623)341-2251
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Posted 7/3/2007 7:17:08 PM
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Hi, this post is directed to the FSBO Guru,
I just read one of your posts and in it you said that all realtors have a "fiduciary duty" to show their clients all properties including FSBO's. Does that only apply to FSBO's listed on the MLS? Or does that include FSBO's in general? I've sent virtual flyers to about 50 realtors showcasing my FSBO property, so they're definitely aware of it. But...does that mean they have to make their clients aware of it as well? Also: what about all of the realtors who show up at my door looking to list my home (who I then turn away)? They're obviously aware of my property. Are they then bound by duty to make their clients aware of my home as well? I'm just curious. Thanks!
Linda
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