All You Need to Do to Sell a House Without an Agent

How do I Sell a House Without an Agent

Selling your property is one of the biggest reasons to move, and doing it FSBO (for sale by owner) and without a licensed agent isn’t going to be easy. It’s a big decision and can potentially save you lots of money, but it takes a significant amount of work to pull off properly. There is the legal aspect that needs to be taken care of early on, preparing your property, showing, purchase negotiations, and more. Not only will you have to do all of this, but you’ll also have other things to consider before moving to a new state. We know this sounds daunting, but you can successfully get your property sold and move out with enough patience and disciplined action.

Start by Research of the Real Estate Market in Your Area

Much like you would do housing research for the best places to live out west or any other region, you have to get familiar with the market in your current area. What are the current trends in your area? Who are the types of people you’re targeting? What are other properties priced as? There is much you need to understand the housing market first before you rush to getting your place sold.

Can I Sell My House on Zillow Without an Agent

For those who don’t know it, Zillow is a real estate website where you can get data and information about the housing market and purchase and rent, find home loans, find agents, and sell your property. It has many listings for houses and apartments and provides some useful info about the area and changes in pricing during the year, so you can know when is the best time to move out or put your property up for sale.

Should You Sell Your Home on Zillow

Although Zillow is a convenient website for FSBO, you should still consider things before using it. It could be a significant benefit, but it can also be a big hassle to deal with.

Whether you’re selling your place for the first time or moving out for the first time, you ought to be sure about what you’re getting into. Here are some of the pros and cons of using Zillow.

Pros:

• You have access to an extensive database of different housing markets
• You’ll have immediate listing exposure when you list a property
• You can start your search as early as possible.

Cons:

• It often has unrealistic evaluations because it only accounts for information from tax records and nothing else
• There are reports that a listing can have inaccurate data
• You won’t have access to any agents info.

Understanding the Legal Step of Selling Property

A big mistake that sellers make when they want to put a property up FSBO, without any agents, is not knowing all of the legal processes. If you aren’t familiar with the legal and financial paperwork involved, you expose yourself to some serious trouble.

Much like you’ll need the proper paperwork to rent or purchase a property when you move out of state, you’ll have to provide the same documents to potential buyers. Many other legal documents have to be filled out by an expert. Failing to do so could result in you being charged with fraud, negligence, or breach of contract – and charges to your record will not be suitable for any stress-free moving.

Should I Hire a Real-Estate Lawyer

Although you are preparing your property to be sold, while simultaneously looking for the cheapest way to move out of state, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to seek legal counsel. Having a real-estate lawyer could benefit you and help you avoid any legal trouble that could cost you more money or possibly put you behind bars. Much like you can ask long distance movers for tips for moving out of state, you can use advice from a real-estate lawyer about the legal process of auctioning your property.

Set a Realistic Price Before Selling Your Home

Setting the right price for your property can be a tricky thing to do. If your asking price is too low, then you risk getting way less than you were expecting to get, or it could end up in a bidding war. If you set it too high, you run the risk of it being on a listing for too long.

To avoid these problems, you should check the market and see how sellers are setting their prices for your area. You should also make sure you write down all of your home details, including any problems and if there is anything new or unique about the property. Those details can lower or bump up your asking price. Another option you have is to hire a licensed appraiser and have your property appraised. Though it might cost extra, you’ll have a more accurate price for your property.

Setting a Price for Your House

There are many factors to include into pricing your property. Learn more about housing prices and how to set your own.

Preparing, Advertising, and Showing Your Home

Now we get to the fun part and start preparing your property to be shown. This requires a lot of work, and you can do it all while preparing to move out of state. You’re going to want to find some packing tips for moving in a hurry because you don’t want to wait too long before you start.

Start Getting Your House Ready to be Presented

Your end goal is to get your property sold to buyers that you’re confident will take good care of it. If your place doesn’t look the part, then you can kiss that dream goodbye. Have your property look presentable and have plenty of information readily available for potential buyers.

Popular Places to Advertise Your Property

Online real-estate websites are incredibly convenient and easy to work with. You can visit Zillow, or Realtor, or Trulia. Any of these websites can quickly put you on the market and get you some needed exposure quickly. Just be sure to include high-quality pictures of each room, the outside, and make sure that the photographs are presentable – in other words, nice and clean.

What You Should Know About Showing a House

If you plan on putting your property up for sale, you need to make sure it looks as presentable as possible. You want to leave a lasting impression on visitors and come out with a few different bids. Here are a few tips you can follow:

• Your exterior should look good. It’s the first thing that people see, and you want it to be attractive.
• Offer a warm welcome. If your visitors feel like they belong there, they’ll want to buy.
• Create a welcoming atmosphere. You want the property to feel like a home to your visitors, so buy some air fresheners, use the heating or air conditioning if necessary, and make sure the place is bright.
• Always serve snacks and refreshments.

Negotiating With Potential Buyers

Negotiating price with a buyer takes skill. There are certain things that real-estate agents know when it comes to this, so you best be prepared. The first thing to know about property negotiation is all of the fine details about the property and the area you live in. Sellers have to know their property and what the customers are looking for. Next is to understand that no one wants to pay too much money for a home, so they might not want to seem too eager to buy even if interested. You’ll have to have a trump card or something extraordinary saved to push them into buying. There are plenty of other tips and tricks for negotiating price, so you’ll want to do research on negotiation to help you.

The Closing Process

Once a buyer has accepted the purchase offer, you can then present a contract to be signed to purchase the property. This happens typically 30 to 60 days after the signed agreement, and the closing process has started. After that, the buyer will order a professional inspector to check for minor and major defects of the property. You will also have to be sure all of the legal documents and paperwork are filled out correctly.

Are There Closing Costs When You Sell a House for Sale by Owner

Unfortunately, when it comes to closing costs and fees for FSBO, they come at about 3-4% of the home’s purchasing price. Since you’re doing this on your own, you’ll have to pay for a few different things like transfer taxes on the state, county, or municipal level. You’ll also have to spend money for attorney fees and any miscellaneous fees.

Have You Found Your New Home Yet

Now that you know what you need to do to get your place prepared, you’ll know what to look for when you’re moving across the country. You have much more work to be done in getting moved out, and you’ll need to have your belongings prepared. Hiring a long-distance moving company will help you as you can opt for the best reliable moving services. When selling your home while moving, you’ll need all the help you can get.