What are the best ways to sell my house in Clearwater without using an agent?
When you consider the possible savings of 5-6% in commissions it does motivate one to think of how it is best to sell their home without spending it.
Certainly real estate agents can perform valuable services. They research properties to find the right one and take care of all of the negotiations.
Still 6% on a $300,000 home is $18,000. Not a small amount by any means.
What are some of the things you can do to avoid paying that?
Many FSBOs intend to save commissions by advertising and selling on their own. There are services which allow anyone to post their homes on the MLS. This brings buyers, but often these buyers bring agents with them.
These buyer’s agents will typically collect 3% or $9,000 from the above example. It may be in your interest to entertain an offer from a qualified buyer even if you have to pay commissions. Just don’t be surprised if this is the case.
The first thing to do is take GREAT pictures of your home. Most people make the mistake of simply using a cell phone. Those pictures look cheap and don’t sell the value of your home. You need w-i-d-e angle shots to communicate and inviting space.
If you don’t have a wide angle camera don’t worry. You can purchase a clip on lens for a cell phone from Amazon, which will turn your cell into a great wide angle camera.
Start with the front of the home. Take pictures from several angles. Proceed into the home and take pictures in a logical and sequential manner. For example living room, kitchen, bedrooms 1,2 and 3 bathrooms 1 and 2. Progress into the backyard and take several shots from different angles. If there is a garage take pictures of that too.
Upload these into your computer, but insure that you label each picture so that they don’t become jumbled and out of order.
Next step is to go to one of the many FSBO sites to upload your pictures. Zillow is the most popular, but there is also Trulia and many other FSBO sites; just Google to find more to use.
The sites will ask you to write a description of your home. Think about the aspects of your home that you love most. Jot down some ideas. Look over some other ads to see which descriptions catch your eye. It’s OK to paraphrase successful descriptions, so go for it.
A common problem for many people who try to sell their home in Clearwater is that they have not properly priced their home. You want to discover what the “comps” or comparable home sales in your area.
You can find this information on Zillow by looking into the “neighborhood” tab and looking for homes that have sold in your area over the last 6 months. Compare homes with similar sq. footage, bedrooms and baths. From there you’ll get a fair price.
You could also ask a real estate agent to get the information for you, but guaranteed the agent will want to list your home. You could tell him you want to try by yourself first and possibly use him if you need help.
These tips will likely save you some on commissions. However you many still be saddled with closing costs and other fees. These add up to thousands.
Working with a real estate investor saves ALL of the commissions, closing costs, and can be done quickly.
We can provide an offer and close on your property in as little a 3-5 days.
Call us for a fair and fast price on your home at 727-325-2545 or visit sell my house in Clearwater.
Best,
Roger Harrison
Clearwater Home Buyers
www.sellmyhomeinclearwater.com
