TL/DR? OK, in this article we outline how to sell your home without a realtor fast and never pay a commission. We buy homes in Virginia and we can close within two weeks. Now to the article!
Want to keep more of the money when you sell your home? You can sell your home without going through a Realtor and keep more of that money.
The commission on a real estate sale is usually 5-6 percent. It could be more depending on the contract you sign.
Let’s look at some of the issues with selling your house as For Sale By Owner (FSBO). Then, I will tell you the easiest and most hassle-free way to sell your home and you will never pay a commission.
REAL MONEY
Real estate agents get paid for their work. It is real money. If they sell a house for $300,000, then 6% of that is $18,000. Real money.
What could you do with that $18,000? You could buy a good used vehicle and pay for it immediately. You could take a well-deserved vacation. You could put it all toward the purchase of your new house and reduce your mortgage. You could put it in a bank or invest it.
You could eliminate the need for a mortgage depending on the purchase price of your new home.
It is your money you are saving by not using a Realtor. You decide how to use it. A Realtor is a member of the National Association of Realtors (NAR). All real estate agents are not Realtors, but all Realtors are real estate agents. When you work with a Realtor, you are paying their Association dues through the commission you are required to pay.
How to Sell Your Home Without a Realtor
SOME WORK
If you choose to sell your property without going through a real estate agent, you may have to do some work. Here are the major things you have to do for a successful FSBO. If it sounds like a lot of work, it is.
Advertise
You will need to advertise the property for sale. This can mean signs in the yard. You may need to advertise in area newspapers.
You should also look into posting the property with online sites like Craigslist, eBay and other places where people will see it. Some of these are free and some charge. Some people have success with Facebook marketplace. Be aware that will draw a LOT of attention to you and your property.
News reports state criminals are increasingly using Facebook marketplace to target people to rob and homes to burglarize. They pretend to be interested in what you have for sale. They are really looking for something to steal.
Scary.
Description
When you list a property for sale online, the description is key. You have to make it interesting. Simply saying “House for sale” and your phone number will not work very well. You will get lots of people calling wanting to rent the house or offering you an insultingly low price. You certainly will get a lot of crank calls.
Real estate agents are familiar with these problems. They are paid to deal with situations like I mention just above.
You can avoid the hassle. You will deal with one person, period. I tell you how this works below.
Pictures
You need good pictures of your house, inside and out, to get people to look at your listing online. That is just showing people, including criminals, what you have in your home.
Keep your home and your property sale. I tell you how to sell your home without posting anything online.
MLS
Real estate agents have access to the nationwide Multiple Listing System (MLS). You can post your property to the MLS, but you have to pay a fee to do this. This also advertises your property to real estate agents who will call you and try to get you to sign a sales contract.
Showing Property
A big headache Realtors rarely discuss is showing property. This is when prospective buyers show up to look at the house. Real estate agents rarely talk about this.
Their problems with showing a home are:
- Making an appointment with the owner. They prefer you not be home.
- Tire kickers. These people have no intention of buying a home and are wasting time.
- No shows. A buyer makes an appointment and never shows up.
If you try to sell your home on your own, you will experience these same headaches. Skip the need for aspirin and sell your house the easy way. Keep reading to find out how.
Negotiations
Some people like to negotiate. Other people hate haggling. Real estate agents tell you that discussions to get to a final price is part of the sales process. The buyer offers. The owner counter-offers. So on and so on until the two of you reach an agreement, if you reach an agreement.
In a seller’s market, you may have to deal with buyers trying to outbid each other. While that sounds great – more money for you – it does mean you have to run a balancing act. You have to go back and forth between buyers until one buyer is left.
Then, you may still have to negotiate things like points, closing costs and recording fees and more.
If the buyer backs out, then you have to start the process over again. If the buyer cannot get financing, you are back to square one again.
Go from square one to selling your house in one step. It is easy. I have helped so many people sell their home fast and I can do the same for you.
Easier way
Yes. There is an easier way. Before I tell you about that, we need to look at two more things involved with selling your house through an agent.
SET A PRICE
How do you set a price for your house? The tax collector has an idea of what the house is worth. That is a starting point. Homes rarely sell for what the tax collector says they are worth.
Real estate websites like Zillow and Trulia will give you an estimate as well. Each website may give you a price that is thousands to tens of thousands different than what the others say. Which do you believe? None of them.
You need a professional opinion based on market conditions right then. Websites typically are a month or more behind. In 30 days, your home price could change by $10,000 or more. That is a lot of money.
You could hire a professional appraiser, which is more money out of your pocket. Real estate appraisals are generally good for 30 days or so. If you had an appraisal 6 months ago in an active real estate market, your buyer might want a new one. More money gone. Or you could take the advice I share below.
Some buyers may want a home inspection, something you typically pay for. That’s more money you have to spend and hope to recover in the sale price. I have a better way.
TIME
How much time do you have to sell your house? If you are buying another house, you need to sell the old one ASAP.
Tire kickers, multiple buyers and then scheduling a convenient closing date can drag the process out. Depending on your area, a house could sell in a week or stay on the market for a year or longer.
You do not need to wait. If you need to sell your house in a hurry, I have the solution. The only time you need to invest is a call to me and then sign the paperwork on the closing day.
MAKE THIS EASY
Let’s make this easy. Let’s cut the time down to as soon as possible. Let’s get rid of dealing with the public and trying to find a qualified buyer.
You want to deal with someone who has the money to buy your house right now. You want your money fast.
I buy homes direct from owners and the owner never pays a commission to a real estate agent or a Realtor.
I have the money to buy your house right now. We can close the deal in a few days. You get your money at closing. Nothing is held back in an escrow account.
AN OFFER
I know what homes in Virginia are selling for. I know the market. I can look over your house, inside and out, and make you an offer. If I don’t make an offer during my initial visit, I will have an offer ready within a business day or two.
You avoid all the headaches associated with trying to find an agreeable price.
CLOSING
Closing is fast. I typically close on the houses I buy within three weeks. Sometimes it gets done in less than 10 days.
I already have a real estate attorney to handle the closing. I have all the paperwork needed to process the sale. As a real estate notary, I am already familiar with the paperwork. I am happy to explain it to you.
You get your money fast. You no do not worry about the house. You move on with your life.
NO REMODELING
A Realtor may tell you that part of your home needs to be remodeled, painted or something else in order for it to sell. I tell you a fresh coat of paint does not matter to me. When I buy your home, if minor work like that needs to be done, I will take care of it.
NO ADVERTISING
Advertising real estate is hard. Unless I buy your home, you need a great description and awesome photos. I do not need that. One of my associates or I will visit and look over your home. We’ll take our own pictures.
You save money by not advertising. You do not pay an MLS fee. You do not pay a website to host your ad. You do not buy signs. You get to keep all the money you would otherwise spend trying to sell the home.
NO AGENT CONTRACT
I do not require a real estate agent contract giving me the rights to try to sell your home. You are selling your home direct to me. We do not need a third person to negotiate the same or us.
We agree on a price and that is all. A few days later, you will sign the sales contract and get your money.
LEARN MORE
If you want to learn more about how to sell your house without a realtor, visit https://www.keithleylaw.com/real-estate/selling-a-home-without-a-real-estate-agent/ . Keithley is a Virginia real estate attorney, and he spells out the process very effectively.
If you decide that is too much work, call me (Stephen) at Onyx REI. Get your money fast. Avoid the headaches.
Yes, you can sell your house without a realtor. When you need to sell your home in a hurry, I can make that happen.