If you’ve been considering selling your home without the help of an agent, you are not alone. Many people opt to go this route despite the work that is required. Don’t be deceived into thinking that selling your home by yourself is too much work. Quite frankly, it isn’t much more than selling with an agent. If you want to take this path, we will help you understand how to sell your house by yourself.
1. Do the Research
This is one area you don’t need to worry about when you use an agent. They have the tools to quickly research for you. If you want to know how to sell your house by yourself, you’ll need to understand your local market.
Check into what comparable homes in your area have sold for during the last six months. You can use the newspapers, websites or hire a home appraiser to accurately price your home.
2. Price the Home to Sell
Before you put your home up for sale, you need to price it competitively. If you’ve been in your home for many years, this might be a difficult step for you to take. Many people want to overprice the house, but you need to avoid this trap.
The goal, in the long run, is to sell your home; make sure the price is something that you would feel comfortable paying.
3. Market on Numerous Media Formats
Many home buyers start by searching online. This is a great place to start. There are numerous platforms available; some that are free and others that charge a fee. You can also turn to social media to help sell your home. Post a few pictures and links on your Facebook page and ask loved ones to share it.
Next, you’ll want to put one of those bright signs on your lawn letting others know that your house is available.
4. Host an Open House
We know what a pain it can be to stage your home, but you would’ve done it even if you had an agent. The best way to sell your home is to open it up and let others take a peek. The perk of learning how to sell your house by yourself is that you are a part of the showings. When you work with an agent, they’ll want you to leave during the appointments.
Don’t be afraid to show off the home during the open house and other appointments. Make your case, but don’t go overboard. Look at it from the perspective of a real estate agent instead of the homeowner.
You might even want to make a handy information sheet to pass out. Potential buyers find it useful plus it keeps the home in their minds even after they leave.
5. Declare the Property’s Selling Points
As you write up the ads, include all the essential information. This consists of the price, number of bathrooms and bedrooms, location, lot size plus anything that makes the property special. Read through some other listings to find out what seems to be significant. You’ll quickly learn that listing things such as oversized windows or granite countertops appear to be a selling feature.
6. Negotiate
Once you receive a contract, you have several options. You can:
- Accept their offer
- Revise the agreement and send it back
- Decline the offer
This process continues until both parties are comfortable and sign the contract. If you aren’t familiar with this contract, you might want to visit a lawyer first. Otherwise, an agent will offer this to you for a flat fee.
Occasionally agents relay your position to the buyer in hopes of getting a sale faster. This isn’t in your best interest. That’s why learning how to sell your house by yourself might be the way to go.
7. Follow All Laws
You must follow all the laws of your area. Some are universal no matter where you live and others are local. If this is an area you aren’t sure about, make sure you visit a real estate attorney for help.
Should You Learn How to Sell Your House by Yourself?
Now that you understand all the steps, is selling your home alone the best path for you? Hiring an agent relieves some of the burdens. You won’t have to do all the research, market the property or deal with the contracts. On the other hand, having an agent can be a pain as well. You need to have regular open houses, leave your home for appointments and worry if they are sharing your bottom line with others.
While you can save lots of money selling your home yourself, it isn’t always the best option. If you do decide to take this route, be sure to read Common House Selling Mistakes and Tips to Sell Your Home Faster.
If you want some other options, you might consider selling to Integrity Homebuyers instead. We can make a fair cash offer on your home in 24 hours. This means you avoid:
- Making any repairs
- Dealing with potential buyers
- Showing your home
- Figuring out contracts
- Waiting months for financing to come through
It doesn’t get much better than that! So, what are you waiting for?
We Buy Houses in Maryland and Washington DC
