Are you thinking about trying to sell your home without an agent? With today’s online resources, you may be able to do just that, but it is not going to be easy.  

Selling a house has always been about showcasing the property in places where potential buyers look. Today, buyers have access to hundreds of properties for sale via the Internet. Something unheard of less than 20 years ago.  If you are thinking about selling without an agent, the key is to make your home stand out and position it correctly. This is how to have a successful sale.

Selling a house in today’s market involves a lot  more than just listing it on the MLS and putting a sign in the yard.  You have to know how to properly market your house online to get the best exposure possible.

More exposure equals more interest.

More interest equals more showings.

More showings equals more offers.

More offers equals higher price.

Marketing online is the key to a successful sale.

1.) Pictures: Using bad pictures is the #1 mistake made when selling home, with or without an agent. If you want to sell your house by yourself, the first step is to use quality pictures.  Bad pictures can deter a prospective buyer from seeing a property just as much as having no pictures.  

Home buyers will look at the pictures before deciding if they want to view a house. If your pictures look good online, they are more likely to schedule a showing. If your pictures are horrible, it can leave a bad first impression and result in no showing at all.

2.) Videos: While pictures show off the main selling features of a home, a video gives buyers the lay of the land. Using videos the correct way will increase the exposure a property has on the market. A video can bring a lot of excitement to a property. If you plan on selling home without an agent, I highly suggest finding a good property videographer. A great video will definitely help your house stand out and generate interest.  

3.) Online Listings:  You need to be advertised on the largest home search engines such as Realtor.com, Zillow and Homes.com.  That is where the majority of today’s buyers are looking. If you aren’t there no one is going to see your property.

4.) Listing Remarks: Listing remarks are crucial when describing your house.  You need to create a good story line for your house so that your description needs to strike a cord with your potential buyer. Many people do a very poor job of describing their property. While the pictures and videos will show what the house looks like, the house description is what you use to  speak to your potential home buyer about that home’s lifestyle. Is the property near public transportation, highway access, or lakefront?  Does it have a large backyard for entertaining, room for a family to grow, or great for someone downsizing?  Think of who would be the ideal buyer and speak to them.  

5.) Property information: The information about the property should be filled out in its entirety.  If your house resides in a good school district, that is definitely an important selling point.  Make sure all the information is correct, if your property is listed with the incorrect number of bathrooms or HOA fees, it can definitely affect what buyers want to see your home.  

6.) Pricing suggestion:  The best chance you will have at selling without a Realtor are the first few weeks your home is listed. That is when the entire market takes notice that there is a new kid on the block. Pricing your house is very strategic and the most important part of selling. For most people looking to buy, their main search criteria is based on price. My best advice is to price your house correctly from the beginning and do not accumulate too much market time. Price it within market value and do not try to reach for something you know is completely unrealistic.  

7.) Showing advice: A property staged well will have better results. Do not try and sell your house without making it look it’s best.  Minor improvements could create a faster house sale.  Make sure your house is clean, and remove any excess clutter and boxes.  The first weekend you list, if you can, ship the dogs and kids to Grandma’s house or rent a hotel.  It will make sure the property stays spotless and give interested parties plenty of time to view.  

8.) Weak signage:  When you are selling your home, with or without a Realtor, everyone in your neighborhood wants to know how much you’re asking.  It is human nature to be curious.  Placing a simple “For Sale” sign and an information tube in front of your property can get a lot of traction in a small amount of time.

9.) Create urgency:  You want to set up a marketing plan.  When listing you may want to immediately setup an open house the next day so people can cycle through, or add in remarks like “Offers accepted and presented this Monday, January 1 before 6pm”.  These statements create urgency and buzz around the house and create a perception that it is a well-valued property.

10.) Offer Incentives- Create incentives to purchase your home. You could offer the buyer’s agent an extra point of commission. You could also offer to cover some closing costs or a credit towards upgrades.  

Before Selling on your own, you need to take into account if keeping the 3% commission is really saving you money in the long run.  According to the California Association of Realtors, homes listed with Realtors sell for roughly $46,000 more than homes listed without one.  In California, The average sales price to homes listed by owner was $184,000 vs. $230,000 to homes listed with a Realtor.

So while selling on your own does give you control over the sale, it also may become a huge headache that costs you in the long run. Just like anything do your research and if you decide to sell on your own, good luck!