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FSBO Tip 29. More marketing ideas and tips when selling on your own

This is one article in a series of over 30 articles that will help you when selling your home privately in Ontario. When using these simple FSBO (For Sale by Owner) techniques that I have outlined below, these tips will help you sell your home without the assistance of a real estate agent. Just as many other people have successfully sold their home on their own in the past, you can too. It will possibly save you thousands, but it takes a great deal of work and firm commitment on your part to succeed in selling your home privately in Ontario. You may ask why I would provide such a series of indepth articles. The reason is simple. I want you to have all the information to make the best decision for yourself. You may sell privately, but need an agent to help you buy your next home, I hope you remember how helpful I was in helping you sell and use my services for your purchase. I wish you all the best of success. Here are some ways to market your home when selling on your own:

NEWSPAPER You must NOT consider this a primary source for advertising. Be careful that you get your moneys worth. If the newspaper offers photographs in the ad, do it. Do not advertise on a holiday weekend, rates are cheaper but there’s a reason. Provide the basic information especially price. Many sellers think they will generate more interest if you don’t put a price in your ad... all you generate is more phone calls from people who probably aren't interested once they learn the price. Target your market by including all pertinent information about your home. You do not want people calling you who either can’t afford your home or who want something you don’t have. INFORMATION SHEETS/PHOTO FLYERS These are a must. They should be in a tube or box attached to your yard sign for prospective buyers driving in the area, as well as having them available inside the home. Providing these can substantially eliminate unnecessary phone calls. Again, if you don’t have what a buyer wants, you really don’t want to even hear from them. Information sheets are inexpensive but vital. They should provide a photograph and a complete description of the home. OPEN HOUSES This type of marketing can be very successful for a builder with a new subdivision but with existing, owner-occupied homes, it’s questionable. First of all, if a prospect has driven by the home, seen it in a FSBO publication or the local newspaper, chances are they would prefer a private tour. The Open House does give the buyer the ability to tour the home without having to commit to a private showing. They may already know the price and the amenities of the home. Generally they want to ask questions and get very detailed responses. Also private showings allow you to ask questions of your prospect that you probably would not ask during an Open House. You must control showings and you want feed back. Therefore, you may need to adjust your marketing strategy to local custom. If having an Open House is expected in your market, then by all means, do it. Advertising your home on the Internet in today’s world is not something you need to think about, you just do it. You do need to make the decision where on the Internet you should advertise. INTERNET Creating a home page and putting your home "out there" should not be an option. Your ad, and your home page, will simply get lost. Advertise on a site that has hundreds of other homes for sale. The best approach is to go to the various search engines, i.e. Yahoo, Netscape, Internet Explorer, Snap.com, etc. and search "for sale by owner homes", "FSBO", "homes for sale by owner", etc. Find the sites that have the most merit. Visit the sites and manuever around in them. If they’re difficult sites to find and they’re difficult to navigate once you’re on the site, then you don’t want your home to be there. Prospective buyers will have the same feeling and will simply "click off" the site and go somewhere else. HomesByOwner and Property By Owner are convinced that this is the site where your home should be advertised. It’s easy to navigate, displays the home exceptionally well and provides a lot of assistance to buyers regarding financing, payment calculation, attorneys, area information and a myriad of other helpful services for both the buyer and seller. Internet ads should be the same as your other ads, complete with photograph and a full description. It’s interesting that different parts of the country view Open Houses differently. In some major Midwest cities, for example, Open Houses are expected if you’re going to sell but in similar size cities in the South, having an Open House is the exception rather than the rule. First and foremost, have a professional, easy-to-read yard sign. The sign should clearly say that the home is for sale by owner and should have the owners phone number in large bold print. A potential buyer should have a good impression of your home. Chipped exterior paint, loose gutters, overgrown shrubs and lawn, marred interior walls, cluttered closets and counters, and stained or dirty carpets are simply unacceptable to home buyers. These are all examples of problems that are easily resolved with very little expense.

This series of articles is brought to you by A. Mark Argentino and other real estate related resources, including Canadian Real Estate Association CREA and the Ontario Real Estate Association OREA. Back to list of Real Estate Helpful Articles

Whether you are interested in a Power of Sale Property, a Foreclosure Sale or a regular property purchase, I can assist you with all of the complexities when you purchase or sell your next property.  Please don't hesitate to email me If you have any questions or require further information, please send me an email. Thank you, Mark Argentino Read about Power of Sale, Bank Sales and Foreclosure Properties FAQ's Read a very detailed section about Power of Sale and Foreclosure or go back to list of Real Estate Helpful Articles