Advertising helps things to sell. Whether you are selling a home or a car, proper advertising is essential in making that sale. More often than not, FSBO homes don’t sell because the homeowner simply doesn’t put enough effort into advertising. Remember that your home will be going head to head in a competition with agent listed homes. Real estate agents are trained in art of advertising and will plaster their name and their homes all over the market. If you want to compete, you will have to put some serious effort into your marketing strategy.

One way to get a leg up on your competition is to list your home with one of many FSBO websites. These websites were created to help FSBO sellers to find buyers. Often, people want to save money and sell their own home but just don’t know where to start or what to do. With little advertising experience, they are often at a huge disadvantage to agent listed homes. By using these sites, you can have some of the tools you need to succeed. They do cost a few hundred dollars, but when compared to the thousands you will pay an agent, it really isn’t that much.

There are tons of FSBO sites out there. Some are great, others not so great and some are in between. How should a homeowner choose the best site from the many available? After all, you want to make the most bang for your advertising buck and finding the right site is essential.

How Well Does the Site Market?

You are paying quite a bit of money to list your home on a FSBO site. Make sure that the site you choose has the prominence you need. You want potential buyers to find your home and the big name sites are generally best able to achieve this. Choose a site that is well known and that boasts a strong following. This will ensure that your home is seen by many. If people don’t see your home, they surely can’t buy it. A rarely visited site will do little to help you sell your home.

Does it Offer an MLS Number?

Real estate agents and buyers use MLS numbers to find homes. Without an MLS number, your home will only be available to people using the specific site. This results in less views and fewer offers. If you want to sell your home quickly, you have to get the word out and getting an MLS number is key. Make sure that the site you choose can offer you an MLS listing. There is usually an additional charge for this service, but it is well worth the expense. Most good sites offer MLS listing, so if your site doesn’t offer it, you should probably choose another.

How Does it Look?

Potential buyers are more likely to visit and buy from professional and attractive sites. If you think the site is ugly, potential buyers will too. This may mean that fewer people will see your home. While having an attractive site isn’t a requirement for being a great site, it is usually an indicator. Choose websites that are attractive, easy to use and not covered in advertisements. Some sites will also offer additional promotional materials like flyers and yard signage. Also make sure that these look professional or they are simply a waste of money.

Is Customer Service Available 24 Hours a Day?

You may encounter questions and problems while listing your home. This is especially true for those that do not have a lot of experience working with computers and the internet. The best FSBO sites offer no charge customer service 24 hours a day. This will help you quickly resolve little issues and get back to what is important. Remember as a FSBO seller, you have to work efficiently to fit selling your home into your life. Customer service when you need it will help you get things done much more quickly.

What Does it Cost?

You probably chose to list your home FSBO to save money. Therefore, it is important to choose an affordable site. Do you really want to spend thousands of dollars while still listing your home yourself? Look at the packages available on each FSBO site you are considering to determine the best value. Many sites offer a variety of packages ranging from simple listing services, to professional photography to comprehensive packages with signage and flyers. Some sites even offer a guarantee that can result in money back if your home doesn’t sell. Look at your options and carefully compare to choose the best deal for your situation.

Remember that to accurately compare, you have to compare like things. Don’t compare an expensive and comprehensive package to a site that only offers listings. If a package costs more, find out why. It is possible that you are getting something that will make the extra expense worth it? In addition, if a deal seems to good to be true, it probably is. Look a little deeper to find out why. There is usually a good reason behind every price discrepancy.

Choosing to go the FSBO route can really result in a great deal of money saved. However, if you aren’t careful, you can end up in quite the mess. Advertising is key and you need to budget a certain amount of money to promoting your home and helping it to sell. You need to get the word out so that potential buyers can come and see what you have to offer. Choosing an FSBO site can help you in your journey. To get the best value, choose carefully.

Author Bio: Jason Kay recommends reading free home owner listing reviews to learn more about this service and if you\’d like to list your home there.

Category: Real Estate
Keywords: selling your home, for sale by owner, list home for sale