For Sale By Owner

Ever sold a car on your own? If you can handle that, you can handle selling your home on your own, too, according to the folks at www.ForSaleByOwner.com. Founder Colby Sambrotto says you don't have to be an expert, or even have a real estate background to be successful. Here are some tips:

FSBO Tips

Research - Do your homework before you put up your first sign. Go to the library, search online and talk with friends who sold their home by owner. The information you gather will be priceless as you try to negotiate your sale.
Potential money-savings - If the typical commission is six percent, and the price of the home is 200 thousand dollars, you can save $12,000 by selling your home yourself.
Services - There are services out there that can help. They provide assistance similar to a realtor, typically for a lot less money. Services such as Forsalebyowner.com or Assist2sell.com offer help for a flat fee ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars.

>>While it can save money, selling a house on your own is not for everyone. For example, if you now live in a different city than where the home is located, it may not be wise to try selling by owner. Also, there's a big time commitment involved. If you cannot be flexible with your time, you should find a quality realtor to help make sure your house can sell.

Are you thinking about putting your home on the market? What will make your house sell faster and for more money than one right around the corner? Before you jump into any expensive home improvement projects, you may want to try some tricks of the trade that will spruce up your house without costing a bundle.

How Much Should You Spend?

When getting your house ready to sell, your best bet is to spend as little money as possible. While buyers may like certain luxuries, they generally won't pay extra money for them. So, before you go ahead and invest thousands of dollars, contact a realtor and get some advice. He or she will be able to advise you on what improvements should be made.

Tricks of the Trade

Here are some inexpensive ways you can prepare your house for a sale:

Curb appeal.

When getting your house ready, realtors say your first concern should be the outside. If the exterior looks nice, chances are, potential buyers will want to look inside. Here are some ways you can enhance the exterior.

>>Keep your grass mowed and watered.

>>Trim your trees.

>>Make sure there is no overgrowth.

>>Add some color by planting flowers.

>>Put all equipment, like gardening tools and children's toys away.

>>Sweep the entryway.

>>Paint the front door a neutral color.

Spring cleaning.

Once potential buyers step inside, you want the house to look as spacious as possible. So, clean up the clutter. Go through your belongings and throw away, sell, or donate anything you don't plan to bring to your next home. You should also take any small appliances off your kitchen countertops. If you have a lot of collections, box them up and put them in the garage if you have one, or in storage.

You should also keep your house as clean as possible. If you don't have time to clean your house on a daily basis, you may want to consider hiring a professional cleaner.

A bright idea.

Experts say make sure to keep your house as bright as possible while prospective buyers are looking around. Open all your drapes and turn the lights on. If you have any burned out light bulbs, replace them.

The smell test.

Keep your house smelling fresh. You may want to light candles, use sprays, or open boxes of baking soda. Another common tactic is to bake a treat in the kitchen.

If you have any pets, give them a good bath or leave them with a friend when prospective buyers come calling.

Necessary repairs.

If there's anything in your home that needs repairs, it's time to fix it. Do you have leaky faucets or cracked windowpanes?
Kitchen.

If you have the funds to invest money in remodeling, the kitchen is generally the best place to start. However, if you don't plan on buying new appliances, you may just want to invest in new cabinet knobs and a coat of neutral paint.

Walkthrough.

Take a walk around your house as if you were a prospective homebuyer. Be objective and honest. Is there anything else you can do to make the house more desirable? Would you want to buy the home?

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