Southwest Florida Title Insurance & Real Estate Blog

You recently listed your house “for sale by owner” but you’re not getting any prospective buyers. What gives?

Back in 1989, you may recall a movie called Field of Dreams in which Kevin Costner hears a voice that tells him “If you build it, he will come. So he winds up turning his corn field into a baseball diamond and the Chicago Black Sox come.

While this may work in Hollywood, homeowners looking to sell their homes in the real world often have this idea that: “If I list it, they will come,” but wind up losing hope when no buyers call.

But what about all those “for sale by owner” success stories?

While you may have read a few success stories online (most likely on a ‘FSBO’ website), generally those people who successfully sell their homes without the assistance of a real estate agent are REAL ESTATE AGENTS or someone who has done their homework on the local market.

If you’re an average Joe who isn’t a real estate agent, but you’ve still got a do-it-yourselfer-type-spirit and you want to sell your home yourself, then we’ve got an informative guide that can help you.

Click to download a free copy

For Sale By Owner: 10 Tips for Selling your Real Estate is a free guide that we put together for motivated people such as yourself who want to sell their homes.

While many of the tips in this guide are universal for all home-owners, some of the tips are specific to residents of Florida because as a licensed title company in Florida, we know these laws best.

By downloading this free guide, here’s what you’ll learn:

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No doubt let’s get ready to negotiate doesn’t sound as cool as Let’s Get Ready to Rumble.

But I couldn’t come up with a more clever title to this blog post so that’s what we’re stuck with.

Anyhoo, when you’re selling your home “for sale by owner”, here is a helpful tip to help you negotiate with your buyer to come to a win-win agreement.

Check it out on MerchantCircle.com.

This is the seventh of 10 Tips for Selling Your Real Estate, a FREE guide to help you list your house “For Sale By Owner.” Available now at WingedFootTitle.com/ebooks.

Most sellers who list their home “for sale by owner”, tend to assume that potential buyers have been through the home-buying process and know the stages of buying a home.

However, the fact is, this is one of the services that a Realtor® would normally provide. It is now going to be up to you, as the seller, to walk the buyer through the process of getting to the closing table.

The best way to navigate financing is to align yourself with a local title company and mortgage company that can help walk you through the process.

Why you Need a Loan Officer or Mortgage Broker

By aligning yourself with a mortgage company, you are actually giving the loan officer leads in return for assisting you with the transaction, so it’s a win for everyone.

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This is the sixth of 10 Tips for Selling Your Real Estate, a FREE guide to help you list your house “For Sale By Owner.” Available now at WingedFootTitle.com/ebooks.

First of all, CONGRATULATIONS ON GETTING AN OFFER!

You must be very excited (provided it’s a reasonable offer, of course).

When you receive a written offer for the sale of your house from a potential buyer, you will first need to find out whether or not the individual is pre-qualified or pre-approved to buy your home.

If so, then you will need to review the proposed contract with a title company or real estate attorney.

Make sure you understand what is required of both parties to execute the transaction.

The contract, though not limited to this list, should include the following:

• Offer price
• Contingencies
• Down payment
• Settlement date
• Deposit amount
• Financing arrangements
• Legal description of the property
• List of fees and who will pay them
• Inspection rights and possible repair allowances
• Appliances and furnishings that will stay with the home
• Method of conveying the title and who will handle the closing

At this point, you have three options:

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Just posted a new article about the importance of taking great photos that catch people’s attention when you’re listing your house for sale by owner on Merchants Circle.

Check it out!

-Chris

This is the third of 10 Tips for Selling Your Real Estate, a FREE guide to help you list your house “For Sale By Owner.” Available now at WingedFootTitle.com/ebooks.

Most people don’t keep their homes in “showroom” condition 24/7. We tend to overlook things like piles of boxes in the garage, broken porch lights, chipped paint, or doors and windows that stick.

However, if you are putting your home up for sale, you will need to break out of the “owner’s” mindset, and put on your “seller’s” hat. It is time to get your house in tip-top shape for showings.

The condition of your home will affect how quickly it sells and the price the buyer is willing to offer. So, making a good first impression is essential! Here are some tips:

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