FSBO sellers have a special place in my heart. I love the determination they have for selling their home on their own, and with the right knowledge I know they can do it. If you are one of these determined human beings, to which I am referring, and you are thinking of selling FSBO, arm yourself with the knowledge of what to expect once you hang that sign outside the front of your house. It will make you that much better at the task of selling your home on your own.

The Calls

Calls will probably start coming in on the first day. Most of the calls will be from Realtors looking to list your home for sale. Your first instinct may be to hang up on them but I would recommend taking the time to talk to them.  Get a feel for them and keep a list of Realtors® you may want to interview in the future. By vetting them at the outset, you will have a list of potential candidates if you decide you want to use one. I am sure they will be thrilled to receive your call.

Caveat Venditor! Seller Beware!

Private Buyers

Now, if you do get the odd interested buyer, they will most likely be looking for a deal such as owner financing or some other atypical deal. To this I say Caveat Venditor! or Seller Beware! Don’t entertain, talk to or even give someone seeking this type of deal the time of day without professional advise. If they could purchase a home the conventional way, they would, but they are not for some reason and this is a flag.  You need professional to help to navigate through this type of offer. Don’t try to do this type of deal alone as it may end up costing you more than a Realtor’s commission.

Investors

The other type of buyer you are most likely to get will be the investor who is looking to take advantage of an inexperienced seller, and these guys are really good at what they do. In order for an investment to work the numbers have to make sense to them and not to you. They are in no way interested in paying the highest price for your property or in looking out for your best interest. Once again Caveat Venditor!

More Challenges

There will be more challenges along the way as you move the sale of your home along. You will need help, so ask for it. Asking for help doesn’t make you incapable of the task of selling FSBO, on the contrary, the knowledge will empower you.

You can ask for help in my FSBO Facebook group FSBO South Florida or you can contact me directly. I firmly believe that together we can help and learn a lot from each other.

I will be talking candidly and frankly about the challenges FSBOs face in this blog. Check back regularly or follow the blog. Remember that educating yourself is a big part of selling your home For Sale By Owner so take the time to get schooled!

Best of luck with the sale of your home!
-Désirée Ávila

Désirée is a licensed Florida Realtor and committed to a high-level of professionalism and to helping others with their real estate endeavors through education. Désirée Ávila was an award winning teacher for 10 years and has a doctoral level education in Educational Technology.