Why a Homeowner Should Sell "For Sale By Owner" FSBO

• Save thousands of dollars in real estate commissions
  
  Typical real estate commissions are 6%, which is usually split 3% for the buyer's agent and 3% for the seller's agent. If you are selling a $300,000 home, 6% equals $18,000. The real estate agent commission is unfortunately the biggest expense in selling a house, by a wide margin. All of the other closing costs combined - including title insurance, hazard insurance, etc. - are not even close to the costs of a 6% real estate commission.
  
  
• Protect the equity in your home
  
  An agent's commission is paid out of the equity you have in your home. Therefore, if the commission is $15,000 and you only have $30,000 in equity in your home, the commission alone will take away 50% of your equity. That is a big part of your equity that you have built up in your house. In a tough real estate market with property prices down, saving your equity has never been more important.
  
  
• Find interested buyers more quickly
  
  Buy and sell your home quickly with FSBO. The number one "feature" that sells a home is price. By selling FSBO, you have much more flexibility in pricing than a home seller using a real estate agent, because you are avoiding commissions. Therefore, if you choose, you can price your home more aggressively in your neighborhood, making your home even more attractive to potential buyers. In a competitive market place, pricing can make all the difference. Additionally, by selling FSBO you are taking charge of marketing. If you list with a real estate agent, he or she may have dozens of other listings that they are working on. Your focus on selling your home will likely be 10 times what it would be with a real estate agent.
  
  
• Be in control of the selling process
  
  If you want to feel in control of the selling process, FSBO can be a very rewarding experience. From choosing a price, to marketing, working with the title company, and negotiating with the buyer or buyer's agent, FSBO allows you to make all of the decisions. Even if you want a little help along the way, selling FSBO is still a good way to go. It's possible to get low cost "agent assisted" packages from For Sale By Owner websites like Yigdigs.com. For a flat fee, Yigdigs offers certified real estate agent assistance for potentially tricky issues like contract negotiation or counter offers.
  

Honestly, selling your home For Sale By Owner or FSBO is not the answer for everyone. It takes commitment and a true DIY attitude. But clearly it is possible since hundreds of thousands of people do it every year.

To sell FSBO, you will need to research how to competitively price your home. You will need to be ready to show your home yourself on a moment's notice. (This is not that different from using a real estate agent). You will also need to make sure you are adhering to disclosure laws in your state by filling out a "Seller's Disclosure" as required. And if you are afraid of negotiating on a price, then that is something you will need to overcome. Similarly, if you fear haggling with a car salesman about a new car, then selling your house FSBO is probably not for you. For some though, this is actually an enjoyable part of the experience!

In summary, selling FSBO is not easy, but frankly, neither is selling through a real estate agent. Going For Sale By Owner can be hard work but is also very rewarding. You will save money, protect equity, find buyers more quickly, and be in control. Not to mention, it's really pretty fun to do.

Yigdigs is the leading social media enabled website for homeowners to sell their homes. Features include "Yigdig it" Ratings and Reviews of properties, an active community of home sellers and real estate professionals, a menu of tools homeowners need to sell their homes, and home owner ratings and reviews of local agents.

Yigdigs makes it easy for you to find homes for sale by owner or sell your home yourself with just the real estate agent assistance you need, saving you thousands of dollars. Listing packages include free listings, Flat Fee MLS and Agent Assistance for contract negotiations and closing.