FSBO – For Sale By Owner

16 Nov

Metro®Boston, Publication Date: November 15, 2011
By AttorneyGeorge Warshaw

It’s tempting, very tempting.

Sell your home yourself and save the broker’s commission. But is it a false savings?

While people often underestimate the value of a good realtor, nonetheless, some homeowners have sold their homes successfully.

There are two parts of the FSBO process: marketing and legal.

Marketing involves finding a buyer and enticing your buyer to make an offer. Legal is about what’s needed to complete the sale.

MARKETING. You have to know how to price your home. Pricing requires research, time, and going to open houses. That can give you a false sense of price if you only look at properties that haven’t sold; i.e. they’re priced too high.

You may list your property on FSBO websites, Craig’s List, etc., but you’ve limited your market.

No broker is going to bring a client to see a FSBO and many potential buyers are leery of FSBO sales.

Try another approach! Don’t try to save all the commission, just try to save half.

Act as your own real estate agent. Hold an open house. Send out announcements to local brokerages that you’ll cooperate with brokers and pay a buyer’s broker fee of xx%. 

It may be a smart “savings” compromise.

Next week read the legal components of a FSBO.

© 2011 George Warshaw. All Right Reserved.

George Warshaw is a real estate attorney and author. He represents buyers and sellers of homes and condos in Massachusetts, and prepares wills, trusts, and estate plans. George welcomes new clients and questions at george.warshaw@warshawlaw.com.  

Legal Advice: Laws, and court decisionsinterpreting them, change frequently and this article is not updated as laws change. The content and information contained in this article is neitherintended as legal advice nor shall establish an attorney-client relationship.

Before making any legal decision, consult an attorney to see how the foregoing may apply to your circumstances.

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