Is It For Me? Property For Sale By Owner FSBO
Tuesday, September 7th, 2010Primarily, there are two choices for potential property buyers - either explore the listings with Real Estate Agents or try out the For Sale By Owners (FSBO) market. The reasons for selling the property may be many, but the modes of selling are mostly these two. Obviously, both of these modes have their pros and cons but as a buyer, you must know the ins and outs of the concept of FSBO before deciding to buy property directly from the owners.
Here are a few things you need to know about property for sale by owners to help you make an informed opinion about the actual transaction.
Advantages of buying property from owners direct
Buying property directly from the owner entails immense benefits for the buyer. These benefits include -
No Commission: Buying any property that does not involve a real estate agent is financially beneficial for both buyers as well as the sellers. It saves a hefty commission amount for both parties of the transaction, who would’ve otherwise spent a large amount of money as the Agent’s cut or Real Estate Agent’s Commission. The percentage of this commission varies from country to country and agent to agent, but invariably, this amount is significant and could very well pinch the budget investors.
While not a ‘benefit’, one of the first things to remember when thinking about an FSBO home sale is that no matter where you are, the entire task can seem somewhat daunting and complicated. Adding to the complications is the fact that not only are there all kinds of legal forms required (if you have ever bought a home you know what I mean), but that requirements may vary from state to state. A California ‘for sale by owner’ home sale is probalby going to be different from a Texas FSBO transaction.
You might wonder that; if going the ‘for sale by owner’ route is so complicated and messy, why am I including this comment in an article for someone who is contemplating putting up their home in a ‘for sale by owner’ offering?
Well, let’s talk about those benefits.
The FSBO Kit - Despite the potential complexities, there are many companies which offer what could be called an FSBO kit. Depending upon the company, this kit will provide the homeowner with the FSBO legal forms, and hopefully some guidance on preparation and filing of the ‘for sale by owner’ documents.
However, be advised that an FSBO kit may range from simply the basic or most common forms needed with some instructions on how to fill them out and where to file them, to very complete FSBO kits which include ALL the legal forms needed, instructions on how to fill them out, where to file them, instructions on how to prepare your home for sale, how to advertise your home for sale effectively, and, in some cases, contact with a listing service which will help put the home out in front of prospective buyers.
Price Uncertainty:
Dealing with a real estate agent gives you an ample idea about the approximate prevailing prices of the desired property. However, buying property FSBO may not give such a luxury to the buyers, as the owners usually tend to overprice their property. Of course, the bargaining option is always available, but if you don’t know the trends and prevailing market price, it’s difficult to effectively bargain also.
No Expert Advise Available:
The FSBO property is not open to any kind of advise by the real estate experts simply because they don’t have access to these properties. The condition, location, scope for appreciation etc. are all important aspects for any property. And you have to rely on your own instincts and acquired knowledge while dealing with FSBO properties.
A Desire for Control of the Home Sale Process - I alluded to this above in the opening paragraph. Many people just want to have some control over the process and not feel that they are a pawn in the hands of the real estate agent.
Additionally, some people want to be involved in showing the house, explaining its values and even such simple things as ‘how nice the next door neighbor is’ to prospective buyers. Some people feel that this more personal approach may do more to sell the house than a realtor’s remark about how the owner mentioned that it was a nice neighborhood to live in.
Lack of Technical Expertise on the Part of Owner:
An owner of the house may not be aware about the actual covered area of each portion of the house. And moreover, the measurements of individual rooms, kitchen, bathroom etc. are, generally, unknown to the owners. This is an expert’s job and only a skillful real estate agent can tell you the accurate measurements and details about the property in question.
These are some of the important aspects that a potential buyer of the property FSBO should be aware of. Otherwise, there is no rule of thumb as to whether you should buy property FSBO or not
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