Why ‘For Sale By Owners’ Miss ‘The Right Buyer’

Trisha Ocona Francis Apr 10, 2012

In this tough economic market everyone wants to save money, especially home sellers. A home seller may want to consider or even actually venture into going to the task of selling their home alone without the assistance of a realtor as I did. It only makes sense, right? Well, let me explain my reasoning. For one, I know my home better than anyone else and so who is better to show and explain its details to prospective buyers? I am confident that I can sell my home, myself, without giving away that huge commission to a real estate agent. All I have to do is get a “for sale” sign from my local hardware store and place an ad or two in the newspaper, and a lot of buyers will come… This is exactly what I did, minus getting my home SOLD! I received so many phone calls and tons of buyers showed interest, but I just didn’t get “The Right Buyer.”

 

So, what is “The Right Buyer?”

This is a person, group or entity that is ‘Ready, Willing, and Able”:

  • Ready to begin the necessary procedures and steps to purchase your home ASAP.
  • Willing to buy your house, besides for possible contingencies and concerns, they have no doubt that they want you home.
  • Financially capable to purchase.
I just never thought that selling a home would be a second full-time job. I never thought there was so much I had to know, remember, and disclose.
But it all makes sense. Here is why:

Professional Expertise


Remember real estate is the largest and most expensive item people often ever own. It is also an industry that has always been around and will continue to have a need and demand. It is something everyone needs, since everyone needs shelter; it is more than a house it is my children’s schools, where I worship, my office building, court houses, even my neighborhood playground. Let’s think about it further: The earth is covered in tons of land, homes and buildings — and millions of people who have decided they no longer are going to own their property just like myself, selling everyday due to relocation, divorce, downsize, upsize, lack of affordability and many more reasons. Whatever the reasons, homes are being transferred. So with this type of value, it is only logical to hire a professional. Maybe just maybe, I would have had success in a better real estate market, but this market makes it so much more important to utilize the skills and expert knowledge of a real estate professional. Constantly studying the market and regulations in order to achieve my main goal… getting my house sold.

Attracting a lot “The Right Buyers”


Your beautiful house — no, the place your family and you call home. Walking through your living room, peaking in at your bathroom, looking through your closet, passing by your kids bedroom, is so much easier and assuring when you know these people have been pre-screened. Not someone who answered my ad and rang your bell from a for sale sign and desperately wants to take a tour of your home. Marketing and exposing your home for the world to know, because “The Right Buyer” is waiting at this very moment for your home, but they must be given the opportunity to know it is available for them. Did you know that an ad in the newspaper is not the most effective way to market your home — with the lack of photos in this technological era and character limitation offers unknown abbreviations to the readers?

Negotiating with “The Right Buyer”


We are in an opportunist’s market, and believe it or not buyers are aware of those advantages. Because of the reasons I stated earlier, in addition to the thousands of homeowners selling to beat a foreclosure, almost everywhere you turn there are houses on the market. Look down your block, you may see one or two “for sale” signs, most often there are another one for two houses that is also for sale but hoping for a private, secret sale. This means your competition presence requires you to know how to be a strong negotiator to everyone thinking they will make a deal out of your valued home. I also need someone who knows how to appreciate my wonderful home almost as much I do and highlight against the competition.

Closing off with “The Right Buyer”


After all has been said and done, and you are ready to get the show on the roll and move on to close that chapter and end the selling process, a real estate professional knows what needs to be done to make it happen smoothly and accurately. Hiring one to sell your home means they won’t leave you until you have completed the journey successfully.