Showing a home on your own is a lot different from working through a realtor, but you can be successful if you are prepared before you start and have a strategy to follow. Here are 5 Tips for FSBO Home Showings that will make the process a little less stressful.
Tips for FSBO Home Showings
Tip 1: Clear Your Schedule.
When selling a home, showings are tremendously important. An unseen home is a house that is not purchased. Because you are showing the home yourself, the more you are available, the more opportunities there are for the right buyer to see your home. You don’t have to quit your job to make this happen but some time off from work might be required. Try hosting an open house over the weekend and then providing private individual showings the following week. Most home buyers want to see a home a second time before making an offer. This is a great way to get them to take another look that is, hopefully, followed up by an offer in a relatively short amount of time!
Tip 2: Host Open Houses.
As we’ve already mentioned, open houses are a great way to get many potential buyers through the front door without a tremendous amount of time invested in the process. Be sure to have extra pens and listing fliers available, and be on your feet to answer any questions others may have about the property. Fresh cookies or similar refreshments are always a nice added touch. Light instrumental music playing in the background is helpful as well. Here are some great tips on how to fill your home with just the right fragrance during an open house.
Tip 3: Don’t Show a House By Yourself
Please don’t show a house by yourself. This is both for safety and for your sanity. There is safety and accountability if you are showing a home with another person concerned for your well-being. In addition, if you have multiple people viewing the home simultaneously, it would be helpful to have more than one person answering all the questions and pointing out all the excellent property features. If it is impossible to have another person with you, be sure you have friends or family members who are well aware of your showing schedule. Be sure to check in regularly throughout with a phone call or quick text. Your safety should be your number one priority.
Tip 4: Be Enthusiastic
If you talk affectionately about your well-loved home, potential buyers can start to see themselves making this house their own home sweet home. If you sound bitter or describe the house as a money-pit or full of terrible memories, your guests will be tempted to take the closest exit. Of course, be honest about the home but find a way to share its quirks and fixer-upper tendencies with affection. For example, if you have a laundry room on the first floor that needs a little tender loving care, you could mention how nice it was to have easy access to the washer and dryer when your children were small. The prospective buyers will be well aware of the cosmetic needs but thanks to your positive outlook, will be more focused on the convenience of its location instead of the cost of fresh paint.
Tip 5: Be Ready for the Showing
Know your showing schedule. There’s nothing worse than having a potential buyer knock on your door and you were not prepared for them. You want your space to be clean and attractive. Hire a cleaning service or deep clean your house before you start scheduling showings. As you prepare, have a strategy for storing all your personal belongings during showings. Here are some great tips for storage solutions that make a home showing easier. In addition, make sure you have finished all the updates prior to a showing. That means making sure the paint has time to dry and all fixtures have been properly mounted. Don’t wait until the night before a showing to do a major update or project.
Like all home showings, there is a lot of work and preparation that goes into the process of a FSBO home sale. However, taking the time, and doing the work yourself, will save a lot of money. Being able to slap a sold label on your “For Sale” sign will make it all worth it.
Ben Buys Indy Houses buys homes in as-is condition. If you decide you’re ready to sell, we’d love to talk. Contact us and we’ll buy your home quickly and without all the hassles! If you’re still not sure, check out what one of our clients had to say about their multiple selling experiences with our company.
