-
Isn't there too much for me to know in order to sell my own home?
No. Despite what the real estate broker industry may want you to think, you are perfectly able to sell your own home. In fact, who else knows more about your home and its neighborhood than you? FSBOLaw provides for-sale-by-owner sellers with indispensable legal counsel and representation, marketing services, tools, techniques, and forms, giving you all of the assistance and information needed to do a fine job of selling your home and to save yourself thousands of dollars in the process.
-
What are the most common mistakes that a for-sale-by-owner (FSBO) seller makes?
Unfortunately, many FSBO sellers are too quick to market their own homes to save the broker's commission without undergoing some necessary planning. Many fail to accurately and objectively determine the fair market value of the home, and as a result, set an asking price that is too high. Others use lawn signs and other marketing tools that look very amateurish and give off an impression to potential buyers that the purchase process may be fraught with problems. Other sellers who do locate an interested party do not have the proper contracts ready and consequently try to put a deal together using a homemade contract that will leave them vulnerable to problems. FSBO sellers have the potential for saving many thousands of dollars, but some planning is necessary.
For the top 5 mistakes that FSBO sellers make, click here.
-
Am I better off using a broker when it is a buyer's market?
Not necessarily. A buyer's market indicates one or more of the following: the economy is slow, interest rates are high, or there are more homes for sale than there are buyers. A buyer's market requires the seller to be extra competitive with the pricing of his or her home. As a FSBO seller, you have a distinct advantage over those home sellers using brokers in that you can be much more flexible in the selling price of your home - you are not paying a 5% or 6% commission. For example, the owner of a $600,000 home can lower the home's price all the way down to $565,000 and still come out with the same net proceeds as his neighbor who uses a broker to sell his similar home listed at $600,000.
-
If I use your service, what will I specifically need to do to sell my home?
As our client, depending on the package you select, you virtually will need to only advertise and to show your home. However, we will be able to help you with even these tasks. Our office stays current on newspaper, magazine, and Internet advertising options, allowing us to give you recommendations on where and when to advertise. We can also review your advertising for legal compliance. To assist you with the showing of your home, Attorney DiBlasi and the rest of our staff is easily accessible to answer any questions you may have. Sell Your Home Without a Broker, given with most FSBOLaw packages, is also filled with great tips and hints on showing your home.
-
If I do not have luck selling myself, will I still owe you a full fee?
No. Upon signing up to use FSBOLaw, an initial payment of 50% is due. If, in the unlikely event that your home does not sell in a timely manner and/or you want to discontinue for any reason, the remaining balance due is waived.
-
What if I don't see a package that has exactly the combination of services and tools that I want?
Our office will be happy to create a custom package and fee based upon your needs.
-
Do you offer MLS access? How does it work? Do I need it?
The Multiple Listing Service (MLS) was created to allow for an exchange of home listings among real estate brokers. At its core, the MLS is a database of property-listing information that is made available exclusively to brokers and agents to assist them in the marketing of their customers' homes.
As Attorney DiBlasi is a licensed real estate broker in Massachusetts, we offer our clients the option of listing their homes on the MLS. You must decide the commission that you will pay to the broker who procures your eventual buyer (typically 2-3%). The compensation information will be stated within the MLS listing.
There is always the option of trying to sell without listing on the MLS first and then adding your home later if it does not sell quickly. Successfully advertising your home through less-expensive channels (i.e. newspapers, magazines, websites) may save you thousands of dollars.
-
What role does a traditional real estate attorney play when representing a home seller and how is your FSBOLaw program different?
Traditionally, a home owner retains a real estate attorney after the Offer to Purchase has been signed. However, this is often problematic and risky for the seller. If the Offer to Purchase includes any mistakes, the seller is bound once the document is signed. Moreover, the seller may have made other mistakes prior to this point, such as committing a violation of the disclosure law; failing to use objective methods to determine the listing price; or not using effective and efficient marketing tools. The longer in the process that you wait to find an attorney, the greater the chance for mistakes.
We arm the home seller with legal counsel and solutions from the very moment he decides to sell his own home. We are "partners in the process" so nothing is left to chance to ensure you have the best chance for quickly and successfully selling your own home and saving the broker's commission.