u/Ykohn

With all the recent discussion about making homeownership more affordable, I've been thinking about something homeowners can do today without waiting for new legislation.

One of the biggest opportunities to save money is already available to anyone willing to sell by owner.

For many families, the largest optional expenses when selling a home are the listing commission and, depending on how the transaction unfolds, the buyer's agent commission.

Combined, we're often talking about tens of thousands of dollars.

That money can stay with the seller, be invested in the next home, strengthen retirement savings, pay down debt, build an emergency fund, or even be used to reduce the purchase price and make the home more affordable for a buyer.

If you're selling FSBO, don't let anyone convince you it can't be done.

People successfully buy and sell homes directly every day.

Will it require more preparation? Yes.

Will you need a good real estate attorney? Absolutely.

Will you have to learn a few things along the way? Of course.

But don't confuse "more work" with "impossible."

Personally, I believe in pure FSBO whenever possible.

That means selling without a listing agent and doing everything you reasonably can to attract a direct buyer rather than assuming every buyer will be represented by an agent.

Every direct buyer you attract is another opportunity to keep more of your hard earned equity where it belongs, with the buyer and the seller.

That doesn't happen by accident.

It happens through marketing.

Don't just list your home.

Market your home.

Tell your family, friends, neighbors, coworkers, and everyone in your network that your home is for sale. Share it on social media. Post it in local community groups where permitted. Hold well publicized open houses. Make sure your listing has outstanding photos and a detailed description. Ask people to share your listing with others. The more people who know your home is available, the greater your chances of connecting directly with a qualified buyer.

Even if a buyer comes with an agent, you can evaluate that offer on its own merits.

But if your goal is a true FSBO transaction, don't rely on luck.

Create opportunities for direct buyers to find you.

Price your home realistically.

Respond quickly to every inquiry.

Verify pre approvals early.

Stay organized.

Keep your attorney involved once negotiations begin.

Selling by owner isn't about cutting corners. It's about deciding where your equity goes.

In today's economy, where affordability is on everyone's mind, keeping tens of thousands of dollars in the hands of the buyer and seller, rather than automatically paying it out in commissions, is worth serious consideration.

To everyone in this community who is selling by owner, don't let the skeptics discourage you.

Stay focused.

Market your home aggressively.

Believe in the value you're providing.

And remember this.

Every successful FSBO seller was once someone who had never sold a home by owner before.

I'm rooting for every one of you.

According to a recent report, sellers are pulling homes off the market at the fastest pace since 2020.

What I find interesting isn't the statistic itself. It's what may be causing it.

Many sellers still seem to be operating with a 2021 mindset. Back then**,** you could put a sign in the yard, put the property on the MLS, and wait for multiple offers to show up. In many markets, those days are gone.

Today's buyers have more inventory to choose from. They have more negotiating power. They are taking longer to make decisions.

That doesn't necessarily mean there is no demand.

Sometimes a home isn't selling because of the market.

Sometimes it's because of the strategy.

Was the home priced correctly?

Were the photos compelling?

Did anyone actually market it beyond Zillow or the MLS?

Was there an open house?

Was it easy to schedule a showing?

Was the listing written to attract the people most likely to buy that specific home?

One thing I often tell FSBO sellers is that selling without an agent doesn't mean selling without effort. The commission savings are real, but the seller still needs to do the work. It's a little like painting your own house. You can save a lot of money, but you still need the tools and the effort to get the job done.

Ironically, FSBO sellers may have more flexibility than some traditionally listed sellers. If you're not paying a listing commission, you may have room to reduce price, offer concessions, negotiate creatively, or even offer compensation to a buyer's agent while still preserving more of your equity.

To be clear, pulling a listing isn't always a mistake. Sometimes it's absolutely the right move.

But before taking a property off the market, I'd want to know whether the problem was truly the market or whether the strategy needs adjustment.

I speak with people selling by owner all the time, and I'm continually amazed by how many have no real plan to market their home.

They have a house to sell. They have a price. They may even have photos and a listing.

What they don't have is a marketing plan.

Maybe we should stop calling it FSBO (For Sale By Owner) and start calling it MBO (Marketing By Owner), because marketing is often the difference between a successful sale and a home that sits on the market for months.

Putting your home on Zillow, Facebook Marketplace, or a FSBO website is not a marketing plan. It's just one piece of a marketing plan.

Who is the most likely buyer for your home? Where do they spend their time? How are you going to reach them?

If your likely buyer is a family with school-age children, make sure people in the local school community know the home is available. If there is a major employer nearby, let the HR department know so they can share it with potential new hires. If retirees are a likely buyer, make sure local senior groups know about it.

Tell your neighbors. Tell your friends. Tell your coworkers. Post on social media and ask people to share your post. Put up a yard sign. Hold open houses. Follow up quickly with every inquiry.

The good news is that much of this costs little or nothing. It just requires some planning and effort.

One of the biggest advantages FSBO sellers have is that nobody cares more about selling their home than they do. The challenge is turning that motivation into a marketing strategy.

What marketing tactics worked best when you sold by owner? I'd love to hear what generated the most buyer interest.