A seller can have a great home and still make it difficult for a buyer to take the next step.

If you’re buying, what would help?

Clear pricing? Better photos? Faster replies? Easy showing appointments? More information about the property upfront?

And if you’ve toured a FSBO home, what did the owner do well, or what could they have handled better?

Specific examples would be helpful. “FSBO is bad” doesn’t tell a homeowner what to improve. “I waited three days for a reply and couldn’t schedule a showing” does.

Sellers, this is a chance to hear what buyers actually need.

Here's a statistic I found pretty interesting.

According to Redfin, 21.1% of active home listings had a price reduction during the four weeks ending September 20. Zillow reported that 25.8% of listings had a price cut in June.

That's roughly one out of every four or five homes, depending on the period and how you measure it.

Now, obviously, not every price reduction means someone made a mistake. Markets change, sellers sometimes insist on unrealistic prices, and there are plenty of legitimate reasons to adjust an asking price.

But it does raise a question I've been thinking about.

One of the biggest arguments I hear for hiring a real estate agent is that they know how to price a home, market it properly, and get the seller the best possible result.

So when a home doesn't sell, and the recommendation is to lower the price, what exactly happened?

Was the home overpriced to begin with? Did the market change? Was it not marketed effectively? Or was lowering the price simply easier than figuring out why buyers weren't responding?

I look at real estate listings and social media constantly, and the number of price reductions I see is remarkable.

And here's where I think this becomes relevant to FSBO.

If homeowners have access to comparable sales, competing listings, market data, professional photography, marketing tools, and the ability to hire experts when needed, what exactly makes them less capable of pricing and marketing their own homes?

I'm not suggesting every homeowner will get it right. Of course they won't. But hiring an agent doesn't guarantee they'll get it right either.

And when we're talking about potentially tens of thousands of dollars in commissions, isn't it reasonable to question that?

I have nothing against agents. Good agents can provide real value. But I think we need to move away from the assumption that a homeowner is taking an enormous risk by doing something professionals don't always get right themselves.

I'd really like to hear from both sides on this.

For homeowners who have sold FSBO, how did you determine your asking price? Did you end up adjusting it?

And for agents, when a listing isn't selling, how do you determine whether the problem is price, marketing, or something else? What do you try before recommending a reduction?

Understanding this distinction would help anyone trying to sell a home, with or without an agent.

With home prices as high as they are, the potential savings from selling without an agent can be enormous. And with all the tools and resources available today, it's easier than ever to market a home yourself and get professional help with the parts you're not comfortable handling.

Yet most people still assume they need an agent to sell their home.

I'm genuinely curious why. Is it the fear of pricing it wrong? Not knowing how to find buyers? Dealing with showings, negotiations, paperwork? Or is it simply that people don't realize how much of this they can actually do themselves?

And for those who have sold FSBO, I'd really like to hear about your experience. Was it easier than you expected? What surprised you? Would you do it again?

I started this sub because I think homeowners should know they have options. I'm not suggesting agents don't provide value, but I do believe selling on your own is a realistic option for a lot more people than actually try it.

I'd love to see this become a place where people share their experiences, ask questions, and help each other figure things out. The successes are great, but the challenges and mistakes are probably just as valuable.

So whether you've sold FSBO, are in the middle of it, or are just considering it, what's been your biggest concern or biggest surprise?

For a long time, selling a home without an agent was difficult for one very simple reason: agents controlled most of the tools needed to sell a house.

They controlled access to buyers, listing information, market data, advertising and much of the process.

That's simply not as true anymore.

Look at what's happening in the real estate industry right now. Brokerages, MLS organizations, and other industry players are fighting over how listings can be marketed, where they can appear, and who gets access to them. The latest CRMLS/Compass dispute is literally about the rules governing the public marketing of listings outside the MLS. 

Meanwhile, homeowners have more ability than ever to reach buyers directly.

Buyers are online. They're on real estate websites, Google, Facebook, Instagram, Reddit, neighborhood groups, and other platforms. A homeowner can take great photos, create a professional-looking listing, put up a yard sign with a QR code, promote an open house, share the property through social media and communicate directly with interested buyers.

Much of that costs little or nothing.

At the same time, the dollar cost of traditional commissions has become enormous.

Even if commission percentages haven't increased, home prices certainly have. A percentage that may have been manageable when a house was $200,000 or $300,000 becomes tens of thousands of dollars when you apply that same percentage to a $500,000, $750,000, or $1 million property.

That doesn't mean agents don't provide value. Good agents absolutely can.

But homeowners should ask a different question:

Which services do I actually need, and what are those services worth to me?

Photography? You can hire a photographer.

Staging? Hire a stager or consultant.

Marketing? There are countless free and inexpensive ways to market a property.

Pricing? There is more market information available to consumers than ever before, along with professionals who can provide valuations when needed.

Legal work and contracts? I would use a real estate attorney whether I had an agent or not. An attorney's job is to protect your legal interests, and their compensation isn't dependent upon the sale closing.

Even some services that sellers may not feel comfortable doing themselves can be purchased à la carte. You don't have to bundle everything together and pay a percentage of your home's value for it all.

And here's the part of FSBO that I think gets overlooked:

Trying FSBO doesn't have to be permanent.

Give yourself 30 days.

Price the home properly. Take good photos. Put together a real marketing plan. Make the property easy to see. Respond quickly to inquiries. Hold an open house. Get the listing in front of as many potential buyers as you reasonably can.

If it works, you may save tens of thousands of dollars.

If after 30 days you decide it's more work than you expected, or you're not getting the results you need, you can still interview agents and hire one.

You haven't given up that option.

I don't think selling by owner is right for every homeowner. Some people don't have the time, interest, or temperament for it, and some will simply prefer to hire someone else.

But I do think we're at a point where homeowners should stop assuming that hiring an agent is automatically Step 1.

Today, Step 1 can be asking: Can I do this myself?

With the technology, information, professional services, and direct access to buyers that homeowners have today, I think there's a stronger case for trying FSBO now than at any other time.

I'm curious what other FSBO sellers think. What part of selling yourself has been easier than you expected, and what part has been harder?

I see a lot of sellers asking some version of: “My house has been listed for a few weeks and it hasn't sold. Should I lower the price?”

Maybe. But before lowering the price, I think there's a more important question:

Are you getting showings?

If you're getting few or no showings, buyers aren't even getting through the door. That's when I'd look at the top of the funnel:

Is the home priced appropriately compared with both recent sales and what's available right now?

Are the photos good enough to make someone want to see it?

Is the listing description doing its job?

Are enough buyers actually seeing the property?

Where are you marketing it besides simply putting it online and waiting?

Is there a yard sign?

Are you using social media and appropriate local groups?

Can someone who sees the house easily get more information and schedule a showing?

Price absolutely can be the problem. If similar homes are showing up in buyers' searches and yours isn't because of price, that's important.

But getting showings and getting no offers tells you something different.

Now buyers are finding the property interesting enough to come see it, but after seeing it they're choosing not to buy it.

That's when I'd take a harder look at price versus condition, how the home shows in person, your competition, and especially the feedback you're getting from people who actually toured it.

I don't think “my house isn't selling” is specific enough to diagnose the problem.

No showings means you need to figure out why buyers aren't coming through the door.

Showings but no offers means you need to figure out why they're walking back out without making one.

Those are two different problems and may require two very different solutions.

For anyone selling right now, FSBO or with an agent: Are you struggling more with getting showings or getting offers after the showings?

I'd love to hear the buyer's perspective.

If you found a house you loved that was being sold directly by the homeowner, would the fact that it was FSBO make any difference to you?

Would you be comfortable contacting the seller directly and scheduling a showing?

Would you still want your own buyer's agent?

Would you be comfortable making an offer with the help of an attorney?

Or would seeing “For Sale By Owner” make you less likely to consider the property?

There's plenty of discussion about why homeowners choose FSBO.

I'd like to hear what buyers actually think when they encounter one.

One of the most common things I hear from homeowners considering selling by owner is, "I'm not big on social media. How am I supposed to market my house?"

Here's the good news: You don't need to be a marketing expert or spend thousands of dollars to get your home in front of potential buyers.

But you DO need a plan!

If you're selling without an agent, particularly if you're not using the MLS, you need to be proactive about getting the word out.

Here are a few practical things you can do yourself:

1. Create a strong online listing.

Start with great photos, an accurate description, and all the important property details. Make sure buyers can easily contact you and schedule a showing.

There are platforms designed specifically to help homeowners sell by owner, including some that offer completely FREE listings, marketing tools, and other resources. Take advantage of them!

Your listing should be the central hub for your marketing. Everything else you do should direct interested buyers back to it.

2. Spread the word locally.

Share your listing on Facebook and in appropriate local community groups. Ask friends and family to share it.

Tell your neighbors you're selling. They may know someone who would love to move into the neighborhood!

Don't just post once and forget about it. Share different features of your home over time.

3. Put your yard sign to work 24/7.

Use a visible yard sign with a QR code linking directly to your online listing.

Someone driving by at 9 PM should be able to scan the code, see your photos, learn about the home, and contact you without waiting until the next morning.

Some FSBO platforms even provide FREE custom yard signs, so check what resources are available before spending money on one.

4. Let AI help with your marketing.

Not sure what to write? Give ChatGPT the facts about your home and try this prompt:

"Write five short social media posts to help market my home. Highlight a different feature in each post, such as the kitchen, backyard, recent upgrades, or location. Include the asking price and end with an invitation to contact me directly for more information or a showing. Don't exaggerate or invent any details."

You can also use AI to help create flyers, open house announcements, and property descriptions.

5. Be strategic about your open house.

Check when other homes in your neighborhood are hosting open houses.

Consider scheduling yours during the same general window to attract buyers who are already driving around the area looking at homes.

Promote your open house in local groups, invite neighbors, and make sure your online listing is easy to find.

6. Pay attention to what's working.

Where are your inquiries coming from? Are people viewing your listing but not scheduling showings? Are you getting showings but no offers?

If you're not getting interest, review your photos, marketing exposure, and asking price before deciding what to change.

The bottom line: You don't need to spend a fortune marketing your home, but you DO need to market it actively!

And remember, selling by owner doesn't mean you have to figure everything out yourself. There are free platforms, tools, educational resources, and communities specifically designed to help homeowners through the process.

Take advantage of them!

Now I'd love to hear from you:

What creative or inexpensive marketing ideas have worked for you? Have you found any particularly useful websites, tools, or strategies for reaching buyers?

This is a sub for helping people successfully sell by owner, so if you have an idea or experience that could help another FSBO seller, please share it.

Just because you're selling your home on your own doesn't mean you need to be on your own.

Your first showing probably happens on a phone, not in your living room. If the photos don’t spark interest, the in-person showing may never happen.

A few practical things to do before taking a single picture:

• Declutter counters, tables, and floors. Less stuff makes rooms look larger.
• Open the blinds and curtains and turn on the lights. Shoot during the brightest part of the day.
• Make the beds, close toilet lids, hide trash cans, and remove magnets/clutter from the refrigerator. Small things show up in photos.
• Take pictures from the corners or doorway rather than standing in the middle of the room. It usually shows the space better.
• Keep the camera level. Crooked walls and extreme wide-angle shots can make a house look strange.
• Photograph the important rooms first and arrange the photos in a logical order, almost like you’re walking a buyer through the house.
• Include the exterior, yard, patio, garage, view, or other features that actually help sell the property.
• Take a lot of pictures and then be selective. You don’t need six nearly identical photos of the same bedroom.

And look at the photos on your phone before posting them. That’s probably how many buyers will see them.

If you’re still not happy with them, professional photography may be one of the better places to spend a little money when selling by owner.

You’re not trying to make the house look like something it isn’t. You’re trying to make someone looking at a screen think, “I want to see this house.”

What photo tips would you add?

This sub is about helping people successfully sell by owner, so if you’ve learned something that could help another seller, please share it.

Just because you’re selling your home on your own doesn’t mean you need to be on your own.

I hear this question all the time, and especially now when so many sellers are reducing their prices.

Before you automatically lower your price, figure out why the house isn't selling.

Are you getting no showings? Are you getting showings but no offers? What does the competition look like today? Are comparable homes going under contract? Are other sellers lowering their prices? Have new listings come on that offer buyers more for the money?

Your price needs to make sense based on today's market, not the market when you originally listed.

But don't automatically assume price is the problem either. If hardly anyone is seeing your home, lowering the price may not fix weak photos, poor exposure, or a marketing problem.

Before you lower the price, figure out whether you have a pricing problem or a marketing problem.

This is a sub for helping people successfully sell by owner, so if you have an idea or experience that could help another FSBO seller, please share it.

Just because you're selling your home on your own doesn't mean you need to be on your own.

I hear this question all the time, and especially now when so many sellers are reducing their prices.

Before you automatically lower your price, figure out why the house isn't selling.

Are you getting no showings? Are you getting showings but no offers? What does the competition look like today? Are comparable homes going under contract? Are other sellers lowering their prices? Have new listings come on that offer buyers more for the money?

Your price needs to make sense based on today's market, not the market when you originally listed.

But don't automatically assume price is the problem either. If hardly anyone is seeing your home, lowering the price may not fix weak photos, poor exposure, or a marketing problem.

Before you lower the price, figure out whether you have a pricing problem or a marketing problem.

This is a sub for helping people successfully sell by owner, so if you have an idea or experience that could help another FSBO seller, please share it.

Just because you're selling your home on your own doesn't mean you need to be on your own.

I speak with a lot of people selling their homes by owner, and I’m always surprised by how many start the process without a real plan.

Someone called me yesterday looking for advice on selling their home. When I asked about photos, they said they hadn’t even thought about taking pictures yet.

Selling by owner isn’t complicated, but you do need a plan before you start.

How will you determine the right price? Who will take good photos? How will you handle inquiries and showings? And most importantly, how will you market the home and get it in front of buyers?

That last one is especially important if you’re trying to sell without the MLS or commissions. Simply putting the home online and hoping buyers find it isn’t a marketing plan.

FSBO absolutely can work. Just go into it prepared.

Happy to share ideas or answer questions for anyone getting ready to sell by owner.

Imagine this.

You've accepted a great offer. The inspection is behind you. You're already thinking about packing.

Then the appraisal comes back $40,000 below the purchase price.

Suddenly, the buyer wants to renegotiate, bring more cash to the table, or even walk away. What felt like a done deal is now back up in the air.

I was reading about the recently passed 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, and one provision caught my attention. It reinforces the process for borrowers to request a review of an appraisal when there are factual errors or other issues. It got me thinking that one of the best things a seller can do is prepare before the appraiser ever walks through the door. 

Here are a few things every seller should do:

• Make a list of every improvement you've made to the home, along with the dates and approximate costs.

• Save permits for renovations if you have them.

• Verify that the public record is accurate, including square footage, bedrooms, bathrooms, lot size, and any finished basement or additions.

• Put together a list of recent comparable sales that you believe best reflect your home's value.

• Don't assume the appraiser will notice everything. A new roof, upgraded HVAC, premium windows, solar panels, energy-efficient improvements, or other major upgrades may not be obvious unless someone points them out.

If the appraisal comes in lower than expected, don't automatically assume it's correct. Appraisers are professionals, but they can make factual mistakes or overlook comparable sales. While there's no guarantee the value will change, buyers may be able to request a review through their lender if there is evidence supporting it. 

For those of you who have already sold a home, did the appraisal come in where you expected?

If it came in low, what happened? Were you able to save the deal, renegotiate, or did the sale fall apart?

I'm curious to hear everyone's experiences.

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.