[JMintzer]

Originally Posted by LateBoomer

I wonder if you can negotiate a lower % fee with a listing agent? I guess that's my question. In this markets, agents aren't much more than order-takers. Why pay so high a fee?

Everything is negotiable...

[GRACEALLEMAN]

Originally Posted by Dr Winston O Boogie jr

Has anyone sold a house by this method? I'm thinking of using it but I'd like to get the opinions of those who have done it.

Was it easy? Did they walk you through the legal and closing procedures?

For sale by owner, yes it's easy to do but what we did was ask a friend realtor to help us write-up the paperwork and we gave him a couple 100 bucks

[toeser]

Originally Posted by Dr Winston O Boogie jr

Has anyone sold a house by this method? I'm thinking of using it but I'd like to get the opinions of those who have done it.

Was it easy? Did they walk you through the legal and closing procedures?

I have sold three houses and two pieces of land by FSBO. It takes some effort, but I feel worth it. Take the time to get really good pictures and the time to write a really good descriptive story. I create a list of improvements, age of roof and key appliances, etc. Some buyers just go by appearances, but for those who want more information, it's good to be prepared.

I have used FSBO.com a couple of times (which gets you on MLS, Zillow, etc.), I sold a piece of land on Craigslist, I have sold two houses using nothing but open houses using a technique that had realtors despise me. When an open house sign would appear in the neighborhood, I would place my own open house sign next to it. Zero cost of advertising.

One decision you will have to make is if and how much you wish to pay a buyer's realtor. I have no idea why someone would drag a realtor to a FSBO listing, but they do and the realtor expects some payment. You are not legally required to give them anything, but then, you may not get the sale either. I gave one buyer's realtor 3% as she hustled multiple people through my property.

My first closing I did entirely on my own, paperwork and everything. Those days are pretty much gone as closings have become 10X more complicated. I have used a lawyer who specialized in closings. I have used a title agency. Lastly, some realtors will handle a closing for a fee, either flat or something like 1%. It might pay to shop around.

Good luck. In a housing market this hot, I would never pay a conventional realtor fee. They just don't have to do that much work for a lot of money.

[lindaelane]

Originally Posted by DAVES

In terms of broker's ethics. I had experience with that. Years ago, I made a written offer on a house. I later discovered it was sold for less than my offer.

I am hoping this make help you to feel better. I am bringing up the possibility that you were not cheated.

You see, the seller has a choice of which offer to take, and knows of the experiences of others, where a person who was "Pre-approved" in the end did not get the load. Real estate agents advise sellers to take a cash offer, even if another offer is higher, so that they are guaranteed to close, rather than have a deal fall through.

I do not know if this is the case with you, but if yours was not a cash offer, it is possible this happened. Not saying it "should" have been a cash offer, just saying cash offer normally trumps a non-cash offer even for more money (depending on how much more, and the seller's wishes)

[KRMACK55]

Originally Posted by retiredguy123

I did it once, but only because, at the time, the market was so hot that any idiot could find a buyer. The reason to hire a real estate agent is so they can market the house and find you a competent buyer at a good price, not to walk you through the closing process. So, if you think you need help finding a buyer, then hire an agent. If not, then don't. The legal and closing procedures are handled by the title company, not by the real estate agent. It is very easy to get a title company to handle the sale without a real estate agent.

I’m not an idiot. I used next door and Zillow and I got mostly looky loos brokers from Orlando rude neighbors and too many realtors who want a listing. While I’m not a fan of the villages sales people I need to sell by September and with closings out 6-8 weeks will do a listing for 60 days with a village person for 5% and not paying the buyers title search or title insurance. Right now the market is frantic, I’m trying to pack get house ready to sell to move out. It’s not a Villa but a large house different potential buyers. Check on next door for paralegals who can do closing and buyer can get their title ins there I’m a cash owner of my house.

[KRMACK55]

Originally Posted by DAVES

Opinion-For Sale by Owner-reason obviously, to save the commission. The buyer shopping For Sale By Owner is doing so to save the same commission. Obviously the buyer and the seller cannot save the same money.

Someone touring your home and says something like who the heck chose that color for the living room. You chose the color and think it is the cat's meow. Would you be offended, have a negative opinion of that person or would you stay on track? Your goal is to sell the house.

There is no shortage of people look at houses to see how yours is decorated or because they have nothing better to do.

My own sister, not in the Villages, tied people up for two months and then discovered she could not get a mortgage to cover it. Her attorney fixed it so the sellers got nothing.
The broker, did not but should have obviously continued to show the property. Like everything else there are brokers worth what you pay them and then there are all the rest.

The biggest challenge are people like your sister who holds them up and didn’t get preapproved. A lot of residents think they’ll try the flipping game but don’t have funds to buy thee house outright then lowball thinking that a single woman will bite . Another reason to leave.

[KRMACK55]

Originally Posted by jeffy

We have bought and sold several homes in the last few years FSBO. Contact Tri County. They are a settlement company in the Villages. They handle all the legal and closing and contract items for a couple of hundred dollars. You and the buyer come to terms and tri county handles the rest. Make sure to list your home on Zillow as most people look there for sale properties. It is free and you include your own description and lots of photos. I always have taken my own photos. This is a perfect market to for sale by owner. You might want to have a couple of realtors come by and give you a market analysis to determine price, then reduce that price by a couple of thousand, still saving yourself 4% or so. Buyers like to save a little too. If , in the unlikely instance you are unable to sell, use the Realtor you liked best who took the time to price your home as your agent.

The biggest challenge are people like your sister who holds them up and didn’t get preapproved. A lot of residents think they’ll try the flipping game but don’t have funds to buy thee house outright then lowball thinking that a single woman will bite . Another reason to leave. Realtors will give you
Crazy prices just to give you hope. Who to trust is the biggest challenge.

[dougawhite]

If you choose FSBO then consider stating in the Zillow listing that realtors/agents are not welcome. This eliminates the problem of buyer agent commission.

[Barefoot]

...

[Boomer]

. . .

[La lamy]

So easy in TV. I bet you could just put a sign on your yard and sell it in a week. The title office makes you write up a bunch of answers on a multi page form, then they write up a contract for you, and you close a few weeks later. Easy peasy.

[JMintzer]

Originally Posted by La lamy

So easy in TV. I bet you could just put a sign on your yard and sell it in a week. The title office makes you write up a bunch of answers on a multi page form, then they write up a contract for you, and you close a few weeks later. Easy peasy.

Pretty sure you can't "just put a sign on your lawn"...

[HoosierPa]

Very easy. Have a Florida real estate contract ready. The Title Company does all the work. Put it on Zillow, Nextdoor, Facebook groups, Trulia, TOTV, the list goes on and on. It’s worth the little
effort to save $30k give or take.

[Nipper]

We sold a rental villa on Zillow in less than two weeks. Had great photos and write-up. The Villages closing company did all the paperwork for a small fee.

[retiredguy123]

Originally Posted by JMintzer

Pretty sure you can't "just put a sign on your lawn"...

The rule for most villages is that you can only have one "for sale" sign, no more than 12 inches by 12 inches, and it must be placed inside of a window. Many of the outside real estate agents routinely violate the rule by attaching a larger sign on the garage door. But, like a lot of rules, that rule is rarely enforced.