Posts Tagged ‘for sale by owner’

Advantages of Selling Your Home Without a Brooklyn Real Estate Agent

Wednesday, August 17th, 2011

Selling Your Brooklyn Home For Sale By Owner

In today’s economy, people are looking for ways to save money.  This is also true when it comes to selling their homes.  Some homeowners believe that selling their homes without a Brooklyn real estate agent will save them thousands.

Is selling your home on your own right for you?  After weighing some of the advantages and disadvantages to selling your home without a Brooklyn real estate agent, you will be able to make a more informed decision on which choice is best for you.

Here are three advantages of selling your Brooklyn home as a For Sale By Owner (FSBO):

  1. You may save money by eliminating the commission. Selling your house as a FSBO means you don’t have to pay commission to a listing agent.  The average commission is 6% of the sales price, so you could possibly save that amount.  Unfortunately, buyers know that too.  So, most buyers believe that if you are selling on your own and not paying a commission, they should get the savings – not you.
  2. 2. The Multiple Listing Service (MLS) is now available to you. A FSBO can now be advertised on many local Multiple Listing Services.  In the past, this tool was only available to real estate agents and brokers.  You will usually have to pay a fee to get your home listed on the MLS.
  3. Offers and counter offers can be negotiated face to face between you and the buyer. You don’t have to wait for your listing agent to talk with the buyer’s agent and get all the paperwork drawn up.  However, if you are not skilled in negotiation, you may leave money on the table.

One other thing to take into consideration before you put up your For Sale By Owner sign is the state of your local real estate market.  If it is a buyer’s market, you will most likely have a hard time selling your home by yourself.  It’s easier to sell your home by yourself when it is a seller’s market.

If you’re still not sure if selling as a FSBO is right for you, and you have plenty of time, you can try selling your home without an agent.  If your home hasn’t sold after a few months, you can then hire a Brooklyn real estate agent.

If you’d like information on how to sell your Brooklyn home on your own or what paperwork you need, I’d be happy to help.  Contact me  Charles D’Alessandro your Brooklyn real estate agent with Fillmore Real Estate at (718) 253-9600 ext 206 or email me at [email protected] to schedule a free no obligation interview or market price review.

How to Stay Safe when Showing Your Brooklyn Home for Sale by Owner

Saturday, June 18th, 2011


Marketing your Brooklyn Home For Sale By Owner

You’ve decided to try to sell your Brooklyn home for sale by owner (FSBO). One of the many tasks you’ll be performing is showing your home to potential buyers.  You won’t personally know most potential buyers, so be sure to take precautions to stay safe.  After all, these are strangers you’re allowing into your home.

Here are six tips to protect your safety when showing your Brooklyn home for sale by owner (FSBO) to potential buyers:

1. Pre-qualify potential buyers. The most basic thing you want to do is determine if a potential buyer can afford to buy your home.  The best way to do this is to require that the potential buyer give you a copy of their pre-approval letter before scheduling a viewing of your home.  Buyers who are not serious about buying within the next few months will not have bothered to get pre-approved, and buyers who cannot afford your home will not be able to get a pre-approval letter.

2.      Use a sign-in sheet. Keep a sign-in sheet near the entrance to your home.  Have everyone who comes to view your home fill out his or her name, address and phone number on the sheet as soon as they enter.

3.      Stay with them while they tour your home. While you don’t want to hover over their shoulders, don’t allow them to wander around your home by themselves.

4.      Have someone else with you. Don’t be home alone.  Have your neighbor, a friend or family member with you at all times.

5.      Hide valuables. Do not leave money, jewelry or other valuables where they can be seen or easily taken.

6.      Require an appointment. Whether you’re selling your home as a FSBO or with a  real estate agent  requiring an appointment allows you to keep a normal schedule.  You don’t want people touring your home while you’re eating dinner or taking a nap.   If a buyer is really interested, he or she will not have a problem making an appointment.

Want help marketing your Brooklyn home for sale by owner?  Give me  Charles D’Alessandro Your Brooklyn Realtor® with Fillmore Real Estate a call today at (718) 253-9600 ext 206 or email me at [email protected].  I’ll give you a free home market price  analysis to determine how much your home is worth in today’s market.

Buying a Brooklyn Home for Sale by Owner: Pros and Cons

Sunday, June 5th, 2011


For Sale By Owner and your Brooklyn Home

Buying a Brooklyn home for sale by owner (FSBO) has benefits and drawbacks. Analyzing the pros and cons of buying a home directly from the homeowner can help you decide whether this is the best move for you.

Pros of buying a FSBO

  • You get the house you want. If the home of your dreams happens to be a  Brooklyn home for sale by owner, don’t worry.  You can still have your Brooklyn real estate agent represent you while buying the home.  That way you get the home you want with a knowledgeable agent looking out for your best interests and helping you get the best price and terms.
  • Sellers may price their homes too low. In their eagerness to sell their homes, sellers may offer their homes at prices lower than the market value.  But, don’t count on this because the typical FSBO is priced at or higher than the market average.
  • You can communicate directly with the owner. You and your Brooklyn real estate agent don’t have to go through a third party (the seller’s agent) to negotiate with the seller.

Cons of buying a FSBO

  • Sellers want to maximize profits. Why do owners decide to sell their homes as FSBOs?  It’s usually because they believe they can maximize their profits by not paying a listing agent to sell their homes.  They’re not doing it so they can give the buyer a great deal.   If you’re thinking you can pay less for a FSBO than for a home listed through a real estate agent, think again.  Statistics show that you pay as much or more for FSBOs, especially if you purchase it without the help of a real estate agent who is a skilled negotiator.
  • Homeowners may withhold important information. Even though homeowners are required by law to disclose any information that would impact the buyer’s decision to purchase the property, they may not.  They may intentionally withhold the information to get you to buy the house, or they may unintentionally withhold the information because they don’t know that it’s the law.
  • Difficult negotiations. Sellers may refuse to lower the price of their homes, even if the homes are overpriced, or they may not want to pay for needed repairs.  The home owner is also more personally connected to the property than a real estate agent would be and therefore may be more sensitive to any form of critique.

Whether you want to buy a  Brooklyn home for sale by owner or a home listed with a real estate agent, I can help you get the best terms and price.  I’ll also look out for your best interests and make sure all the i’s are dotted and t’s are crossed.  If that sounds good to you, Charles D’Alessandro Your Brooklyn Realtor® with Fillmore Real Estate a call today at (718) 253-9600 ext 206 or email me at [email protected]

Myths about Buying Brooklyn Real Estate for Sale by Owner

Friday, December 10th, 2010

There are a few misconceptions about buying Brooklyn real estate for sale by owner (FSBO).

Sellers aren’t Serious

Some buyers think that the seller isn’t serious about selling the house, that they’re just testing the market.  While this is true in some cases, most sellers are serious and will accept an offer that is close to the asking price.

There’s Something Wrong with the Home

Sometimes Brooklyn real estate for sale by owner sits on the market for a while.  Generally, it isn’t because there’s something terribly wrong with the house.

It may be because the owner isn’t open to negotiations on the sale price.  More often, it’s because the owner doesn’t have the experience marketing and showing homes to potential buyers that a real estate agent does.  A typical owner isn’t likely to have the time to properly market the house. If there aren’t enough buyers looking at the house, it’s going to be harder to get a good purchase offer.

Real Estate Agents can’t Help

Some buyers believe that real estate agents can’t help them negotiate the purchase of a FSBO.  That’s not true.  If you find a FSBO you’re interested in, whether you find it because you drive by it or see it in an advertisement, let your Brooklyn real estate agent know.  Real estate agents can represent your best interests when purchasing FSBOs, just like they do when purchasing homes listed with a real estate agency.

If you’re interested in buying a home, whether or not it’s a FSBO, I’d like to help you.  Call me today at Fillmore Real Estate (718) 253-9600 ext.206 or email me at [email protected]

4 Reasons to List Your FSBO with a Brooklyn Real Estate Agent

Tuesday, August 24th, 2010

Going it alone and listing your home as for sale by owner can be exciting at first, but there is a turning point where the prospect of losing money makes it necessary to bring in help. Here are four reasons to change your plan and list your home with a Brooklyn real estate agent in order to facilitate a sale.

  1. 1. Speed: If your property has been languishing on the market for more than three months, it is no longer fresh. People will avoid it simply because it hasn’t sold. A Brooklyn real estate agent can give your home wider exposure and get traffic moving through it again.
  2. 2. Knowledge: Fresh eyes on a project are helpful in any business endeavor. You can be too close to your home. You love it and see it in a positive light that can often overlook minor items that will kill a sale. Your Brooklyn real estate agent can help you see the problems you didn’t even know existed.
  3. 3. National Exposure: As a FSBO (for sale by owner) seller, you are not able to list your home on the official MLS (multiple listing service). That exposure alone can get much faster responses and sales. Additionally, a professional real estate agent markets your home on multiple websites which gives your home a virtual Open House 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
  4. 4. An Earthly Advantage: Many FSBOs price their homes way over market for two reasons.  First, they love their home and see certain aspects of their home as more valuable than they really are.  Second, they don’t have extensive knowledge of the real estate market nor do they have the ability to do accurate home price comparisons. You ‘might’ know what your neighbor’s house sold for 5 years ago, but do you know what it is worth now?  And even more importantly, do you know exactly how comparable your house is to that one? A professional real estate agent has access to all that information.

If you would like to know more about how a professional real estate agent can help you sell yourBrooklyn home, I can help.  Give  Charles D’Alessandro of Fillmore Real Estate a call today at 9718) 253-9600 EXT.206 or email me at [email protected] for more information.


Charles D’Alessandro

[email protected]
tel 718 253-9600
fax 718 253-9573
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The FSBO Mindset: Successful Ways to Sell Your Brooklyn Real Estate

Saturday, August 21st, 2010

When you first set out to sell your home, you are probably excited by all the possibilities, maybe a little scared, and often thinking about the best ways to save money. Many times saving money when selling Brooklyn real estate means trying to sell it as a FSBO (For Sale By Owner). If you have the conviction, the salesmanship, and the know how you might be able to sell your home yourself and keep the commission in your pocket. There are, however, a few key elements you should be aware of when attempting to sell your own home.

Your House—Not Your Home

The first trick of selling your own home is to immediately stop thinking about it as your home. It may seem like an insignificant change and purely a matter of semantics but as your ‘home’ you will have far less ability to coldly asses its value than simply as a piece of  Brooklyn real estate—a house.

As a ‘home’ it will be harder to handle rejection, off-handed comments by viewers, and a feeling of general violation as strangers traipse through your rooms at all hours of the day interrupting your home life. As a house it is simply a piece of property you have to move. Thinking about your property as just a house, a structure you need to get rid of, will help you detach emotionally enough to have realistic expectations and the ability to handle the stress of selling.

Be Realistic

Carefully assess the value of your Brooklyn real estate. Check out the competition. Know what others have to offer in your same neighborhood and what their prices are.

Prepare and Market

Get rid of personal items. Put them in storage. Eliminate all the clutter of everyday living and make your home sparkle. Also remember that no one will be viewing your house if they don’t know it’s for sale. Get the word out in as many ways as possible.

If you would like help selling your Brooklyn home, give me a call at (718)253-9600 ext 206 or email me at [email protected].


Charles D’Alessandro

[email protected]
tel 718 253-9600
fax 718 253-9573
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5 Tips For Selling Your Brooklyn Home on Your Own

Wednesday, May 5th, 2010

Sometimes sellers want to try to sell their Brooklyn homes on their own.  That’s called selling your home “For Sale by Owner” or FSBO for short.

If you’d like to give FSBO a try, here are some tips:

1. Prepare your home for sale. Go through your Brooklyn home and make a list of repairs that need to be done. Clean your carpets. Repair the grout in the bathroom. Remove dead plants from your yard. Paint the interior. Wash the windows. Make sure you home looks as good as possible.

2. Choose a fair selling price. Look at what the houses in your area are selling for to get an idea. You should hire a professional appraiser to assess your home. Of course you want to make as much money as possible, but you also have to have a reasonable asking price if you want anyone to look at your home.

3. Advertise your home. Put a sign in your front yard. Create a flyer.  Place your home in MLS (Multiple Listing Service) through a realty service. Post information online. Spread the word to everyone you know. People need to know your home is for sale.

4. Get help with the legal issues. Selling a house involves several legal documents. You need someone to help make sure everything is complete and correct.  If you don’t want to work with a real estate agent, consider hiring a real estate lawyer to handle the paperwork.

5. Know when to ask for help. At some point selling your home on your own may not be a good idea. When you feel like you’re in over your head or just frustration, call a professional.  A good rule of thumb is to try selling your home as a FSBO for 30 days, then reassess.

If you’re ready to get some professional help selling your home, give me a call at (718)253-9600 ext.206 or email me at [email protected]


Charles D’Alessandro

[email protected]
tel 718 253-9600
fax 718 253-9573
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