How to Sell a House Online
Pay for the best exposure., Make time for free FSBO sites as well, if possible., Advertise your home for sale on social networking sites.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Pay for the best exposure.
Selling your home online without a real estate agent can save you thousands of dollars in commission fees, but don’t expect to make a sale without spending some money in the process.
One wise investment in most instances is to list your house with a paid “for sale by owner” (FSBO) site.
There are many FSBO sites to choose from, so research sites carefully to make sure they have the following characteristics:
High search engine rating.
The best way for you to determine a website's search engine return strength is to do several searches using terms you, as a buyer, might use to find FSBO sites.
The websites that show up at the top of your search engine results are the best rated sites, and the ones you should choose from.
At present, some 70% of U.S. residential real estate web traffic passes through the sites Zillow and Trulia.Easy navigation.
The FSBO site you choose should be easy to use, and should provide a site-search by price and area.
Remember that potential buyers will need to use the site to find your house, and if the pages aren't user-friendly, visitors are likely to leave the site in favor of another.
Quality listings.
Selling a house online is unique from in-person sales in that buyers must rely on photos and descriptions for a first impression.
Make sure the FSBO site you choose includes many high-quality pictures of their listings, as well as clear descriptive sections that effectively illustrate a home's characteristics.
High-speed uploads.
This also pertains to user-friendliness.
Internet users are accustomed to instant web gratification.
Slow uploads are likely to cause site visitors to search elsewhere.
Extra services and sales tools.
Some, though not all, online FSBO companies offer their customers yard signs, forms, marketing materials, lock boxes, guidance and/or sales support to help with the process. -
Step 2: Make time for free FSBO sites as well
Unlike paid FSBO sites, free sites generally offer nothing more than space for advertising.
That means you have to upload your own photos, write your own descriptions and maintain your listing to keep it up to date.If you are confident in your ability (and have the time) to create an eye-catching listing that will draw in legitimate potential buyers, you can rely primarily on free FSBO sites.
If you are unsure, it is probably best to prioritize one or more paid FSBO sites.
You can always create more rudimentary free FSBO listings as well.
After all, you never know which “lure” is going to work on the house-buying “fish” you seek.
Consider linking to your FSBO postings with ads in online classifieds sites.
Internet classifieds allow you to write your own descriptions and upload photos, or you may simply opt to link to a web-page (such as your FSBO site listing) that advertises your home for sale. , If you use social networking sites and have a large number of contacts, marketing your house on these sites is a great way to spread word of mouth for free.Many neighborhoods maintain a social site for residents.
Posting on the website may result in a resident recommending your home to another friend.
While it’s always possible that you’ll sell your house with only a Facebook posting or a well-timed Tweet, it is probably best to use social media to direct prospective buyers to your FSBO listing.
It’s good to have at least one online hub to which prospective buyers can go to find a detailed listing on your home.
Think of it as the difference between yard signs and a sales brochure. -
Step 3: if possible.
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Step 4: Advertise your home for sale on social networking sites.
Detailed Guide
Selling your home online without a real estate agent can save you thousands of dollars in commission fees, but don’t expect to make a sale without spending some money in the process.
One wise investment in most instances is to list your house with a paid “for sale by owner” (FSBO) site.
There are many FSBO sites to choose from, so research sites carefully to make sure they have the following characteristics:
High search engine rating.
The best way for you to determine a website's search engine return strength is to do several searches using terms you, as a buyer, might use to find FSBO sites.
The websites that show up at the top of your search engine results are the best rated sites, and the ones you should choose from.
At present, some 70% of U.S. residential real estate web traffic passes through the sites Zillow and Trulia.Easy navigation.
The FSBO site you choose should be easy to use, and should provide a site-search by price and area.
Remember that potential buyers will need to use the site to find your house, and if the pages aren't user-friendly, visitors are likely to leave the site in favor of another.
Quality listings.
Selling a house online is unique from in-person sales in that buyers must rely on photos and descriptions for a first impression.
Make sure the FSBO site you choose includes many high-quality pictures of their listings, as well as clear descriptive sections that effectively illustrate a home's characteristics.
High-speed uploads.
This also pertains to user-friendliness.
Internet users are accustomed to instant web gratification.
Slow uploads are likely to cause site visitors to search elsewhere.
Extra services and sales tools.
Some, though not all, online FSBO companies offer their customers yard signs, forms, marketing materials, lock boxes, guidance and/or sales support to help with the process.
Unlike paid FSBO sites, free sites generally offer nothing more than space for advertising.
That means you have to upload your own photos, write your own descriptions and maintain your listing to keep it up to date.If you are confident in your ability (and have the time) to create an eye-catching listing that will draw in legitimate potential buyers, you can rely primarily on free FSBO sites.
If you are unsure, it is probably best to prioritize one or more paid FSBO sites.
You can always create more rudimentary free FSBO listings as well.
After all, you never know which “lure” is going to work on the house-buying “fish” you seek.
Consider linking to your FSBO postings with ads in online classifieds sites.
Internet classifieds allow you to write your own descriptions and upload photos, or you may simply opt to link to a web-page (such as your FSBO site listing) that advertises your home for sale. , If you use social networking sites and have a large number of contacts, marketing your house on these sites is a great way to spread word of mouth for free.Many neighborhoods maintain a social site for residents.
Posting on the website may result in a resident recommending your home to another friend.
While it’s always possible that you’ll sell your house with only a Facebook posting or a well-timed Tweet, it is probably best to use social media to direct prospective buyers to your FSBO listing.
It’s good to have at least one online hub to which prospective buyers can go to find a detailed listing on your home.
Think of it as the difference between yard signs and a sales brochure.
About the Author
Emma Wright
Dedicated to helping readers learn new skills in creative arts and beyond.
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