5 Reasons NOT To "For Sale By Owner"

When it comes to selling your Lake of the Ozarks home, you have two options: you can sell your home by yourself, or you can sell it with the help of a real estate agent at the Lake of the Ozarks. Some people are tempted to sell it on their own so they can avoid paying the agent's commission, but homes listed as For Sale By Owner frequently take much longer and are much more of a hassle to sell - if they even sell at all. Here are a few reasons why selling your home on your own may be more trouble than it's worth.

1. Homeowners May Not Be Aware Of Everything That Needs To Be Done Before The Sale
Selling your home isn't as simple as sticking a "for sale" sign in the front yard and waiting for interested buyers to magically appear - there's a lot that needs to be done in order to sell your home quickly. Deep cleaning, decluttering, staging, boosting curb appeal, taking professional listing photos, and making necessary upgrades are just a few of the tasks that await the prospective home seller. Your real estate agent can help you identify which steps you will need to take and offer up-to-date strategies for approaching each of these tasks.

2. Homeowners May Not Appreciate The Importance Of Common Real Estate Timelines
Generally speaking, homes for sale at the Lake of the Ozarks get the most attention and foot traffic in the first thirty days that they are on the market. The longer they are listed for sale, the less money they will probably ultimately get out of the sale. Homeowners may not understand the importance of aggressively marketing their homes as soon as they hit the market, and can miss out on this crucial time period.

3. Homeowners Often Do Not Understand Real Estate Contracts
Anyone who has bought or sold a house before can attest to the fact that real estate transactions come with a lot of paperwork. Unless you have been closely involved in the buying and selling process for the past several years, it is likely that all of the contracts and other paperwork will make your head swim. Because she is constantly immersed in the paperwork, your real estate agent should be able to help you make sense of it all.

4. FSBO Listings Do Not Get As Much Exposure
Homes that are listed For Sale By Owner (FSBO) typically do not get nearly as much marketing exposure as homes that are listed with real estate agents. Agents add their homes to the multiple listing service (MLS), which allows them to be easily found by buyers. Additionally, their listings should appear on countless real estate websites, both locally and nationally. While there are a few websites that allow FSBOs to advertise their properties, many real estate websites restrict their listings to those with listing agents. Without a listing agent, you also won't get the benefit of an independent third-party going out of their way to market your property.

5. Homeowners Are Not Experienced Negotiators
Even if you are in sales or another industry that requires frequent negotiations, you probably have limited (if any) experience with real estate negotiations. There are so many different factors that affect the sale of a home, including appraisal, inspection, loan prequalification/pre-approval, title insurance, property survey, and more. Each of these different factors can affect the overall negotiation process. Having a real estate agent to guide and represent you through these negotiations can be a huge asset.

Don't FSBO - Call Me Instead!
Selling your house at the Lake of the Ozarks is big undertaking no matter what, but you can make the process easier on yourself by delegating a large set of the responsibilities to your trusted Lake of the Ozarks REALTOR®. To learn more about how I can help you with the process of selling your home, visit my website: RealEstateLakeOzark.com

Susan Spica
Professional REALTOR®

BerkShire Hathaway HomeServices
101 Crossings West, Ste. 202
Lake Ozark, MO 65049

Office: (573) 365-6868
Susan's Cell: (573) 280-0484

5 Tips For First-Time Sellers

People are always talking about real estate tips for first-time homebuyers, but what about the individuals who are selling their homes for the very first time? Selling your house at the Lake of the Ozarks is no small undertaking, but if you follow a few helpful suggestions, you can make the process easier. Here are couple of key tips I've learned in my years as a real estate agent at the Lake of the Ozarks.

A Message To First-Time Sellers

With the incredible amount of information and resources available to today's buyers, sellers are having to step up their game. Simply contacting a real estate agent to put your home on the market and then waiting for the right buyer to come along isn't going to cut it anymore; you have to put in a little extra effort if you want your home to sell quickly and for a good price.

5 Tips To Help You Sell Your Home

1. Price Your Home Right From The Very Beginning
Some sellers overprice their homes in the beginning, thinking that they might as well see if they can get more money for it since they can afford to lower the price later if necessary. However, overpricing your home at the beginning can be a dangerous mistake. Most homes get the best visibility during their first 30 days on the market, and overpricing your home can put you at a serious disadvantage.

2. Add Extra Incentives To Generate More Interest
Every buyer is looking for the best purchase. If you include extra incentives in your sale, you may be able to generate more interest in your home. Consider offering to include various furnishings, appliances, or home decor pieces in the sale. You can be strategic about this by only offering to include the items that will be difficult for you to move, such as the washer and dryer.

3. Get Rid Of Clutter To Make Your Home Seem Bigger
It doesn't matter how much square footage your home has; if your home is filled with clutter, it will seem smaller and more cramped. It's time to clear your home of any unnecessary clutter - and even some of the "necessary" clutter! Clear half of all the items out of your closets and off of your bookshelves to create the illusion of more storage space. Clear every item (except for appliances) off of your kitchen counters to make them seem more expansive.

4. Clean Your Home To Make It More Appealing
It's time to embrace your inner neat freak. Before listing your home (and periodically while it is on the market), it's important to clean your home thoroughly. Pay attention to even the smallest details, like wiping down the light switches and doorknobs. Keeping your home in pristine condition while it's on the market will make it more appealing to buyers - after all, no one wants to buy a dirty home!

5. Make It Easy For Buyers
The most powerful thing you can do is make your home an easy purchase. Between packing up all of their belongings and unloading everything into their new home, buyers already have a lot on their plates. Anything you can do to lighten their loads will make your home much more appealing. Take care of any necessary repairs ahead of time. You may also want to toss in a few simple upgrades, such as nicer faucets in the sinks and showers.

Let Me Be Your Agent!

Following these suggestions can get you started, and hiring a real estate agent at the Lake of the Ozarks can help you finish the job! Your real estate agent will help you market your home and negotiate with buyers to find a solution that best works for everyone. I have a great deal of experience working with home sellers at the Lake of the Ozarks, and I would be honored to help you through the process. Check out my website to learn more about how I may be able to help you!

Susan Spica
Professional REALTOR®

BerkShire Hathaway HomeServices
101 Crossings West, Ste. 202
Lake Ozark, MO 65049

Office: (573) 365-6868

Susan's Cell: (573) 280-0484