For Sale by Owner? Prepare to Negotiate!

In a recovering market, some sellers might be tempted to try and sell their home on their own (FSBO) without using the services of a real estate professional. The real estate agent is a trained and experienced negotiator. In most cases, the seller is not. The seller must realize the ability to negotiate will determine whether they get the best deal for themselves and their family.

Here is a list of some of the people with whom the seller must be prepared to negotiate if they decide to FSBO:

• The buyer who wants the best deal possible
• The buyer’s agent who solely represents the best interest of the buyer
• The buyer’s attorney (in some parts of the country)
• The home inspection companies which work for the buyer and will almost always find some problems with the house.
• The termite company if there are challenges
• The buyer’s lender if the structure of the mortgage requires the sellers’ participation
• The appraiser if there is a question of value
• The title company if there are challenges with certificates of occupancy (CO) or other permits
• The town or municipality if you need to get the Cos permits mentioned above
• The buyer’s buyer in case there are challenges on the house your buyer is selling.
• Your bank in the case of a short sale.

And this is just one side of the transaction!  Add into this the time required to be available to show 

the property - and at it's best advantage!  No wonder real estate sales is a profession!  Hire a 

Realtor for this most important transaction.

- courtesy of KCM - Keeping Current Matters.