How can you sell your house without a realtor?

Sell your house without a real estate agent.

You may be asking yourself, “Can I really sell my house without a realtor?”

The answer is Yes!  You can sell your house without a real estate agent in any market. There are a couple ways to sell your house by yourself.

1. List your house For Sale By Owner (FSBO).

When you want to sell your house by yourself, it can be a time consuming and frustrating process but you may be able to save thousands in fees and commissions. Here are some basis steps

• Put a sign in your yard and advertise your house for sale.
• Show your house to prospective buyers, and hope that one of those buyers will make an offer.
• Review any offers and accept the best offer.
• Find a title company that will help set up escrow and complete the transaction.

2. Sell your house to a professional real estate investor

By selling your house to a professional investor, you can avoid having to do costly repairs, get your house sold fast, and in most times the investor will cover all your closing costs and fees.  You can avoid having to show your house to prospective buyers, you can avoid having to clean up your house and fix up any minor or major repairs.  You can choose the exact date that you would like to move out and when you would like to close the transaction.

It’s easy to find a professional real estate investor in your area.  Look in the classifieds for a we buy houses company.  These are companies advertising to buy houses in your area.  Investors have private money waiting to be spent on houses like yours.  Check with the Better Business Bureau to make sure the company is in good standing and check the references of past clients.  Then sell your house fast, without a Realtor!

Selling a house that needs repairs

Should I Fix Up My Home or Try to Sell My House As Is?

Selling my Home in As Is Condition

Is the house is need of major repairs?  Can you afford to fix up your house and still have room to sell without being under water and requiring to short sale my house?  These are questions you have to ask yourself.  If you cannot afford or don’t want to fix up your house, you can usually contact a “we buy houses” company in your area that will make a cash offer and take care of all the repairs.  These companies specialize in buying ugly houses or handyman specials, fixing them up, and reselling them in brand new condition.  This is a great way to sell my house fast.

Do Home Buyers Want Fixers or Fixed Up Homes?

Some buyers are looking for a fixer upper that they can put their own finishing touches on, while other buyers are looking to find a home that they can move into and have no work needed.  It depends on your area and real estate market conditions.  Most fixer buyers are willing to do simple repairs such as paint the walls, put in new carpeting or replace light fixtures. They typically don’t want to rebuild a foundation or move walls.

Before Fixing Up Your Home

Weigh the cost of  improvements against the home’s market value after the repairs or upgrades are completed. If an upgrade won’t return the investment, such an improvement might not be worth it. Before you decide to lift the roof and install skylights in the master suite, realize that kitchens and baths are where most buyers spend their time.

Here are 10 minimum improvements to make before selling your home:

• Patch all holes and cracks in walls and ceilings.
• Fix all broken appliances and HVAC systems.
• Repair leaky faucets.
• Replace worn carpeting.
• Repaint dark or marred walls with neutral paint (not white).
• Replace broken windows.
• Repair the roof.
• Change out dated light fixtures / ceiling fans.
• Replace old linens / window coverings.
• Fix code violations.

Can I sell my house for less than I owe?

Can You Really Sell for LESS Than You Owe?

The short answer is Maybe.  Selling your house for less than you owe on your mortgage is not a simple task.  As you can imagine, your lender is not too eager to let you sell your house for less than you owe because they are in the business of lending money to make more money, not lose money.  When the bank allows you to sell your house for less than you owe, that is called a short sale.  Despite the name, short sales are not a way to sell your house fast.

So, why is the answer “maybe” and not Yes or No?

The answer is Maybe because the lender(s) MAY BE willing to accept a reduced amount when you sell. Why would they agree to that? They might agree if you, as the owner of the property, can prove a “hardship” that is so bad, the lender will be willing to settle for less than the current loan amount. You must have a legitimate hardship. Maybe you’ve experienced major medical problems, a divorce, a job loss, maybe a death in the family, or major financial problems; there are many situations that may qualify as a hardship.  Or maybe your payment adjusted and the value of your house has declined.

Who can I contact about a short sale?

Typically in every market there are real estate agents and real estate investors that specialize in short sales.  It is a very time consuming and tedious process to complete a short sale, so contacting a professional is in your best interest.  In most cases, the services of the agent or investor are free to you, the homeowner.  If you look in your local classifieds under “We Buy Houses” in the real estate services section, you can find investors that are looking to buy and negotiate a short sale on your behalf.  Contact us about your Arizona short sale.

Should I sell my house now?

Choosing the right time to sell your house

If you can choose when to sell, it’s best to do it in a “seller’s market” — when the number of available homes is low in relation to the number of buyers. Here are some indicators that the market is good for sellers:

• Mortgage interest rates are low, allowing buyers to finance larger mortgages.
• The economic climate of your region is healthy and people feel confident about the future.
• There’s a jump in house buying activity, as often occurs in the spring.
• Your area is considered especially attractive — because of the schools, low crime rate, weather, proximity to a major city, or other factors such as employment opportunities.

Of course, not everyone gets to choose when to sell. If you have to move immediately — for example, because of financial reasons, a divorce, a job move, or an imperative health concern — and you don’t have any of the advantages listed above — you may have to settle for a lower price in order to make a quick sale.  Another option would be to contact a local professional real estate buyer.  Real estate buyer and investors are looking to buy houses in sellers markets and buyers markets and can be especially helpful when you need to sell your house fast.  Just look search online for “We Buy Houses” in your local area, craigslist.org, or try your local newspaper classified ads.

In most areas of the country, now is not a sellers market.  Prices are dropping, mortgages are hard to qualify for and foreclosures are at an all time high.  For most people, if you can stay in your house and weather the storm, this is not the time to sell your house.