sell FSBO

People often wonder how long it takes to sell their home. If home sales are taking longer than they like in their area they often think they can do it better and faster by selling themselves. They would be wrong.

“How long will it take to sell my home?”

It is a common question: “how long will it take to sell my home?” Realtors can give a few different types of answers. One is average time on the market. But averages are really only useful for spotting market trends.

You can get a rough estimate of how long it will take to sell your home by taking a few factors into consideration and making a few assumptions. Basically, you need to assume that it takes about 20 prospective buyers touring your home. Then assume that it will take 2-3 offers before you actually get the house sold. It’s not foolproof, but it generally works.

So how does that translate to the time it takes to sell your home yourself? Well, that comes down to how effectively you get those 20+ prospective buyers through your door, and how well you negotiate the sale to get the 3+ offers. Easy peasy, right?

Do you know how to effectively market your home?

It’s not as easy as plunking a sign in the front yard, or throwing an ad up on the internet. You need to get the right attention from all over, not just your neighborhood. Do you know where to put your listing? Do you know what information to include to make it stand out from the rest?

Pricing your home

Then there’s how to price it. You just KNOW it’s worth a certain amount. It’s not. You are emotionally involved in the value of your home. It’s also not the average asking price of your neighbors. Asking and selling prices are two entirely different things, and your neighbor’s home may have amenities and upgrades that yours doesn’t.

Do you know how to sort through all those who respond to your ad or stop by because of your sign? How will you know if they are qualified to buy or not? Do you have hours to waste showing your home to people who can’t possibly buy it? Then there’s the question about whether you understand all the legal ins and outs of home sales.