How to Sell Your House by Owner and Save a Ton of Money in Commissions!

It's no secret that home values have plummeted in the last several years. And if you're faced with the need to sell your home due to loss of your job or other financial crises, you want to get the most out of it to pay off your current mortgage and hopefully end up with a little cash. A lot of homeowners are selling their homes themselves successfully and avoiding paying that huge Realtor sales commission. It's not easy, but it can be done if you can learn a few tricks and techniques. Keep reading if you'd like to learn these selling tips.
If you can learn how to sell your house by owner, you can save a lot of money! These days it's a buyers market, and your home value is so low you can hardly afford to pay a Realtor a 7% commission and still come out with any equity. But there are a few tricks and tips you'll need to know to help you sell your house by owner. This article will cover a few of the ways you can sell your house yourself and do it quickly.

First you need to determine a fair market value for your home. Find homes similar to yours in square footage, style, and amenities. These should be homes that are either currently listed or have recently been sold. A good online source to check comparables is Zillow.com. Just type in your address and the program will show you homes for sale and homes sold in your neighborhood. You can also drive or walk around your neighborhood and note any homes currently for sale. Either take the free flyers or write down the asking price and details. Try to find some as similar to your house as possible. Keep in mind that the asking price is going to be about 5-10% higher than the amount you can expect to actually sell it for.

Next you need to spruce up your home a little. Do those little repairs you've been putting off; freshen up the paint, especially exterior paint on the front of the house; add some shutters to your front windows; keep the lawn trimmed; add a few new plants in the front of your house; tidy up the place by moving unnecessary junk from the yard. On the inside do a little staging. Don't go out and buy all new furniture, just remove extra furniture, knickknacks, toys, and any unnecessary clutter. For tips on how to stage your home check out "How to Stage Your Home for a Quick Sale!".