Do you want to sell your house without a real estate agent?

It may be difficult to do this, but these tips can help you close the deal.

With real estate agent commissions that can be as high as 6% of a home's sale price, it's tempting to hang up an “Owner Sells” sign and save yourself the commission. Ultimately, this would allow you to pocket $ 16,800 more if you sell your house for $ 280,000, which is the median sales price of a single-family home.

But selling your house is a difficult task. It takes time, energy, knowing the market and some money, says Jim Remley, a Medford, Oregon-based real estate agent and author of “Sell Your Home in Any Market,” published by Amacom in 2008. This may be the reason why only 9% of salespeople are currently trying to make the sale without an agent, slightly less than the 12% who did in 2006. If you plan to join this minority, We recommend that you follow these tips to improve your luck. And here you can get more tips For Sale By Owner.

MAKE SURE YOU ARE UP TO THE TASK

You should have plenty of time to show your home, have no trouble negotiating, and enjoy the challenge of marketing your own home, says Brendon DeSimone, real estate agent and author of "Next Generation Real Estate: New Rules for Smarter Home Buying & Faster Selling, ”edited by Changing Lives Press in 2014.

FIND THE RIGHT APPRAISAL

The online appraisal service can help. For example, the free tool from ForSaleByOwner.com can determine a price range based on information in public records. You can also enter your address on the Trulia and Zillow sites to see the estimated value of your home and see how much similar homes have sold for in the area recently. Check newspaper ads and real estate blogs to get a feel for the market and visit other nearby homes for sale for at least a week.

TIDY AND CLEAN

Put away family photos, fix a loose door handle, clean all surfaces, and apply a coat of neutral paint to the walls. To present your house in the best way, you can consult with a professional who is in charge of preparing the house for sale ( home stager ) for around $ 300. Search for a professional online at the International Association of Home Staging Professionals site iahsp.com/membersearch.php.

USE INTERNET TOOLS TO PROMOTE IT

An industry has emerged to help those who want to sell their home outright for a portion of what they would spend on commission. Services include promotion in magazines and Internet sites, and providing information forms, contracts and other documents for sale, weather-resistant informational boxes and flyers, seminars and brochures and educational materials.

DON'T FORGET THE POSTER

After the Internet and the real estate agent, the “For Sale” poster is the most effective tool to attract buyers, according to NAR surveys. Put it as close to the street as possible, in a conspicuous place, and don't forget to include a phone number that can be easily read and that someone can answer day and night.

SHOW IT LIKE A PROFESSIONAL

When you show your house, ask visitors to register and leave their email and phone number. (See sample “open-house” registrations or home buying kits that you can purchase for $ 22 or $ 30 at  brittonproducts.com ). Let potential buyers decide how they want to tour your home and highlight the special features. Make sure they take a copy of the sales brochure with them. Follow up by e-mail or by calling them, thank them for visiting your home and take the opportunity to ask if there is anything else they want to know. For safety reasons, it's best if someone else is in the house when you show it off.

LOOK FOR BUYERS WITH A COMMITMENT

A prospective buyer with a pledged mortgage (means that the lender has verified all the information on the loan application) is further along the loan process than one who has pre-qualified for a mortgage (means that a lender has only verified buyer's credit). The probability that the sale will not go through with a buyer who already has a commitment is lower.

HIRE A LAWYER SPECIALIZING IN REAL ESTATE

Many states do not require an attorney to be involved in the sale, but hiring an experienced direct sales professional is critical. This professional can help you answer offers, conclude the contract and define the date of signing the sale.