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Selling Real Estate Tips and Tricks For Selling

Posted Monday, January 26, 2009

Selling real estate is always a topic of interest for any home owner. The average American will sell a house every five to seven years. Given a 90 year life expectancy and assuming you buy your first house at age 30. You can expect to selling 8 to 12 houses in your life time.

When it comes to selling a home it can be a very hectic and emotional time. There is a lot of money, memories and family history involved with selling a home. That is why it is best to take an outsider approach to selling real estate. Try to shake off the emotions and think like a potential buyer looking for a new home.

There are typically only 3 ways to sell real estate and some will leave you with more money and create a faster sale than others. There are advantages and disadvantages to each type of home selling process so chose the best option for your particular home selling situation.

Sell your house fast with out a real estate agent
One of the quickest ways to sell real estate is to contact a local real estate investor or home buyer in your area and receive an offer on your house. These real estate professionals exist in every major metropolitan area across the United States and make a living off of investing in real estate.

There is a myth that all real estate investors are out to make a quick buck and take advantage of home owners. Just like any profession there are reputable home buyers and there are dishonest ones. The truth is, real estate investors are a great asset to any home seller.

Most know more about real estate than a typical real estate agent. They are familiar with short sales, helping home owners avoid foreclosure, lease options, rent to own programs, and best of all most can pay cash and create a quick close on your house.

How can it cost you less to sell your home to a real estate investor? Because you are selling real estate directly directly to a buyer there are no real estate agent commissions involved which is typically 6 percent of your sale value. This can add up to tens of thousands of dollars. Instead of paying a real estate agent commissions you are giving some of that money in equity to the new home buyer or investor.

Another awesome advantage of selling your real estate to a local home buyer is the over all home selling process. Through any typical home selling process you would have to spend thousands of dollars stagging your home for sale. You have to leave your home every time a potential home buyer wants to view your home. This can make the home selling experience even more emotional than it already is.

When you sell your house fast to a real estate investor they will buy your house as is. You do not have to spend money on fixing up your house to create curb appeal. You don't have to leave your house every evening so people can walk through your home critiquing your home decorations. A home buyer will quickly wall through your home, ask you a few questions about the homes history and give you an offer then next day. 

So if you need to sell your house fast, consider receiving a free, confidential, no obligation offer for your house from a local home buyer. It will not cost you anything, you will receive an offer on your house, you will not have to pay any real estate commissions, and you just may receive an offer you can not refuse.  

Selling real estate for sale by owner
The next best way to keep more cash in your pocket when selling real estate is to find a home buyer yourself and skip paying real estate commissions to an agent. This avenue is not for all home sellers. Real estate agents exist because they provide value and service. However if you have extra time, energy and are up to a challenge then selling your home for sale by owner could save you big dollars at the closing table.

One disadvantage of selling your house for sale by owner is the up front costs. Instead of a realtor taking charge of the marketing of your home, you will be the main marketing avenue to get the word out. Some of the out of pocket expenses will be getting your home in great shape to sell, and marketing. The best marketing money you can spend is to pay a for sale by owner company who will list your home on the multiple listing service, MLS.

This way you have captured the same marketing a real estate agent would use. This is also the best way to get thousands of potential home buyers to know your house is for sale. You will also have to pay for signs, internet listings and some paper work.

Selling your house with the help of a real estate agent
The more traditional way to sell real estate is to go through a real estate agent. This home selling option will leave you less money at the closing table but could yield a better experience than selling your home by yourself. After all, you are hiring a professional to take care of all the home selling tasks.

Note than you will still have some out of pocket expenses and some inconvenience. A good realtor will walk through your home and put a list together of things they suggest you do to make your home sell quicker and for a higher price. You will have to pay to upgrade certain items in your house, paint new walls, take down family photos and other tasks.

Typical real estate agents charge 6 percent of the sale price of your home as a commission. So if your home sells for 200,000 the real estate commissions would be 12,000. The agent will receive this payment at the closing table so you do not have to come up with this money out of pocket.