Selling your home in Baltimore can be a headache, even when working with a real estate agent. Agents often come with scheduling conflicts, multiple clients, and fees that eat into your bottom line. What if you could bypass them altogether?
Thankfully, another option is listing your home for sale by owner (FSBO). When you choose to sell your home yourself, you eliminate the broker and can save money on real estate agent fees. But selling your home without an agent does come with some responsibilities. Here’s what you need to know to sell your Baltimore home successfully on your own.
Spread the Word
When you sell FSBO, the jobs and duties that a real estate agent typically handles fall on you, the most important of these is advertising your home.
When you put your house on the market, tell everyone. Post about it on local Facebook groups, tell your coworkers, the people you share weekend activities with, and your friends. Hand out flyers at local events or the grocery store.
While these things may seem daunting and, at times, overkill, you never know where you may find a buyer. The more people who know your home is on the market, the more likely you are to sell quickly.
Keep Your House Show-Ready
Although you may still be living in your home while trying to sell it, it is important to keep it clean and tidy. You never know when a potential buyer would like a walkthrough of your home, and when they come by, you want it to be in the best shape possible. Putting your best foot forward in selling is critical, so you want your home to look its best.
Remember, this doesn’t have to mean that you need to pay for costly renovations and facelifts. As-is home buyers in Baltimore are often willing to overlook glaring cosmetic or foundational issues for a good deal, so spending large sums of money on your home right as you sell it isn’t necessary. Keeping your house organized and clean is all you really need to do to ensure that impromptu house showings go smoothly and your future buyer sees the home’s potential.
Stay Informed on Market Trends
When selling without an agent, you’re also taking on the research that comes with it. You need to stay informed on the market and the costs involved with selling your home. The best resources for you would be real estate market trackers and information guides that break down closing costs and other responsibilities for home sellers.
You should stay up to date on other properties that have sold in your area, potential buyers, and market conditions. All these things will help you be the most prepared seller you can be, avoid getting caught by surprise costs, and know how to properly advertise your home.
Price Your Home Just Right
Setting the price is one of the trickiest parts of selling your home FSBO. Too high, and buyers will steer clear. Too low, and you leave potential money on the table.
To strike the right balance, take the time and perhaps a little bit of money to get an estimate on your home. Pricing fairly will help attract buyers and get you the most money out of your home. If you want to price your home yourself, do the necessary research. Look at the prices of houses of a similar size in your area that have sold recently. If you have any amenities, such as a pool, updated kitchens or bathrooms, or even an outdoor pizza oven, make sure to take those things into consideration.
Keep in mind that an overpriced home will sit on the market longer, while a fair price will attract more buyers–and potentially even start a bidding war.
Consider Selling Your Home to a Cash Buyer
If selling without an agent sounds like too much work and stress, there’s a quicker, simpler option: selling your home to a company that buys houses in Baltimore. These businesses are often ready to buy your home in as-is condition and will typically make all-cash offers that go through fast.
All-cash sales typically go for about 70-75% of the market value of your home. While this may sound significant, you’re saving from agent fees and renovation and closing costs. Cash buyers eliminate the lengthy waiting periods for mortgage approval, meaning you walk away from the deal with money in hand faster. Don’t forget all the time and effort you’ll be personally saving yourself, and that is truly priceless.
Last Thoughts
Selling your home FSBO in Baltimore gives you complete control and can save you money on agent fees–but it also requires more legwork. By staying informed, marketing your home well, and keeping it show-ready, you can maximize your chances of a successful sale. And if all feels like too much? Cash buyers in Baltimore are always an option for a fast, hassle-free closing.