| dy"> | | | | brochures in front of the public. You can buy a |
| You're ready to put your home or land (house, | | | | brochure holder (typically, a plastic box with a hinged |
| townhouse, condo, apartment, farm, ranch, finished | | | | lid on a stick which gets "planted" in the ground near |
| lot, raw land, etc.) on the market as a FSBO (for sale | | | | the curb in front of your home) from the hardware |
| by owner). You've priced your property appropriately | | | | store. Plant it in a prominent place in front of your |
| and gotten it ready to show. How are you going to | | | | home and keep it stocked with brochures. |
| market it so that it gets exposure to enough | | | | Don't get annoyed when "noisy neighbors" pick up |
| potential buyers to actually sell? | | | | your brochures. Your neighbors can afford homes |
| Signs | | | | priced similarly to yours. They probably have family |
| In some parts of the county, the real estate market | | | | and friends whom they'd enjoy as neighbors who can |
| is so hot that you need do little more than buy a "for | | | | afford this price range, too. Smile when you see a |
| sale by owner" sign at the nearest hardware store. | | | | neighbor picking up a brochure; another marketing |
| Simply put it in a prominent position on the front of | | | | ambassador is on its way. |
| your house and stand back. | | | | Also keep a supply of brochures in your home to |
| In other areas, a great deal more marketing is | | | | give to prospective buyers who come to look at it. |
| needed, but a "for sale by owner" sign is a good | | | | People looking for a new home usually look at a |
| place to start. Directional signs ("home for sale" with | | | | more than one property, and can get overwhelmed |
| an arrow) at intersections leading the way to your | | | | with too many properties. "Is this the one with the |
| property are useful, too, if your location lends itself | | | | built-in book cases or was it the one across town?" |
| to that. | | | | The house whose best features go with them via a |
| Classified Ads | | | | brochure with color photos and salient information is |
| A classified ad in your local newspaper is a good idea | | | | memorable. Buyers tend to write contract offers on |
| and is generally not expensive. A short ad repeated a | | | | properties they remember and can visualize. |
| number of times is apt to be more effective than a | | | | Consider taking your brochures to your peers at |
| long ad run once, or only a few, times. | | | | work. After all, you find it convenient to live in your |
| Bulletin Boards/Posters | | | | home and work there; might your associates know |
| Are there bulletin boards where you work? In | | | | someone who'd find it a similarly pleasant |
| neighborhood shops and restaurants? At your | | | | arrangement? Ask them. |
| church? Any place you, or members of your family, | | | | Internet |
| frequent that has something like a bulletin board is a | | | | There are several Internet sites on which FSBOs |
| good place to post notices of your property's | | | | may list their properties for sale. Some of these |
| availability. If you have the use of a digital camera | | | | permit sellers to include photos, information about |
| and a computer, you might want to do a one-page | | | | "Open Houses" they're holding, etc. Prices for this |
| poster with several photos of your house, a | | | | service varies. Try fsboamerica.org or go to your |
| description and contact information. Consider having | | | | favorite search engine and check out a few. |
| tear-off strips at the bottom with your phone | | | | Open Houses |
| number repeated on each strip. | | | | That brings up the notion of "Open Houses." In many |
| Magazines & Community Publications | | | | areas, sales frequently take place because of an |
| You may want to check the cost of putting an ad in | | | | Open House attended by potential buyers. If you are |
| "For Sale By Owner" type magazines. Most | | | | in a location with good traffic, an open house can be |
| communities have such magazines and you don't | | | | an excellent tool. You can promote your Open House |
| have to be a realtor to buy an ad. | | | | in any, or all, of the venues we've discussed above. |
| Brochures | | | | It's also often effective to install an Open House sign |
| Brochures or one-page flyers can also be a useful | | | | with helium balloons tied on with bright ribbons on the |
| method for marketing your home. You can use the | | | | day of the Open House. |
| same one you made for bulletin boards or you can | | | | Whether you use a realtor or sell your home on your |
| expand on it a bit. Use more photos, have captions | | | | own, marketing it is going to be the key to getting a |
| under them identifying the rooms, garden areas, | | | | quick sale. It takes some time and access to a few |
| tennis court, community club, pool and other benefits | | | | tools, but most sellers can put together a successful |
| to buying your home. | | | | marketing program. |
| There are several things you can do to get your | | | | |