From: "JD" 
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: FSBO help
Date: Fri, 28 May 2004 17:39:45 GMT

Your sad story is more evidence for the use of a real estate agent -- even
in a seller's market.

I don't know what the specific reasons are in your case but a local agent
can definitely tell you what your best course of action is. Take their
advice, look at the comps, list it, get the thing sold and pay the damned
commissions.

Your other option is to rent it out.


"books"  wrote in message
news:1e06164c.0405271725.5f9beb2a@posting.google.com...
> I put my house up for sale around Easter and had quite a bit of phone
> calls and people wanting to see the house. I accepted an offer and
> after wasting 4 weeks the buyer backed out. During that time I had 2
> other offers but could not accept them since I was bound by the
> contract. My back is now up against the wall as my new house will be
> ready in another few weeks. I am about to own 2 houses. The last 2
> weeks have been dead. I put an ad in the paper and did not receive one
> phone call. The last open house drew only a few people but the weather
> was really bad and there was flooding all over the county.
>
> So I would like some advice on what worked for other people. Should I
>
> 1. Reduce the price (the house is listed at 230 but is apraised at
> 225k)
> 2. Leave the price as is and tell people that "I'm motivated".
> 3. Tell people that I am giving a 3k allowance for repairs (a few
> windows are shot and the deck needs some new planking)
> 4. Leave the price as is and pay for a listing on the MLS where I
> could still sell the house myself, but if a buyers agent sold it, then
> I would pay 3%. I'm not sure if that would bring me more potential
> buyers into the house.
> 5. Just list it with a full service broker
>
> So far the best marketing has been drive bys and doing open houses and
> some found me on the internet.
>
> Any advice from people who have sold houses themselves would be
> appreciated.