Ruth Blackwell, a Leader in Juneau, Alaska Real Estate

Sell A Home - By unrepresented owner?

Back to Sell A Home page | Forms for Sellers | Working with a Realtor in Alaska

Many of you are looking for information on selling your own homes - for sale by owner.

I will provide you with some good information; but if you live here in Juneau, Alaska I would like you to consider calling me because I believe I can make it worth your while financially. I provide no-pressure information. After talking with me, if you still believe you can do it yourself, best wishes to you. Hopefully I am able to give you some useful information and we'll be here later if you change your mind.

If you don't live here in Juneau, Alaska, I have connections with Realtors all over the nation and can help point you in the right direction.

The following information is to encourage you to ask for my help in selling your property... but, if you read beyond the marketing stuff, it also shows many of the issues you should take into consideration when you do it yourself.

Items to consider when you are unrepresented
Primary reason homeowners try to sell their home themselves is to save the commission. That savings is not without a great deal of work and time.

The most common problems:

experience are attracting qualified potential buyers,
getting the home priced correctly,
negotiating an agreement
selling in the anticipated time, understanding and performing the necessary paperwork
difficulties handling objections from buyers such as

"the price is too high",
"the colors are wrong”,
the flooring is installed wrong”,
“who picked those tiles’
And are insulted by buyers that call attention to the defects of the home.

Attracting potential buyers.

Do you have a collective of promotional efforts to attract buyers?
Do you have all the tools a real estate professional has?
Experience writing ads for newspaper
For sale signs, open house signs,
Have you held an open house
Can you call past customers and clients, company contacts, institutional advertising, referral organizations, Multiple Listing Service, and the Internet?

Showings-

Are you available to show the property?
Weekends?
Nights?
Is your “store” open 24/7

Safety a factor?

Strangers in your home? Make you comfortable?
Personal items at times “walk out of the house”

Who really saves the commission, the seller or the buyer?

Buyers automatically deduct “the commission” from the asking price when dealing with a For Sale by Owner.
The buyer has to learn the process of buying on their own, identify the neighborhoods, find the homes, write and negotiate the contract, secure the financing, arrange the inspections, and coordinate the closing, on their own rather than using a Realtor.
Don't you think the motivating factor will be to save the commission?
It’s going to be hard when both the seller and the buyer want to save the commission.

Negotiating Contract

Do you have all the required contracts necessary to complete a transaction?
Do you know all the normal and customary closing costs required by lenders?
Do you have all the state of Alaska required disclosure documents?
Can you explain them to the buyer?
Who will hire the inspectors?
Who will let the inspectors in?
Who will co-ordinate repairs- do you have to take time off work?
Who will hold the earnest money deposit?
What happens if you have to leave town prior to closing?
When will the buyer take possession?

Most buyers will need help obtaining financing.

Can you advise buyers what different loan programs are available and where they can be found?
Do you know the requirements and limitations of these different programs is necessary to help advise the buyers.
Do you have financial software program or a financial calculator can help to make a variety of analyses that can make decision making easy for buyers.
Would a buyer be comfortable telling you their personal finances
Do you have the forms and ability to write a contract?
Are you familiar with the professional inspectors available in Juneau?
Do you know contractors and handy-men that will come as soon as called for required repairs?

A transaction is not finished until you have your money and the buyer has moved into your house.

Do you know know the documents that are required?
Do you have a pre-payment penlty? Are they legal in Alaska?
Do you know about Title Insurance?

Selling your own home takes a lot of hard work and know-how. Making even a small mistake can spell serious trouble. By working with me, you gain the services of experienced professionals with advanced training in negotiations and sales. Not only does that free you from the time-consuming tasks involved with selling your home, it gives you the added expertise to help maximize the profit from your home.

I can help you sell your home faster and for the best price. I will make sure you have the correct information to price your home accurately by conducting a Competitive Market Analysis. This research will help support the price with comparable facts and statistics.

In addition I will:

advertise your home in the most visible outlets in our area;
access out-of-town buyers through the my web site and through other regional and national real estate websites;
suggest easy ways to make your home more attractive to potential buyers;
explore alternative financing methods that can help relieve a potential buyer's financing concerns;
scan the Multiple Listing Service to locate active buyers through a special network of resources;
act as third-party negotiators between you and the buyer;
screen prospects so you don't have to expose your family to any stranger who knocks at your door.

Think of my services as an investment, one that immediately repays itself in the quick, efficient and successful sale of your home.

Back to Sell A Home page | Forms for Sellers | Working with a Realtor in Alaska

Ruth Blackwell, Associate Broker
9040 Glacier Highway, Juneau, Alaska 99801
Office 907-789-3888; Fax 907-789-7038; Cell 907-321-0615
E-mail: ruth@aukelake.com
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