How Real Estate Agents Can List Ownership (FSBO) Properties For Sale
Listing a property that is currently for sale by owner can be a difficult task. Most homeowners will wait a while before considering listing their home with a real estate agent. The silver lining here is that you know they are motivated to sell. So if they choose to list their home with a real estate agent, how can you make sure that you are the real estate agent of their choice?
First you will need some FSBO addresses to mail to. It’s possible to buy lists, but the best clues seem to come from the houses you end up driving by and marking the address. Just have everyone on your team look out for the FSBO signs and write down the address for yourself.
I’ve always been a fan of marketing campaigns that don’t take too long once they’re set up. This campaign has been set up that way. First, you will need to create a series of six postcards. The first to have tips to sell your home. The second two will talk about some kind of advanced marketing you do. It should sound impressive, like something they can’t do on their own. The two third parties should discuss the guarantees of their listing. Aside from paying a commission, the second most common objection is getting locked into a long contract. So why not offer an easy cancellation guarantee? You can also offer a communication guarantee to reassure them that they won’t be left in the dark.
Send the first three postcards every three days. Send the last three postcards one week apart.
If you get enough leads this way and business is booming, leave the campaign where it is. If you can still use more clues, after postcard number four is sent, make a personal visit to the house to see if they need help or have any questions. You may want to ask if you can come back in a week or two to see how things are going.
Most agents don’t market this consistently to FSBOs, and if your postcards look professional and memorable, you should be the first real estate agent that comes to mind when it’s time to list.