Interesting Blog Post

[Malok]

While checking homes for a buyer tour, I passed a FSBO sign in the yard of a house in a gated community the other day. I couldn't wait to get home to check if it was on MLS...nope.

I still can't wrap my head around that one. Who's going to see the sign?

Takes all kinds, I guess.

LOL - thats great!

You should use that in some of your marketing materials.

[jasoncrouch]

There is a home behind me (we almost share a fence) that has been a FSBO almost since they built it about a year ago. It is listed approximately $20-30K too high for this area, and I haven't solicited it because I think they would simply be unable to sell it this quickly without bringing a lot of money to the table.

Also, they don't have very much furniture in the home, which would only hurt their cause and make them appear desperate. How do I know this? Because they don't have window treatments either! They FINALLY put treatments in the master bedroom after many, many months. I found out later that the wife is blind, which sort of explains it? Maybe the husband just doesn't care, and she doesn't think about it.

[svrpaul]

I is difficult to get motivated to do it again with this group of people as many of them were just so rude. I could name at least 3 of them that even if I had a buyer who's wants directly matched these peoples house I would still be very hesitant to bring that buyer to see it.

I think it really matters on your approach to FSBO's. Sellers have been trying to do it on their own for decades and will continue for decades more. Even with all of the tools readily and openly available to them now, they still need Brokers in one form or another. But hey, if a sellers wants to try it on their own, more power to them. (Keep in mind many FSBO's are getting pounded and pressured to list by every sales agent within 5 square miles of them and we all know how pushy some "sales" people can be which is why the FSBO will have an obvious guard/shield surrounding them when you talk to them.)

I've often contacted FSBO's just for the price and for the homes really interesting (as in purchase worthy) I want to know everything about it and if they will pay a Broker if we bring a buyer.

At the end when the FSBO gets frustrated with doing it on their own and dealing with all of the stuff we Brokers go through every day, I've found that FSBO's will list with the REALTOR they liked the best during their FSBO experience --- Not the one that hounded them the most.

[escapeso]

I have no problem with FSBOs. Some people choose to use our services and some don't. What interesting is their seems to be an overlap between people that are kind of rude and people that are FSBO. So in the end the people that would do the absolute worst job selling their own home are the ones that are most likely to do it.

[beamup]

Hey I think the caller just wanted to know the price .......

I dont thing he is interested in buying at all........

Anyway u did your job, dont bother about it.......

[Morristown]

I have no problem with FSBOs. Some people choose to use our services and some don't. What interesting is their seems to be an overlap between people that are kind of rude and people that are FSBO. So in the end the people that would do the absolute worst job selling their own home are the ones that are most likely to do it.

I think you are on to something with that statement. There are some very nice people who try to do FSBO but their are some very very ignorant and rude ones as well. The second group that I described seems to be a accurate description of about 40% or more of the current FSBO's. A few weeks ago I busted one trying to take one of my open house signs from a public corner where he also had his FSBO open house sign. I had actually contacted him earlier that week to let him know I was doing a open house and that he might like to also do one.

Guess being nice has a price to pay as well. Now that he has been busted trying to take a $40 sign, I will never get the listing when he does list it!!

[Malok]

If he's a thief, its not likely you would want to do business with him in the first place.

Consider yourself fortunate on saving your sign - and NOT getting the listing.

[zestytx]

I think many FSBOs will be having a change of heart as the market keeps slowing. And as far as posting on the blog, well, people who have a very negative opinion about real estate agents won't be swayed by a blog post, at least in my very humble opinion. I believe that realtors need to concentrate on the people who WANT our services. We need to provide exceptional service for value and help consumers see that we do work hard for them. Part of that, if you want to work with FSBOs, is doing exactly what you said, make contact and keep in touch with them with information and assistance. When they are ready to list, after they are tired of talking with unqualified buyers, tired of people just knocking on their door, or just tired of no activity at all, they will think of you and give you a call.

[Jade456]

Wow. I have to agree, you don't want to do business with such a sleaze. It would be more trouble than its worth in the long run. He did know that was petty larceny right?