Agents with “one-stop” websites leave dogged DIY home sellers in the dust

Houses that begin as “For Sale By Owner” (FSBO) may not stay that way for long if the owner has a hard time selling it.  And even if that homeowner is determined to sell it himself doesn’t mean he won’t come across your site when he does his research, making it crucial that you position your website as the one-stop neighborhood expert in the real estate business.  Here are a few quick tips on bringing FSBOs to your website.

Give advice. Provide a tips section on how homeowners can prepare to sell their home – or even an entire section on FSBO.  Chances are they’re doing research on the web, so give them all the information they need up front. Agent XSite users already have information like this available to them in their pre-written content pages, including information putting together marketing plans, setting the sale price, negotiating and a sale preparation checklist (Step 7 in your XSites Wizard).

Be sure to edit the information to make it specific to your selling area.  While a section called “Preparing to sell your home” may be helpful to FSBOs, a section labeled “Preparing to sell your home in Atlanta” may result in more local leads when those homeowners eventually give up and call in an expert to sell their home.

Be their directory. Post local service provider information on your website for both the seller and the potential buyer such as mortgage providers, title companies, home inspectors, attorneys, appraisers, pest inspection and even the contact information for your local newspaper’s classified ad section.  They’re going to need this information anyway, and you’re saving them the hunt in the Yellow Pages and increasing the likelihood they’ll return to your website.

Let them ask you questions.  Let home sellers know you’re there for them as a local expert by inviting them to contact you with any questions on your FSBO pages.  XSites owners can create custom lead generation forms and automatically include them on any content page.  When filled out, the information from the form will be sent to your email and the visitor will be sent an automated response.  If you’re not an XSites user yet, be sure to include your e-mail and phone number in your FSBO pages

If you still cringe at the site of those pesky red and white FSBO signs, take heed.  The National Association of REALTORS® recently reported that the percentage of home sales being completed as FSBOs is declining – that is, more and more end up using the services of a qualified local agent like yourself.  In 1997, 18 percent of owners sold their home without a real estate professional.  In 2003, it was 14 percent.  The reasons?  NAR attributes the decline mostly to the increasing complexity of the sales process and the amount of time it takes to market and show a property.