Like mentioned in the previous answers- there are way too many properties to choose from that are on the MLS system already! So, why would and experienced agent- with a qualified buyer- risk the chance of losing the sale by working with a FSBO?

There is enough stress in working with buyers, sellers, co-op agents, etc.

If, someone is willing to pay the commission... why not get listed with an agent?

Theresa,
There are some agents still out there that do help fsbo's. For more information see the below website links for FSBO's are at the bottom.

Theresa
This is a buyers market FSBOS dont sell well, if it was a sellers market you would not need an agent.
There are some good answers here.
Most agents wont show a FSBO because they have their own listing to promote first, at a 5% 6% Commission.
There are agents who will show your listing as long as you give 4% Commission to the Buyers agent
BUT who is going to represent your interest?
If you want to sell yourself FSBO you can still do so, get a proffessional appraisal - and subtruct 20% of the price,and make some concessions.
You will get a better deal having an agent represent you.
Good luck
george@century21palm.com

Theresa
You have some great answers. You probably won't like mine, but perhaps it will be the most helpful.

Homeowners want to sell and net the most profit. So by paying a commission to the Realtor representing the buyer, you are still "playing the game". Homeowners sell homes without professional representation all the time, and you might be able to do so.

Just in case you have some challenges, let me share some truths about selling your home:
1. When a homeowner sells their home without professional representation, they sell to someone they know 5% of the time, someone they don't know 5% of the time, and 85% of the time they list the home with a Realtor (MAR survey).
2. Homes sold without professional representation sell on average for 16% less than homes sold by Realtors, which makes sense when you are dealing with only 10% of the market.
3. Buyers first see the home they buy with a Realtor 90% of the time. You bought your home with a Realtor because we work for 'free". Most other buyers, short on time, want the best deal, need a good negotiator, so they use a Realtor.

For Realtors time is money. We are paid for closed escrows only. So a home sold without professional representation is not going to be in the MLS, there will be no lock box, no showing instructions, and if we DO decide to sell it, we end up doing twice the work for half the money. It would be as if you went to work one day and your boss said, Theresa, I had to make a special deal and can only pay you half your salary for the next month.

So it is not a matter of Realtors not wanting to work with owners, it is a matter of time and money.

I suggest that you interview three Realtors. I will provide you with a great referral of a top Realtor in your area if you need one. Then you compare their answers, you run the numbers. Then if Plan A does not work, you have plan B all set, ready to go.

Get listed on the MLS system if at all possible, so that there is a "contract" with you to pay a given commission to a Realtor who shows and sells your property. Selling a FSBO is usually twice as much work as working with a listing agent or my own listings.

If you are not on the MLS, where are you advertising? Usually the people who will answer for sale by owner ads are sophisticated buyers looking for an opportunity to "save" the commission. Ooops - you thought YOU were going the "save" that money? Keep a list of all the money you spend on advertising, signs, time away from work to show the property, and so forth. It will add up fast and you still have not sold the property anyway, right? This is a tough market to sell on your own, but we truly do advise you to at least list on MLS.

Theresa,

Most agents will work with FSBO's....it's the sellers that most often elect not to work with agents.

Put a rider on you "For Sale" sign that says "agents welcome at 4% commission.

That rate will offer them a little more and still save you money. This should generate activity.

Good luck,

I'll show a FSBO, but only if I'm going to pass it on the way to show another house, or someone specifically asks me about it. There are so many homes to chooise from with sellers who have already shown they will cooperate with me by listing with an agent. With a FSBO first I have to get past the "I don't want to work with a Realtor" 90% of the time, and then a dance about the price "well we want to get XX in our pocket, so just charge whatever you have to so we get XX." Then go by to get a one-shot signed and preview the house. IMO it's just too much trouble to deal with with there are plenty of other homes to show. Not to mention that pesky FSBO sign. My buyers sometimes like to drive past houses before we go in. I'm not sending them past a FSBO! I don't even want to show one with a FSBO sign unless I absolutely have to. I'll also tell you a little secret, most of the agents who call on FSBO and way to preview it for their buyer client don't have one, they just want to get in front of you. Same with "surveys" they're taking. Expecting a Realtor to sell your house when your FSBO is the same as expecting to sell it by putting an ad in the Newspaper. You'll get a lot of calls but no one qualified.

While rockinblu’s below response provides good information for those considering FSBO, the study he links to, as he states, was conducted in one of the strongest markets and one of the strongest FSBO markets.

It makes all the difference in a strong market when buyers are ready to pay near the asking price. But, in this abysmal market, buyers expect to come in low and negotiate hard - most FSBO sellers are not experienced in hardball negotiation and are not seasoned in the techniques of shaping a strategic response. Respond in the wrong way and you've either left too much money on the table or the buyer moves on to the next house.

This is when a professional Realtor benefits a seller the greatest. This is when the Realtor can earn his pay and make sure he squeezes the most from the deal for his client and this is when a seller can realize a greater net than if they attempted a FSBO.

Not all Realtors are made of the same stuff. So it is important for the seller to do their homework and look at the Realtors in their area that are producing. A seller should not only look at the number of homes a Realtor has sold, but in how many of these transactions did this Realtor actually find the buyer? There are a lot of Realtors who are great in obtaining listings and planting signs, but then leave the selling for other Realtors. In most cases, this ends up costing the seller extra in commission fees as they are now paying two Realtors' commissions. So do your homework and interview the Realtors. Ask the hard questions. Tell them to bring their sales history for the past year with them complete with which listings they sold as selling broker, and which of their listings had a different selling broker (two Realtors involved).

If your home is in the Trinity area, not Champions area, most typical homes there are ranging in the $250K - $350K range. At the typical 4% commission you are looking at somewhere around $12K to have a professional Realtor market your home, including video taping it (included with our listings), put it on the MLS, Realtor.com, and several other high-traffic sites. Qualifying buyers and showing the home. Taking all the calls (including the nut-cases) and answering all the email inquiries. Doing the necessary hard negotiations required in this market. Making sure all legal aspects are taking care of. Doing what it takes to make sure the transaction occurs smoothly and being there if anything goes wrong.

Just last weekend I was out installing a new garage utility door (complete with frame) and a bedroom window the VA inspector required correcting. The owners were not able to complete due to their circumstance, so I was happy to oblige my labor and pay for the materials and door to complete the work. You'll find this story repeated over-and-over in the daily life of a decent Realtor.

And remember, the Realtor does not get paid if the sale does not close. So all this work is pro-bono if the Realtor does not find you a buyer. At least this is the way I work. If you do decide to use a Realtor, just make sure when you sign the listing agreement that they do not charge you ANY transaction fees or marketing fees on top of their commission. Several do. Many listing agents charge the Buyer’s agents a transaction fee - some even charge their buyers transaction fees! We don't and never did. For us, it's no sale - no pay.

So do your homework and determine if you have the necessary time it takes to properly market, show, negotiate, and sell your home as a FSBO . You might just find that the right Realtor is worth every penny of their commission.

Chris Belloise
Belloise Realty Tropical
(727) 858-8692
http://www.BelloiseTropical.com
http://www.GulfHarborsHomes.com

Many agents do work with FSBO listings- in this market, with so much inventory, there is little need to search outside of the MLS inventory. An agent is better protected when working with listed property. It's too easy to lose a prospect by showing FSBO properties.

Yes, Realtors will show FSBO homes. It is a harder route as time is of the essence and it's generally easier for a Realtor to schedule and show their own listings or call a listing agent after obtaining the showing instructions off the MLS. With as many homes as there are on the market, Realtors find it too daunting of a task to keep track of the FSBO's as well. But, in my case, I do drive the communities I sell in on a daily basis and note the new listings and FSBO signs.

It is important to remember that statistics prove Realtors obtain higher sale prices for homes over FSBO listings and usually more than what the commission works out to be. So it is likely having a Realtor works out to be a wash, plus you get the bonus of all the services and ease of mind a professional Realtor brings to the table.

Another option you might consider is the DIY (Do-It-Yourself) listing service we and some other Realtors provide. For a flat $500 fee, we will list your home on the MLS, our high-traffic website, Realtor.com (as a showcase listing), and several other real-estate and classified websites for 6 months. We use your photos and description and indicate on the listing that buyers and Realtors are to contact you directly. We have other affordable al la carte services you can add to this, like photography, full motion video, 360 degree views, and more.

Please contact me if you have any questions or would like more detail on our DIY service. Either way, if you do go FSBO - please send me your home's information and I will see if it matches any of my buyers' search criteria.

Thanks and good luck!

Chris Belloise
Belloise Realty Tropical
(727) 858-9692
http://www.BelloiseTropical.com
http://www.GulfHarborsHomes.com

Most agents work with FSBO's. The problem in this market is that there are 100's of homes to choose from and how do you as FSBO seller's let us know that you are offering a commission and that your home is available. We can go on the MLS and see all the Realtor listings with photos, virtual tours, property description and more.

With so many homes available as a FSBO you need to be able to show us that your home is worth showing over all the other homes out there. Plus often the FSBO's can be harder to deal with in that it if often harder to show them than Realtor listed homes. Then so many FSBO's do not have property disclosures done. Generally, the buyers are going to want part of your savings by going the FSBO route, and remember that the Realtors that come out are going to represent the buyer and are going to make the contract benefit the buyer that they represent.

Anyway, the answer is yes, we do show FSBO homes, but it is your job to market the home to us in a way that makes us want to show your home over the others by using great photos, virtual tours and property descriptions. If the FSBO route does not work, or if you need assistance, please feel free to contact me anytime.

Jeff Launiere, P.A., CPS, e-PRO, TRC
Keller Williams Realty
Tampa, FL
813-469-3163
info@sweethometampa.com
http://www.SweetHomeTampa.com
http://www.HomesOfTampaFL.com