Want to know what it's really like to sell your apartment without a broker? Check out the FSBO Diaries
Looking to sell your apartment, but don’t want to pay a broker to do so? Going the "For Sale By Owner," aka FSBO, route may sound simple, but it’s far from easy. Check out The FSBO Diaries, a series of columns that follow newlyweds Kathy and Rob as they try to sell their NYC studio apartment sans broker. Learn what worked for them and what didn’t from their very first open house to the moment they finally closed the deal. Lessons include:
- Why selling your apartment is a lot like planning a wedding: There are details to plan, checklists to follow and deadlines to meet. It can seem overwhelming, but if you take it one task at a time, it’ll all get done.
- How to run an open house: Wear something professional, display sell sheets and sign-in sheets prominently, and most importantly, remove all signs of daily living from the apartment, including putting all shower toiletries in the cabinets and hiding the dish rack to free up counter space in the kitchen.
- Why you shouldn’t get too excited about an accepted offer: Anything (and everything) can happen to scuttle a deal, so keep hosting open houses until you sign a contract.
- When and if you should consider using a broker: Would extra exposure during a slower season be helpful?
- Why a little competition might not be a bad thing: Don’t panic if another apartment goes up for sale in your building—it might actually bring more traffic to your place.
For more, check out the entire 19-post The FSBO Diaries column.
In Case You Missed It: Every so often, BrickUnderground digs through the archives to find the best advice our experts have shared through the years.
Related:
“Wolf of Wall Street” ex-banker Alan Wilzig on selling his $43.5 million Tribeca townhouse—sans broker
How not to pay a 6% commission
5 red flags that could slash your apartment's selling price (sponsored)
