The For Sale By Owner Kit [Paperback]

Robert Irwin (Author)

Book Description

Series: For Sale by Owner Kit | Publication Date: November 1, 2004

Going the "for sale by owner," or FSBO, route can save homeowners an average of $10,000 in real estate commissions.
The numbers are staggering: in 2002, 1.68 million people attempted to sell their homes "by owner," and a whopping 2.25 million are projected to do so in 2005. This will side-step real estate agents, allowing sellers to pocket more profits. Online FSBO options also are accelerating: In 2003, an astonishing 840,000 "FSBOs" used online listing services. For years, the For Sale By Owner Kit has been a must-have resource, filled with essential checklists, sales forms, and sample ads designed to simplify the entire home selling process. Included in this new edition are revisions to chapters on:
* "Staging" a home to maximize its appeal.
* Pricing a home for quick sale.
* Managing all the necessary, but complicated, paperwork.
* Writing an air-tight, carefully worded sales agreement.
* Hiring fee-for-service agents. Several entirely new chapters discuss handling disclosures and inspections fairly and honestly; getting full-service agents to work with you; and, most important, a detailed discussion on online home listings. To maximize the value of The For Sale By Owner Kit, the new edition includes the following services from Owners.com, the largest online FSBO service:
* A Web page on Owners.com that readers can customize for their own property with photos and detailed description.
* A private e-mail box to use for online respondents.
* An answering service that can be used strictly for property inquiries.
* Hit list statistics to see how often the listing has been viewed.
* Buyer preapproval cards from E-Trade Mortgage.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

A long-time real estate investor, broker, consultant, and landlord, Robert Irwin is the author of over 60 books on real estate investing that have sold over a million copies combined. He has written for several real estate publications, including The Wall Street Journal’s Real Estate Journal and Owners.com, and has appeared on hundreds of radio broadcasts and made numerous television appearances. Visit Irwin’s website at www.robertirwin.com.

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Kaplan Publishing; 5 edition (November 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0793195144
• ISBN-13: 978-0793195145
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 7.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #922,079 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

101 of 109 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing, December 9, 1998

By 

John Hillock (Bellevue, Washington) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The for Sale by Owner Kit (Paperback)

I was expecting a "kit" based on the title. It turned out to be a 210 page paper-back book. The main reason I bought the "kit" was to get sample contracts, but none were included. He does a decent job of describing the basic process, and good ideas on marketing. Overall, I'd look for a better source if you're planning to FSBO your home.

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Read this book before you sell your house, July 16, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: For Sale by Owner Kit (Paperback)

I would recomend anyone who is a first time home seller (like me) to read this book. It is a very good overview of the selling process and full of honest insight from someone who has obviously been involved with real estate sales for a long time. Other books I read had a "get rich quick" feel to them that I found distastefull. This book was honest and objective. My only complaint is that the section covering the purchase agreement could have been a bit more detailed; specifically, concerning closing costs.

34 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very well written and thorough, January 9, 2005

By 

Greg Powers (Houston, Texas) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: For Sale by Owner Kit (Paperback)

This is a very well written and thorough book. Everything is hear to tell you how to sell your house - from marketing to closing. I used this book and signed up for the "internet only" option on BuyOwner. That's all I needed. I got between 1 and 5 inquires per week and sold the house within the month. I ended up saving over $14,000. Anyone who uses a realtor these days is just throwing their money out the window.