If you are selling real estate through an agent, the chances are you would be required to pay them a substantial commission, as much as 5 to 6 percent of the value of the property that you finally do get from a buyer. That is why there has been a developing trend in real estate for sale by owner transactions.

While this can save you some money, you may still have to pay a buyer’s agent, and also incur other expenses while making this sale. To start with you may have to have your house properly appraised and evaluated by professionals and pay for their services. This is an essential step that helps to establish the condition of your property, and if carried out by reputed people can also be accepted by the buyer.

Marketing is the next step that may require you to lay out some money. You can do this in many ways, like placing advertisements in papers and magazines or even have it listed in other media. For this, it can help if you prepare proper videos and create a portfolio of photographs, highlighting your real estate property. While you can always make all this publicity material yourself, having it done by professionals can be more effective. Look at social media as also one of the avenues that can help to sell your property.

Make sure that your house is in the best condition, and here is where the appraiser’s report can be handy, as it would highlight any visible defects. Make the necessary repairs or refurbishment. This is a cost that you would have had to incur even if you had an agent. Take the trouble to walk through your house and look at it as a buyer, and try to make it as presentable as possible. Get rid of junk and clutter.

When you are real estate for sale by owner, you will do well to be prepared to negotiate, even though you have matched your price to that of the appraiser, and prices that other properties in the neighborhood have been sold at. Be clear as to what you would accept as a deposit, as most buyers would be taking out mortgages based on this.

In the end, make sure that you have all your paperwork about your property clear and vetted by a lawyer, for whose services again you would have to pay. See that your taxes and other dues are paid.