| Everyone has heard the news on the current | | | | respond wanted to see my house at all different |
| deteriorating state of the economy, the severe | | | | hours of the day or night. I was afraid to say no |
| credit crisis and the declining housing market. Fox, | | | | in fear of losing a potential buyer. I would have to |
| CNN, MSNBC, other news outlets and even the | | | | keep my house clean and all picked up, only to |
| President remind us of our pain daily. The peoples | | | | have them not show up to see my house. Other |
| fears and perception have not become reality. | | | | times I had some pretty scary people show up |
| Home foreclosures are at an all time high even in | | | | with their 5 kids in tow, trampling through my |
| my neighborhood in Buford Georgia with many | | | | home. I never did find my ideal buyer. Even if I |
| more foreclosures likely to come. The | | | | did, I had no idea how to get them qualified, how |
| unemployment rate in Georgia is growing daily and | | | | to handle all the purchase and sale paperwork or |
| is the highest it has been in many years. Housing | | | | how to get the house closed. I said "There has to |
| resale values are at all time lows with no end in | | | | be a better way to sell my home!" and I was |
| sight. Even the banks are going bankrupt as are | | | | determined to find it. |
| many Americans who no longer qualify for credit. | | | | 2. I listed my house for sale with a local Buford |
| Because of the recent credit crisis, many people | | | | real estate agent. |
| don't qualify for a new loan to buy a house right | | | | When I listed my house with a local Buford |
| now, despite the incredibly low housing prices. | | | | Georgia real estate agent, I thought they were all |
| Many home sellers can't sell their unwanted | | | | the same and they would be able to sell my |
| houses because they owe more than their house | | | | house quickly. I called an agent from a local, |
| is worth because of the falling house prices. Many | | | | seemingly reputable, real estate agency and made |
| sellers can't even rent their houses our for | | | | an appointment to have an agent come out and |
| enough to cover their mortgage payments, taxes | | | | see me. The agent sounded like she really knew |
| and insurance resulting in severe negative cash | | | | what she was talking about and got me really |
| flow that bleeds then dry month after month. To | | | | excited about the prospect of selling my home |
| make matters worse, many tenants end up | | | | quickly. She said she would list my house in the |
| trashing the house when they move out making it | | | | MLS, on dozens of real estate sites throughout |
| even more difficult and expensive to sell. If they | | | | Georgia, advertise my house in the local paper |
| list their house with a real estate agent, their | | | | and other print publications, do multiple open |
| house will likely sit on the market for a long, long | | | | houses, put out signs, balloons, flyers in an |
| time waiting to sell since the buyers seem to | | | | information box and went on and on about how |
| have magically disappeared. Even if the house | | | | she could sell my home and still get top dollar. |
| does finally sell one day at a greatly reduced price | | | | How could I refuse? I didn't. I listed my house and |
| to get it sold, the owner has to pay a 6% real | | | | waited, and waited and waited. The agent put the |
| estate commission plus the majority of the closing | | | | house in the MLS, put a sign in the yard along |
| costs. This often results in the seller writing a big, | | | | with a dozen flyers in the information box and |
| fat check at the closing table to finally get their | | | | disappeared never to be seen again. She not only |
| house sold. | | | | refused to return my calls, but did no perceivable |
| So what are my options to sell my Buford | | | | advertising, no open houses, no showings, no |
| Georgia house fast in this depressed economy | | | | more flyers, no more nothing! Six months later I |
| and housing market when many folks can't get a | | | | still had no buyers and apparently no agent. I |
| loan? By trial and error, I discovered the following | | | | ended up hiring 2 more agents with the same |
| 3 alternatives to try to sell my Buford home | | | | dismal results. Meanwhile my house in Buford |
| quickly... | | | | Georgia had not only decreased in value because |
| 1. I tried to sell my house in Buford "For Sale by | | | | it would not sell for the list price, which had been |
| Owner" aka "FSBO". | | | | reduced repeatedly, but also because of all the |
| At first, selling my house by myself sounded easy | | | | other listed houses and foreclosures on the |
| enough, but it soon became my worst nightmare. | | | | market in my area of Buford. At this point, I was |
| At first I didn't know how to attract buyers that | | | | all out of ideas and praying for solution. About |
| might be interested in purchasing a home in | | | | that time, someone at my church told me about |
| Buford Georgia. The for sale by owner sign in the | | | | WeBuyHouses.net. |
| yard wasn't working. I ended up spending a | | | | 3. I contacted a local, professional home buyer |
| fortune placing classifieds in the local paper which | | | | from Buford Georgia. |
| resulted in few potential buyers. Those that did | | | | |