How much does your service cost, and what do I get for my money?
How does FREE UNLIMITED TEXT-ONLY listings sound? Pretty good, right?!! Add to that the ability to upgrade to Deluxe Listings (photos, yard signage, virtual tours, flyers and more) and you have an outstanding value. Click here for more Services / Pricing information.

Why should I list with SellYourHomeFree.com?
We have the most well known site in the area, and we've hired a search engine specialist to help drive traffic to your listings. We provide a professional, bright, and distinctive sign that quickly attracts attention of potential buyers. Because we are local, the signs bring cohesiveness and a sense of professionalism to the for sale by owner property market. This is a very economical and powerful way to market your for sale by owner home.

How do I write a good Property descriptions?
This is probably the most time consuming part of preparing information. Generally, real estate specification sheets include a catchy paragraph that describes special property features like deck, fireplace, notes about the neighborhood, schools or inclusions in the sale. We recommend creating this paragraph in a word processor (with the helpful spell checker) and pasting it into the Seller Login area via your username and password. You may also email / postal mail it to us. Statements like "this is a family home" or "perfect for a man" may be avoided so as not to eliminate potential buyers that may not fit your image of the type of person you might imagine would want you house. For example, there may be a women who would love a large wood workshop or garage.

How can I take better photographs?
Cloudy days are actually quite nice for photos. It eliminates the problems of sharp shadows that often make viewing a photo difficult. A very dark day or dark cloudy evening might not be the best, but a regular cloudy day when the sun is high works well. Clear out clutter. Remove family photos, evidence of a pet (like Fido's hairy dog bed), or messy bookshelves. Take hanging towels from the kitchen, take everything off the refrigerator and only leave one or two things on counters. Look through the view finder with the camera, imagine it as a print in your hand, notice what is showing on the outer right, left, top and bottom of the screen. Try different angles and look at the room from different corners to see what will probably look the best. You can always cut away part of a picture, digital or not, once you have it developed. Which rooms? Some people include a front photo, 2-3 inside images, and maybe one of the backyard or the back of the house. Include kitchen and main living area. Sometimes include a rec. room, family room or bonus room. Ultimately, it is your advertisement and you should choose the photos that best compliment you property. Some people do not want to include inside photos. Generally, unless they are extra special (views, extra large, patio doors…), don't take pictures of bedrooms and bathrooms. Inside photos: Take these photos during the daytime. Turning on lights usually helps. Almost always force the flash of the camera to go on; this helps everything look brighter.

Is my property priced right?
We are not trained to answer that question, but it is important that you consider this carefully. An official "appraisal" can be obtained by hiring an appraisal company to send an agent to your home for assessment of its value. Some of our customers report to us that they use web sites and similar houses that are for sale to compare prices. Usually, buyers receive an appraisal of the property they intend to buy through their bank (who hires an appraiser to assess the property value) during the mortgage or refinance process.

I have an offer, now what?
We recommend that you consult with your attorney first. We also recommend not changing a listing status to "accepted offer", "sold", etc. - or to remove your yard signage - until after all sale contingencies (inspection, other property sale, etc.) are met. We suggest that you also have the sign removed from the property when you change a listing status to "accepted offer", "sold", etc. - as you are essentially requesting for phone calls to stop. If requested, we will keep your listing active until after given closing date, just in case.

What makes your business distinctive?
We began this family business in 1982 after a time of house-hunting the old-fashioned way. We wished for a web site that would allow us to scan local properties easily. We recognized the opportunity from both the buyer and seller perspectives for a web site to meet this need. We try to treat each customer like family: understanding that selling/buying property is sometimes a stressful situation. We strive to make the property marketing process as simple as possible.

What is an offer to purchase?
Presenting an offer to purchase is the first step to purchasing your new home. The offer does much more than just say what price the buyer is willing to pay for the home. It describes many other conditions or agreements between the buyer and the seller, such as "does the refrigerator stay?", "what do I do with the house I still own?", and "what happens if there is a problem with my bank?" Offers can be pretty straightforward or very complicated. You should contact an attorney to draft the offer for you. Your attorney can help you to think through all of the available options and make sure the offer fits your needs and protects your interest. Sellers almost always require Buyers to pay amount of earnest money (often called "good faith deposit") with the offer, or very soon after the offer is accepted. Earnest money is important because it demonstrates the Buyer's intent to complete the purchase of the property. The earnest money may be kept by the Seller, or held in trust by Seller's (or Buyer's) attorney, to be credited towards the purchase price of the home at closing. It is important to know that in some circumstances, if the Buyer decides not to purchase the property, the Seller may be entitled to keep the earnest money. It is always a good idea for both Buyers and Sellers to consult with an attorney or real estate professional at the first sign of a problem with the completion of the sale.

What about closing documentation?
Your lender will most likely want title insurance coverage. The seller usually pays the cost of the title insurance. It is a good idea to have your attorney review the title insurance policy commitment before closing to make sure there are no unexpected liens or easements on the property. Your lender will coordinate the closing of the sale with the title insurance company and your attorney to be sure all documents are delivered, signed and recorded as necessary. "That's not so bad - I can do this with the help of my lender, my lawyer and the title insurance company!" This article is intended to provide an overview of the documents necessary in buying real estate. This article does not provide specific legal advice with respect to buying or selling real estate. You should consult with an attorney for specific questions and concerns throughout the process of buying or selling a home.