Option 1: For Sale By Owner (FSBO)

Selling your house on your own will require some real effort. It is wise to have some real estate knowledge under your belt so you can understand all the laws and to be prepared for the negotiation process. You should have an understanding of the local market and be able to recognize a good offer. With a For Sale By Owner Listing, or an FSBO, you will need to handle all of the marketing and sales activities on your own. Some of the tasks include: managing the online listing, print materials, various ads, open houses, and signage. You will also need to be able to answer questions and show the property to potential buyers as requested. If you do find a potential buyer, you will need to ensure all of the paperwork, disclosures and contracts are handled correctly. When choosing an FSBO listing, it is always smart to speak to a local real estate attorney to make sure everything is done the right way.

Option 2: Listing with an Agent

Hiring a local agent is a great choice for those who don’t mind some pre-listing costs, paying for the transaction costs, and who don’t have an urgent timeframe in which they need to sell by. When you list your house with an agent, you will likely need to do some work to the house so it is competitive with others on the market. This can involve professional cleaning, staging, repairs, and upgrades. Once the house is listed, the agent will schedule showings and hopefully receive offers that reflect the market and provide a return on investment for the pre-listing dollars you’ve spent on preparing the property for sale. Market offers take time to procure, depending on many variables this can take days, weeks, months, or sometimes not at all. If and once a buyer is found, it will take some time to complete and remove the various contingencies which include: inspections, attorney review and modifications and, if the buyer is using financing, other lender requirements will have to be resolved too. These often includes an appraisal, which can drastically reduce the value of the deal, and lenders can require additional repairs and upgrades outside of what you have already spent prior to listing the property. In most cases, after an offer is accepted, it can be weeks to months before the property actually closes and all deals risk falling through, costing you serious time and money.

Option 3: A Direct Sale to SellHouseChicago

A direct sale of your house will help you sell your house quickly and efficiently. Working with SellHouseChicago gives you peace of mind that the property will close on your schedule, while saving you time and money. Our program covers most transaction costs and you do not pay any sale commissions. Our program closes on your schedule, allowing you to plan ahead, and you won’t need to spend any time or money on repairs, upgrades, cleaning or staging. Lastly, our team coordinates the entire process. From the consultation, to the offer and closing, we handle all of the paperwork and can close in as little as 2 weeks.

At SellHouseChicago, we want to help you make the decision that is in your best interest. Whether you decide to sell directly, on your own, or with an agent, we help to fully explore all your options in the sale of your house/property.