FSBO? Remember to Market Offline Too!

By Jacqui O'Brien 

So you’ve signed up with an FSBO website and uploaded all your details. Maybe you’ve put together your own website to promote your property sale, submitted to all the search engines and listed it with the directory sites. So now you can sit back and wait for the potential buyers to start emailing and phoning right? WRONG!

It is estimated that over 70% of people begin their search for property on the internet; begin mind you! Think about how you behave when you are planning to move. You may surf the net daily, but you also notice ‘For Sale’ signs outside houses, read the property papers and tell your friends that you are selling. If you’re doing that, so is everyone else who is looking for a property – go take advantage of it!

1) Get a For Sale sign. ‘For Sale’ signs can really help you advertise your property. They allow passers by to know that your property is on the market and helps viewers to find you house easily. Remember to include a phone number and the website address it there is room.

2) Make a flyer to advertise your property. A flyer should summarise the main selling points of your home and include a picture of the property, your contact details, website address and the asking price of course. Stick it on public notice boards, in the newsagent, the supermarket, even at work.

3) Advertise in your local newspaper or property paper. A classified advertisement can cost very little yet can advertise your home to thousands of potential buyers.

4) Hold an Open House. Open your home up to all-comers for a couple of hours on a Saturday or Sunday. Remember to have lots of flyers for interested viewers to take away so that they can contact you with their offer. Keep the details of the event up to date on your website.

5) Tell everybody you meet. Make word of mouth work for you. Tell your workmates, the parents at the school gates, your family and anyone you bump into. They might know someone who is looking for just that type of property. Keep some flyers in your briefcase/handbag to give to anyone who might be interested.

To make your home selling campaign effective you need to integrate your online and offline marketing. You will get the maximum results from your advertising and that could mean a much quicker sale.