Selling Your House Online? Here are Your Options
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Britt Spread, Contributing AuthorClose
Britt Spread Contributing AuthorBritt is a Chicago-based writer who loves writing articles that help people find and move into great homes. She believes that together we can make the world a better place, and it starts with written communication.
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Sam Dadofalza, Associate Refresh EditorClose
Sam Dadofalza Associate Refresh EditorSam Dadofalza is an associate refresh editor at HomeLight, where she crafts insightful stories to guide homebuyers and sellers through the intricacies of real estate transactions. She has previously contributed to digital marketing firms and online business publications, honing her skills in creating engaging and informative content.
A large part of selling a home happens online. About 41% of all buyers in 2023 said looking at properties for sale online was the first step they took in their home search, and 100% of homebuyers used the internet at some point in the process. Whether you’re partnering with a real estate agent or handling the sale on your own, you must use the internet like a pro to successfully sell your home.
As with any introduction, first impressions matter. The average attention span is 8.25 seconds, so your listing really needs to grab a potential buyer’s attention with great photos and an enticing description. Selling your house online helps you reach potential buyers, find top-performing agents, and complete a sale fast with a competitive cash offer. Moreover, using online tools in the process helps you understand your home’s worth.
Sell Your House Online With a Top Agent
Find real estate agents that sell homes faster and for more money. With more and more buyers using online tools to search for their next home, a top agent can help you use the latest tech-enabled tools to create a winning selling strategy.
In this article, we’ll cover three home sale options and share some real estate marketing tips on how to prepare your house for online sale. And for even more helpful pointers, we caught up with Kurtis Becker, a top real estate agent in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, who has sold 100% of the listings he’s taken on.
Sell your house online with a top real estate agent
Most home sellers — 89%, in fact — partner with a real estate agent to help with their home sale. Although finding the best agent to sell your house might sound like a daunting task, there are online resources that have made finding a great agent easier than you might expect.
HomeLight, for instance, matches sellers with potential agents with a track record of success in their market. Sellers are empowered with information, including how quickly agents have sold homes in the past and how much they sell homes for compared to area norms.
Agents keep up-to-date on the latest tech-enhanced trends in real estate to help their clients market their homes. Online listings must grab prospective buyers’ attention, so they’ve got to stand out. Top agents can arrange professional photography, drone flyovers, and 3D tours to give your house listing an edge over similar properties.
They’ll even create paid marketing campaigns. According to Becker, “Most Realtors will just put a home on the MLS and wait for the buyer to come to them.” However, Becker has found that including “online social media marketing, paid YouTube and Google ads, and specialized keywords” draws more attention to his listings.
Pros
- Your top agent provides professional expertise, including strategies that work best for buyers who are house hunting online.
- An agent who specializes in your area can provide insight into prospective buyers, neighborhood dynamics, and local real estate trends and highlight these in your online description.
- Top agents have access to the best inspectors and other professionals, so you’ll have peace of mind that your pre-sale inspection will be professional and thorough.
Cons
- Selling your house the traditional way by working with a real estate agent takes time, with an average timeline of around 70 days: 26 days on the market and 44 days for a buyer to close on a purchase loan.
- Your agent’s commission will come out of your sale profits.
Sell your house online as For Sale By Owner
The internet is a great resource for all kinds of information, including buying and selling real estate. Having easy access to online home selling resources has empowered and enabled homeowners to an unprecedented degree. Because of this, some sellers opt to forgo working with an agent and instead choose For Sale By Owner (FSBO).
There’s a certain freedom that comes with being in charge of the entire sales process. However, it’s not exactly a popular home sale method, and often for good reason. In fact, only 7% of recent home sales were FSBO, which is partially due to the time and effort it requires. FSBO is a big project, so only take this on if you’re truly ready for a challenge.
Pros
- You can still list on the MLS through a flat fee MLS listing service for great visibility.
- You have total control over the sale.
- You get to save on agent commissions. You won’t pay for the listing agent’s fee, which is around 3% of the home sale price. Given the NAR lawsuit settlement that decoupled the buyer’s and seller’s agents’ fees, you’re not required to cover the buyer’s agent’s commission, which is typically around 3% also.
Cons
- Marketing your home is all on you. You’ll have to create eye-catching content and spread it across the internet without a real estate agent’s help and expertise.
- FSBO takes a lot of time. Real estate agents earn their commissions by maintaining online listings on different online platforms, coordinating showings, and communicating with potential buyers. If you sell your house on your own, you’ll have to set aside plenty of time to dedicate to the sales process.
- You could lose money on your sale. On average, FSBO homes sold for approximately $310,000 in 2023 — much lower than the average price of $405,000 for agent-involved sales.
- You could put yourself at legal risk. A lot of documents in the selling process, such as a purchase agreement, are legally binding. Having an experienced, professional agent helps you avoid legal landmines. Consider working with a real estate attorney if you go this route.
Sell your house quickly to a cash buyer
The internet hasn’t only opened up the FSBO world; it also provides you with the ability to sell your house for cash directly to an iBuyer. Selling your house in this manner is a more streamlined process than a traditional sale, and you can often close in weeks rather than months.
Traditional real estate sales involve finding an agent, staging your home, and vacating for showings and open houses. Investment buyers are looking for fast transactions and tend to pay cash for your home, sometimes without seeing it in person.
For people looking to cash out quickly, the internet has enabled new, simple options. For instance, HomeLight’s Simple Sale platform helps you get a competitive cash offer quickly. It takes just a few minutes to answer some simple questions about your home, and then you’ll receive a cash offer in as little as 24 hours and be able to close in as few as 10 days.
Pros
- It’s convenient since you don’t have to prepare your home for sale or showings. Some iBuyers will purchase your home without even visiting the property or sending an inspector.
- In some cases, you can sell your home entirely online.
- Direct sales can happen quickly, so it’s an intriguing option if you want to sell your house fast.
- Many direct sales happen without a real estate agent, so you’ll avoid certain costs like agent commissions.
Pros
- Direct buyers want a good deal. In exchange for a fast sale, you might have to settle for a lower price than you’d get from a traditional sale.
- There’s not much room for negotiation, which could mean missing out on potentially greater profits.
Quick, Request an Offer for Your House Online!
Use HomeLight’s Simple Sale platform to sell when you’re ready without the hassle of paying for repairs, prepping for listing, or dealing with showings. It’s easy to request an offer online and get started today.
Develop a marketing strategy to sell your house online
If you decide to list your home FSBO, you’ll want to create a marketing strategy. Smart marketing includes keeping up with trends and creating a killer listing with stunning photos and a strong, detailed description of the house.
One of the biggest trends you’ll find is that online sales have led to a new and sometimes contactless method of real estate. In fact, in Becker’s experience, some buyers purchase homes without actually seeing the property in person. “They’re putting in offers online,” he says, “but there’s a large percentage that aren’t even coming over” to see a house with their own eyes.
That means it’s more important than ever to effectively market your house listing, and an eye-catching listing starts with great photography. Your listing pictures need to excite and entice prospective buyers to learn more about your house. So spruce up your indoor and outdoor living spaces, and hire a talented photographer.
Once you have fantastic photos, you’ll need to write an attention-grabbing and creative listing description. Tell the house’s story and help potential buyers picture themselves in your home. In Becker’s words, “you have to look at it through the buyer’s eyes and not your own.”
Selling your house online is a great and easy way to go
Gone are the days of homebuyers driving through neighborhoods looking for open houses. Instead, they’re searching for — and finding — their next house online. And thanks to myriad online tools, it’s easier than ever to sell your house online. Regardless of which sales method you choose, the internet can help you sell more easily than you ever thought possible.
FAQs on selling your house online
Yes, you can sell your house online. There are various platforms and websites specifically designed for listing properties. These online platforms provide a convenient and accessible way to showcase your property to a wide audience of potential buyers.
Selling a house online typically involves creating a listing with accurate and appealing descriptions, high-quality photos, and relevant details. Interested buyers can view the listing, contact you for inquiries, and potentially schedule showings. Negotiations and finalizing the sale can be conducted through online communication channels or with the assistance of a real estate agent.
Yes, selling a house online offers several benefits. Since more buyers turn to the internet to find their next home, promoting your property on relevant online platforms increases its exposure, allowing you to reach more potential property buyers and attract high-quality leads. On top of the broader audience reach, your listing is available 24/7. Buyers can easily refer to property information anytime, anywhere.
While selling a house online has its benefits, there are some risks to consider. Dealing with potential scams or fraudulent buyers is a concern, so it’s important to verify the legitimacy of inquiries and take necessary precautions. Additionally, without the expertise of a real estate agent, sellers may need to handle negotiations, paperwork, and legal aspects of the sale themselves.
Working with a real estate agent when selling a house online can provide valuable support and expertise. An agent can guide you through the process, offer market insights, handle negotiations, and ensure proper documentation. They can also help market your property effectively, reach qualified buyers, and navigate any challenges that may arise during the transaction.
Header Source: (Pickawood / Unsplash)
- "Highlights From the Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers," National Association of Realtors®, Jessica Lautz et al. (November 2023)
- "Top 9 Takeaways from NAR's 2023 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers," National Association of Realtors (November 2023)
- "Average Human Attention Span By Age: 31 Statistics," The Treetop (July 2024)
- "Existing-Home Sales Dipped 2.5% in August," National Association of Realtors (September 2024)
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