for sale by owner

Before someone gets nasty...try the search. "FSBO" in the search box returns these threads.

http://streeteasy.com/talk/search?search=fsbo&submit=

Photographer: Try OLR.com or gothamphotony.com. 2 big players in nyc re photography.

If you want a freelance photog, I've shot $500k studios to $10M+ townhouses.

Muromec:

I've been offering buyer's broker commissions of 3% for over a decade without objection from
any agent or firm except Corcoran and maybe Elliman

Mur, Take a look at VSLE's work, it is very nice and definitely nice to use the professionals on this board who offer up their advice.

The only issue is that you still won't be on the MLS, which is where all the broker's look. So you might be willing to work with brokers, but they won't necessarily know about your listing as they don't use those sites. If you use Real Direct you can get onto the MLS and they'll post your ads.

And as RB says, some agencies will simply not work with FSBOs, even though they are supposed to work in the best interests of their clients. Corcoran being the most notable.

Good luck!

We offered a buyer's broker commission on our ads; Streeteasy now lets you do so as a FSBO when you set up your ad. We got TONS of broker interest, I am still getting calls (we've been in contract for awhile). However we ended up going to contract without any real estate agents at all.

One more thing--we offered 3% to a buyer's broker. That puts your apartment on a par with all the others, which I think is good. But as I said, the agent-represented people didn't offer as much, or weren't as co-op qualified, as the direct people we got. We got interest from several big name firms, too. There is so little inventory I don't see how an agent can afford to ignore you (tho of course some will).

Flute, did you get Corcoran people? And they can ignore you because their managers tell them to avoid all FSBOs, as they don't want to encourage competition or success. If you were dealing with knowledgeable buyers and they told their agent to come, then they would be stuck, but they will avoid if they can because that is there (of course unofficial) policy. What area were you selling in?

Ottawanyc - Thanks for the kind words, much appreciated.

muromec - Below is one of my listings on SE. It's just a rental, so I didn't go "all out". My other listings, some photos are from owners as we didn't have time to shoot them yet.
http://streeteasy.com/building/the-boulevard/628

If you want to contact me , click on my SE profile page.
http://streeteasy.com/profile/828867-vincent-lee

very nice photos

Ottawa, I only got agent who had a client, a couple others from angling for an exclusive (no clients in tow). Didn't get any traction. One agent from a different big firm pushed very hard with a client whose financials were too weak for the typical co-op in Manhattan. I think she hoped I would be too unaware to know client wouldn't pass, and maybe she would luck out, or something. Which brings me to an important point: If you have a Manhattan co-op and going FSBO, you had better know what your board expects, and you need to screen your prospective buyer. Still, you can get blindsided once you're knee deep, and no agent can protect you from that, either.

We are selling our 2 bed/2 bath uws (on columbus ave) coop. Priced at 1.249.. fantastic layout, updated, modern appliances, 2 walk in closets. Selling it ourselves. Surprised at how weak our open houses were (we had 2 so far). It is on the first floor (above ground level). Could that really be the deterrent? We thought it would sell yesterday..

I would be surprised if the ground floor were the main reason for a week OH on the UWS considering the paucity of family size apartments there. I don't see that you're offering a fee to buyer's agent (sorry, you've outed yourself, but that's ok). That is likely cutting into your audience of potential buyers, though I would think it's not essential here. It may just not happen as quickly. Your place looks very nice and seems very reasonably priced to me. Let's see what others say.

^^weak, not week.

@movingagain -- my first counsel is "Patience, Grasshopper." After that, maybe consider whether you think your buyer is coming from inside or outside the neighborhood? If you think it's outside, and someone basically has to make a destination trip to see you, consider a weeknight open house, maybe co-ordinating with the Big Firm broker who also has a listing in your building.

ali r.
{downtown broker}

Have you consider an agent managed listing (or agent managed fsbo) approach? Sounds like you're willing to pay something market to buyers' agents. If that's the case you might as well have a broker properly do it for you. Take a look at Hauseit.com -- full exposure, list on RLS and a dozen other major sites, no broker harassment

@ottawanyc "Flute, did you get Corcoran people? And they can ignore you because their managers tell them to avoid all FSBOs, as they don't want to encourage competition or success."

Are you serious? Do you work at Corcoran? What confounds me is the total lack of education among the brokers in this city. Something like that, if ever received in writing, is a violation of the sherman anti-trust act. It's completely unethical and unbelievable.

muromec, may we ask you to share what happened? how did it go?

@ mumurec, even if you list FSBO I recommend you get somebody neutral to show the apartment during apartments because you may get emotionally attached to it, even if it is a friend or an agent you "rent" for 50$ an hour

here are other advice to avoid typical mistakes:
https://medium.com/@benolielgeorges/why-selling-fsbo-is-a-mistake-10-reasons-6d469b3325f3

My apartment was sold within 10 wks for the record per sq ft price for the building, and it was a cash offer.
Never will use agent again. paid 2.5 % commission to the buyer agent.
Saved 30 K $ on sellers agent

@ mumurec : congrats ! this is the way to go man, I think every seller should do like you to sell, it makes so much sense especially with today's new technologies and every buyer should either buy WITHOUT a broker or use a cash-back mechanism like NestApple.com or houseit.com to get money back. The 6% model is just obsolete, it should be 2% like in the UK or in France

muromec, can you share your experience with whomever you worked with on your sale? You sold it for record PPSF but did you end up paying commission? That'll eat into your home equity! Always better to evaluate from an owner's actual take home proceeds imo.

I am not sure if this was a RealDirect client, but our Owner Managed program gets your listing in all the places buyers and brokers are looking, in a way that is broker friendly. We have worked with hundreds of sellers and we often generate a record price per foot for the line of apartment we sell. And our team of licensed agents guide you every step of the way - from listing through closing. Look me up on SE and you can see what we have sold. Mention SE boards when you sign up and we will give you our 3 months for price of 1 deal...

Doug Perlson
www.realdirect.com

Hey Doug, I believe muromec worked with Hauseit on this one: http://streeteasy.com/talk/discussion/40687-realdirect-or-hauseit

"btw , I sold my apt in October using hauseit ,
cash buyer , quick closing, recor price for the building per sq ft"

@benolielg just for the sake of transparency for consumers, I believe their website is www.hauseit.com ... not with an "o"

Sure there are a lot of good options. The market is definitely changing!