Today, most people use real estate agents to sell their homes and usually the thing an agent does is list the home on the MLS or Multiple Listing Service. On the other hand, many times people sell their home by themselves without the aid of a real estate agent which is commonly known as "for sale by owner" or FSBO. Unfortunately, for those sellers their home is showcased with a limited amount of exposure.
The good news is that many FSBO homes do make it to the MLS, but not all. So, if you are using the MLS solely to search for available homes you could be limiting your search scope.
These days the market is filled with many available homes and there are plenty of bargains out there to be had so don't just limit your search with just the MLS. Here are a few tips to find FSBO's that are not listed on the MLS.
One of the easiest ways to find an FSBO home in the area you are interested in is to do it the old fashioned way by driving around looking for real estate yard signs. This is always a tried and true method of finding available homes and many times FSBO homes will have a sign that says just that; "For Sale By Owner".
If you find a house you are interested in then just write down the street address and contact your real estate agent. There is nothing wrong with involving your real estate agent with an FSBO. The person selling the home on their own is just not interested in having an agent sell it for them. All they want to do is sell the home and more times than not they will work with a buyer's agent.
Another great way to find FSBO's is by using the internet as a resource. Using search engines like Google, all you have to do is just type in "FSBO" in the search bar. You may find many websites that are mainly geared towards FSBO properties. They are usually very easy to use and all they may ask for is a zip code or a city name to get you started.
Usually, you will find a contact number or email address to set up an appointment with the homeowner. When you do find a house that you like just set an appointment with the homeowner and bring along your agent.
Remember, not all FSBO homes will not appear on just one website. Since many times homeowners have to pay to join an FSBO website, you should look at as many FSBO websites as possible to give you the greatest selection.
Many times homeowners list their homes on websites like Craigslist or they may use local printed real estate guides that are commonly found at grocery and convenience stores.
There are many options available for FSBO's so search everywhere and not just on an MLS. By doing a wide search on the housing market by using as many resources as possible to find available for FSBO's you'll have a better chance of finding your perfect home...your dream home.