For Sale By Owner Prospecting Letter!

Homeowners who try to sell their homes by themselves often discover how difficult and risky the task can be.

Many of these for sale by owner (fsbo) homes are listed for one of several reasons. The main reason is usually because the owner does not want to pay the commissions to agents. It can add up.

But what they may not have considered is the fact that a real estate agent can usually get a house sold faster and for a larger amount than someone who is not an experienced agent.

Plus, there is quite a bit of risk, legally speaking. I am not a lawyer but I do know that it’s much better to have a large real estate company backing up the legal issues that can and will arise.

I know I am preaching to the quire so I’ll get down to prospecting fsbo’s with a letter system.

One of the key factors in getting your for sale by owner prospecting letter to work is to be consistent with your follow up. You can’t expect someone who has listed their property for sale to suddenly have a change of heart and call you right when they get your fsbo sales letter.

So you have to mail consistently for several months, even for a year to two. That’s why I am a big fan of print newsletters because they are engaging, helpful, and they keep your name in front of your prospect every month.

I digress. Send a series of two or three for fsbo letters and then follow up every month preferably a newsletter, or a series of postcards and letters thereafter.

It takes time for an owner to realize they need professional help and you have to be there when that change of heart occurs.

For Sale By Owner Letter Sample #1:

Recipients Name
Recipients street address
City, State, Zip

Dear Mr./Ms. (name),

Hello there! My name is (name) and I was helping a client of mine find a property in (name of town). I drove past your property at (address) and noticed that you’re selling it yourself.

Wow! That’s pretty impressive. As a professional realtor, I know how much work that takes, and I admire your efforts and entrepreneurial spirit.

I’d like to help you out by giving you a free up-to-date market analysis for your neighborhood. Having this extra information can help you get the best price and results possible.

If you’re starting to feel overwhelmed by the process (and no one could blame you for that!), feel free to give me a call or shoot me an email. This free market analysis is just the beginning of what I can offer if we work together.

As you consider your options, keep these facts in mind:

• As a realtor, I already have an extensive network and may be able to find the right buyer for your home quickly. I also know how to market to the right audience.
• I’ll be able to give viewings when you’re at work or busy.
• Potential buyers tend to feel more comfortable with realtors. They’ll generally be more honest with me.
• I know exactly how to stage your home and take beautiful photos to help potential buyers fall in love with the idea of living there.
• I can get your home listed on the MLS, which gets more buyers’ eyes on it. (Even if you don’t decide to work with me, I’d recommend doing this—but you’ll need to pay for it.)

The price of using a realtor is probably one of the factors that convinced you to sell your home yourself. But, believe it or not, you may actually be losing money this way. The 2014 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers by the National Association of realtors found that “the typical agent-assisted home sale typically has a 13 percent higher sales price than the typical FSBO sale.“

Whether you might want to work with me or plan to continue selling on your own, give me a call at (number) or get in touch by email at (email address) and let me know where I can send the the free market analysis of your property at (address).

Sincerely,

Name
Business Name
XXX Street
City, State ZIP
Website | Email
Phone | Fax

FSBO Letter #2.

Recipients Name
Recipients street address
City, State, Zip

Dear (Name),

My name is (Name). I am a Realtor specializing in the listing and selling of homes in your area. I noticed that you are marketing your home on your own.

Many people have found that selling your home without a real estate agent is a viable option and I respect your decision.

If you have any difficulty pricing your property, I’ll be happy to drop off what we call a ‘neighborhood analysis.’ It will give you an idea of current market trends what has been recently sold in your community.

Since selling real estate can be complicated, I also have some helpful connections with Mortgage Brokers and Title Companies that may be useful if you find an interested buyer.

I also have an excellent ‘For Sale by Owner Help Kit’ that offers tools and advice on selling your home. I’ll forward some of this information to you over the next few weeks.

I think you will find that there are some great tips that you may not have considered. In the meantime, you may want to check out my ‘For Sale by Owner” website at (website).

If you need assistance in any other way, please feel to call me at (phone #) or email me at (email address). I wish you the very best in your home-selling adventure.

Sincerely,

Name
Business Name
XXX Street
City, State ZIP
Website | Email
Phone | Fax

Provide Helpful Tips and Advice.

The letter above is simply an introductory real estate agent letter. Your follow up letters should not just be about promoting you. You need to provide helpful tips and advice in each letter to help them get a better grasp of the selling process.

In addition you should gently provide reasons why they should consider listing with a real estate agent.

For example, after you provide a helpful tip you can say something like this in the body copy or PS of your for sale by owner sales letter:

(Name), studies show that properties sold by a licensed real estate agent like myself sell as much as 25% more than a for sale by owner property. Plus, we handle all the time consuming paperwork and negotiation for you. If you have any questions on this or anything in the For Sale by Owner Help Kit I sent you give me a call at 555-555-5555 anytime.

If they find that you are knowledgeable and helpful they just might decide to give you a call or refer a friend to you.

As I have been preaching for years, include a promotional item in your envelope so that it not only increases the likelihood that your envelope will get opened and your letter read, but the promo item will keep your name in front of them day after day, after they shred your letter 🙂