So do you want to sell your house without going crazy? Hopefully this information will land you a deal or two in your hand. For starters, I’m going to give real estate agents a snap here. I am a licensed real estate agent and builder in the state of Michigan. I would always recommend that you use a real estate agent when selling your home. Without going into too much detail, here are some good reasons to use a licensed real estate agent. You have thousands of real estate professionals trying to sell your house for you instead of just one person. Because of your access to qualified buyers, you’ll probably get the same amount of money from your home (after commissions) but sell it much faster. They have access to the MLS, which is an invaluable tool when it comes to moving properties. They are also aware of all the disclosures and legal issues associated with each one.

With that disclosure out of the way for this article, I’m going to assume you’re taking on the task of selling by owner. Let me also preface this with a known fact. Homes don’t sell for one of two reasons, or sometimes both. Either it’s priced incorrectly or it doesn’t get enough exposure. So let’s deal with first things first. Before you even think about marketing, you should price your home at or below market value. The best way to do this is to not walk down the street and grab some brochures from your neighbors and price your house accordingly. Hypothetical pricing models do not determine market value. The houses that have actually sold determine the market value. How can you find out that information? Simple, ask a real estate agent. Find a trusted real estate agent in the area. Tell them what you are planning to do. Be honest with them. Tell them that you plan to sell the house yourself and when that happens you will come back to them to buy your next house. Sign a buyer’s agent contract to reassure them. They will quickly and happily give you a Brokers Price Opinion. The best part is that it won’t cost you anything. The only one who pays real estate fees is the seller.

Now, if you really want them to give you the honest market value of your house, don’t tell them the magic number in your head for what you think your house is worth. They may be hesitant to give you an exact price so as not to offend you. Take the real estate agent to the property and give him the specifications, such as age, bedrooms, bathrooms, etc. Then hand them the ball and let them run with it, and bring it back with a nice price tag.

Remember the number two annoying reason why a house doesn’t sell? Not enough exposure. Now that you’re priced right, let’s make sure people see that price. Let’s market your home. Where do we start?

1. Start with a signal. Make easy. Advertise that it’s for sale, and put your number on it, and put out a brochure box with full-color brochures. By the way, if you have a title company in mind that you’d like to close with, give them a call and let them know, and they’ll create and print your brochures for pennies. Now this part is very important. We live in a fast-paced society, where efficiency is essential. Buyers are internet savvy. 85% of them start looking for a house on the Internet. So what should you do to capture those buyers?

2. Put your house on the internet. Create a sole proprietorship website for your house. It will cost around $100. Make sure when you make your professional yard sign that you remember to have the website printed on the sign. Typically, these websites receive weekly syndication. This will help you reach more buyers. Also, these types of websites usually have lead capture systems, so you can track how many people have visited the site and can seamlessly contact you via email to ask questions or schedule a visit.

3. Organize open houses and advertise in the local newspaper. When you’re putting together your ad, keep it short and to the point. Please list beds, baths, address, price, square footage, phone number, a photo, and the website you have created. Yes, you’ll have a lot of nosy neighbors, but you’ll also get genuine interest. Have one every 3 months or so. Make sure that when you advertise in the newspaper, your house also has an online presence. (on your website) That will also bring visitors to your personal property website. Sometimes you have to ask.

4. Put your house on Craigslist. It is the largest classifieds website in the world and many buyers start looking there. And it’s free!

5. If you are part of a social networking site like Facebook or my-space, make sure all your family and friends know that you are trying to sell. They will most likely help get the word out. Post a link to your unique property website.

That’s all about it. Follow these simple marketing techniques and you’ll be one step closer to selling your home.