How to Sell Your House By Yourself San Diego Guide 2021

You don’t have to be an expert to sell your house by yourself in San Diego. In fact, plenty of people list their own properties everyday. With the right resources and a clear strategy, just about anyone can sell their home successfully, even in this sizzling San Diego housing market. In this article, we’ll provide you with a roadmap for how to sell your house by yourself and earn the greatest return on your investment.

Benefits of selling your house by yourself

Before we dive in, you might be wondering why you’d even want to sell your house by yourself. Most often, sellers will choose to list a home themselves to avoid unwanted expenses, such as the real estate commission. If you consider that the average commission rate is 6% of the property’s sale price, this is not an insignificant cost. Say you’re selling a house by yourself in San Diego for the median price of $650,000, 6% of that listing price amounts to $39,000 in commission costs. By listing a property for sale by owner, you can sidestep paying commission, which is paid out of your home’s equity. In other words, that commission comes out of your final payout on the property. That ultimately means more money in your pocket when you walk away from the sale.

How to sell your house by yourself

Selling your own home is not likely to be something you do often. For most, it’s something they’ll only do once in their life. But no matter, it pays to know how to navigate the ins and outs like an expert. Unless you’re good friends with a San Diego real estate agent who can offer insider insight, your knowledge may be limited. But don’t fret, we’ve got the scoop on how to sell your house by yourself like a pro to ensure you don’t get shorted.

Get a feel for the market

The first step in listing your own property for sale is familiarizing yourself with the San Diego real estate market. Do your homework by browsing sites like Zillow, Trulia, or Redfin to see what similar homes in your area are selling for. For some extra assurance, reach out to a local real estate agent to find out if they have any comparable properties for sale, and what they’re listing them for. Though we normally advise against pricing too high, we’re currently in the midst of a seller’s market where multiple offers are almost inevitable. What’s most important is to avoid listing too low, as you don’t want to relinquish any of your return.

Determine the value of your house

Before settling on a price, it’s always best to get a professional appraisal. An appraisal will provide the most accurate valuation of your property. While an appraisal will cost money out of your own pocket, it serves as evidence of your property’s true value. If you’ve made even the slightest upgrades to your home, whether on the interior or exterior, it could’ve increased your property value without you even knowing.

Invest in quality photos & videos

Nowadays, attractive photos and videos are everything when trying to sell a property. Walk-through and drone footage is incredibly popular, and the more detail the better. Plan your photo shoot at twilight, and be sure that the interior of the home is neat and tidy. If necessary, employ the help of a professional. Although it may be a small investment out of your own pocket, it’ll be worth the money to get your listing sold faster.

Market your listing

Real estate marketing has come a long way since flyers and door hangers. Though these marketing mediums do still exist, the internet has opened up a series of new avenues for advertising your listing. Social media sites like Facebook and Instagram are incredibly helpful, and if you’re willing to pay for advertising, you could boost your exposure even more.

In addition to these marketing methods, getting your property listed on the MLS is crucial. This is the primary tool used by San Diego realtors, and will ensure your listing is seen by your number one target audience. Because this service is only accessible by licensed realtors, you can pay a local San Diego real estate broker a small fee to post your property.

Practice a little patience

Like anything else, selling your house by yourself takes some time. Few get lucky enough to sell their property right away, and the reality is that most wait weeks or even months. It’s important to practice patience during this period, as this is to be expected.

Should you avoid selling your house by yourself?

Though selling your house by yourself isn’t exactly rocket science, it’s not for everyone. It can be a stressful, time consuming process that some just aren’t prepared for. If you’re thinking of selling your own home, you may want to consider the following points:

• You’ll need to have the time and experience to market your property. If social media and marketing is not your thing, you may want to rethink acting as your own realtor. Self promoting can also cost quite a bit of money, so if you’re on a strict budget, plan ahead or leave it to the experts.
• If you’re not equipped to prepare your property for sale, you may want to enlist the help of a realtor. Staging a home and prepping it to be marketed are not everyday skills, so if you feel unqualified, it’s perfectly fine to admit so.
• Are you prepared to pay holding costs during the interim while your property awaits sale? Consider, for each month that your house sits on the market, you’ll need to cover all expenses involved with the ownership of that home. This includes the mortgage, all utilities, taxes, insurance, etc… Some homeowners have already purchased a new property at the time of the sale, and so covering the costs for both might be challenging.