Should I sell my Huntington Beach home by owner?

January 9, 2025 | 714-336-0394 | Scot@CampbellRealtors.com | Broker of Record – Coldwell Banker-Campbell Realtors

Selling Your Huntington Beach Home FSBO: A Guide for DIY Sellers

Selling your home in Huntington Beach without a real estate agent, also known as going For Sale By Owner (FSBO), can be a great way to save money in a hot market. With the wealth of resources and tools available online, it’s more achievable than ever for organized, detail-oriented homeowners to handle the selling process themselves. Here’s what you need to know to make it work:

Consider the Savings

The most significant cost in selling a home is often the Seller’s Agent commission, which typically ranges from 2% to 3% of the final purchase price. By selling FSBO, you can eliminate the seller’s agent commission, potentially saving thousands of dollars.

However, since most buyers work with agents who also expect a commission, be prepared in your budget to offer 2% to 2.5% buyer’s agent commission.

Cooperating with Buyer Agents by offering a commission will dramatically increase the traffic to your property. This small concession may make the difference in attracting serious buyers.

Some buyers may come to see your home without an agent, consider pricing your home strategically. Offering a slight discount to these “No Agent Buyers” may still allow you to hit your target sale price.

Let’s Talk Negotiations

Selling FSBO gives you the opportunity to negotiate directly with buyers, which can be both a pro and a con depending on your negotiation skills. Here’s why it matters:

Control: As the seller, you’re in direct control of the terms and pricing.
Potential for Savings: Without an agent mediating the process, you might strike a better deal.
Challenges: Negotiating can be stressful, especially if you’re not comfortable discussing money or handling buyer objections. It’s essential to remain professional and firm while keeping the process moving forward.

Keep in mind that buyer’s agents may push harder to secure a lower price for their clients, so staying informed about your home’s true market value will give you confidence during negotiations.

Make-or-Break Marketing

Marketing your home effectively is critical to FSBO success. This includes creating an eye-catching listing, promoting it in the right places, and presenting your home in its best light. Here are key steps:

Photography: Invest in professional photography to showcase your home. High-quality images make your listing stand out online and attract more interest.
Listing Description: Write a compelling, detailed description of your property, highlighting features like proximity to the beach, updated interiors, or neighborhood amenities.
Posting Your Listing: Unfortunately your home will not be in the Realtor MLS, but you can use social media platforms and Craig’s List to advertise your home listing. Also, you can place your listing on local Huntington Beach Facebook groups or community forums.
Staging and Showings: Stage your home for photos and in-person tours to create a welcoming atmosphere. Be prepared to host open houses or private showings.

If marketing feels overwhelming, consider hiring professionals to handle photography, copywriting, or staging. Even with these added costs, FSBO can still result in significant savings compared to working with an agent.

Is FSBO Right for You?

Managing every aspect of selling a home isn’t for everyone. Here are some factors to consider:

Your Skillset: Do you enjoy organization, marketing, and negotiations? If so, FSBO may be a good fit.
Time Commitment: Selling FSBO requires time and effort to coordinate showings, manage inquiries, and handle paperwork.
Market Conditions: Huntington Beach’s competitive market might require extra effort to attract buyers, especially if you’re aiming for a higher price point.

If FSBO doesn’t yield the results you’re hoping for, you can always hire a real estate agent to take over. You’ll gain valuable insights about the selling process along the way, empowering you to work more effectively with an agent if needed.

If you do not get an acceptable offer within a few weeks, you should consider listing the home with a Realtor. Partnering with an experienced individual real estate agent in Huntington Beach can improve your results. A knowledgeable agent brings expertise in the local market, sharp negotiation skills, and access to a network of potential buyers. They’ll guide you through every stage, from market timing, preparing the home, determining the perfect listing price, marketing your home effectively, and managing the escrow to insure the on-time closing.

Important tip: Do not assume listing with a big “team” or “group” will result in you working with the most knowledgeable and experienced agent. While the “teams” tout their success in closing many homes and being #1 (in the state, country, or universe), the fact is they have many realtors who give “credit” to just one “team leader”. When listing your home, you may speak to that team leader initially, but your file will most likely be passed to a junior associate for the remainder of the transaction. The junior associate will have nowhere near the education, experience, and skill to be found in a top individual Realtor working in your market. A top individual agent will have assistants that help with photography, marketing, and transaction paperwork, but the important transaction tasks will be handled by the Realtor you hired!

Final Thoughts

Selling your home FSBO in Huntington Beach can be a rewarding experience that saves you money and gives you greater control over the process. By understanding the market, pricing strategically, and investing in quality marketing, you can set yourself up for success. If the DIY approach doesn’t work out, hiring an agent remains a viable backup plan, armed with the knowledge and confidence you’ve gained from your FSBO experience.

Once in escrow, you must by State of California statute, provide all the same disclosure information for your home as a For Sale by Owner as you would if the home was listed by a broker.

Essential Consideration: If you do not disclose the defects you are aware of during escrow, the buyer can simply make a list of these undisclosed defects after close of escrow, obtain estimates for repair, and then file a lawsuit against you for the total cost of the repairs.

Stay professional, stand firm, and you’ll be well on your way to closing a deal that reflects the true value of your home.

Yes, selling your Huntington Beach home FSBO can save you some commission money—especially with strong demand for coastal properties. But, all the commission savings and much more can be “lost” if you do not disclosure the material defects in writing. Disclose, disclose, disclose.