FSBO Jane

I’ve spent a lot of time here posting about disappointments I’ve had with FSBO companies. Today, I want to tell you about the company that met all my expectations and then some: Buy Owner. A while ago, I posted about the things to look for in a FSBO company: Buy Owner provided every one. I have not a single complaint about their service.

In addition to quality photos and text, I was looking for: attention to professionalism, a website with a large readership, ads that bring buyers to me, available customer service and assistance with getting the right buyers. Again, Buy Owner did all these things, too.

SUPERIOR PHOTOS/DESCRIPTIONS
If you use a good FSBO company, you should be getting assistance with marketing your home–including stunning photographs and great descriptions. Let’s face it, you’re not a photographer. I know I’m not. So why would I trust myself to take the best photographs? Buy Owner sent over professional photographers to take showcase-worthy pictures. The same goes for descriptions. Ok, so maybe I have some writing ability. But not everyone does. Buy Owner had their professional writing staff create my properties description. Not just four lines of text saying “great view”, they wrote a multi-paragraphed indepth description of my property.

VIRTUAL TOURS
The photographers go through these pictures with you, including virtual tours, to make sure you’re happy. Buy Owner also uses professional writers to create clear, feature-filled descriptions of properties. The rep I met with took very detailed notes about every aspect of my property-from the floors in my kitchen to what shopping malls were nearby.

EXCELLENT WEBSITE
Plus, Buy Owner’s website is the best I know of. Their marketing campaign includes national television commercials, frequent billboards and other things to bring millions of people from all over to their site. These visitors look for properties–your property–meaning that the buyers are coming to you. Of course, I still marketed my home, too: that’s the FSBO way. But Buy Owner made everything simpler, easier and better.

ADS THAT BRING BUYERS TO ME
Unlike byowner.com and some other disappointing FSBOs, Buy Owner puts your phone number up with your advertisement. They’re not trying to steal interested parties, getting them to buy a more expensive property like a real estate agent does. They have every reason to make sure you sell YOUR home.

Also, unlike other companies, Buy Owner doesn’t squeeze tons of ads into one spot. Your ad is your ad. You have your own section in the magazine and your own page on the Website. You also won’t see Google ads popping up all over.

AVAILABLE CUSTOMER SERVICE
The people I dealt with at Buy Owner were always helpful and on top of details. If I called with a question or to update something, they got it done right away, helpfully.

INFORMATION OVERLOAD
Your ad with Buy Owner contains so much information that it really works to prequalify interested parties. What do I mean? When your advertisement gives tons of quality photos, virtual tours, detailed community information, room dimensions, lengthy descriptions, square footage, features, listed schools in the area and more, the buyer looking at your ad has all the information to know if they’re interested. A simple listing in the newspaper may bring a few calls, but of those few calls, the majority will be calling to find out if they’re interested; not because they’re interested.

TOOLS FOR YOU
Buy Owner has a special section for sellers that gives you statistics on your property’s activity online. It also allows you to print flyers, add photo captions, schedule open houses and more! The seller tools give you control over your advertising.

A really great feature of the seller tools is that you can pause it. Right after I started my ad, I had a family crisis to take care of. I was able to put my advertising on hold until I got back–there’s no time limit at all. When I called Buy Owner to ask them about pausing my ad, they told me I can do it online myself, or they can do it for me. They also said that the property is listed until its sold… so no matter what the real estate market is doing, you’re covered!

STEP BY STEP GUIDANCE
Once I found a buyer for my property, I called Buy Owner. They put me in contact with their transaction team who offered to help write up the contract. As an ex-real estate person, I didn’t really need the help, but hey, why not: One less thing I have to do. They also told me about their title department and how they could assist me with the closing. It was then I realized what they said was true, start to finish, Buy Owner is there to help. I know a lot of people who want to sell their homes FSBO are scared of the contract and title part of the process. Its normal, but you’re not alone. Unlike other services, Buy Owner was there to help, whenever I need them.

From beginning to end, each transaction I had with Buy Owner was smooth and successful. I have no complaints!I highly recommend them, and I always tell my real estate classes this. My students are surprised to hear someone so passionate about a FSBO company, but trust me: this is for real! Don’t take my word for it; try Buy Owner and see for yourself. You too will be saying Thanks, Buy Owner and you’ll be hooked on the FSBO way.