When marketing your "for sale by owner" home, there are three essential elements for a successful marketing campaign. The first is headline that will grab the attention of your prospects. When writing your headline, use the features of your home in the headline, such as "Split Floor Plan, The Kids Won't Hear!" (that's if you are daring) or something a bit more conservative "Beautiful Home Needs Loving Family" You want your headline to be explosive enough to catch the potential home shopper's attention. You want them to read your ad about your home. By being different than the other headlines you will more than likely have more readers.



Another element is to highlight one of the properties best features, such as an ocean view, recently remodeled or within walking distance of schools. You want to give reason for the prospect to actually want to see your home. If you have space, show the benefit as well. "Recently remodeled so you don't have to" Or, "Walking Distance of Schools, You can sleep in" This will give them even more reason to want to look at your home before making a final purchase. Having witty headlines again, will allow you to stand out and above the others.

A good closing line will prompt the potential buyer to call. You will want to appeal to their desire to own a home, or maybe as a good investment, or even their sense of urgency. "See it Now, before it is gone!" or "Don't pay your landlord another dime!" are just some examples. Once you have your ad completed, you will submit it to your local newspaper.

Another effective method of marketing is by having an "Open House". In order to have the best open house, be sure to have your home clean and clear of clutter. Take down the personal pictures so others can imagine themselves living in the house. Being that you are avoiding foreclosure, I understand that money may be tight, but if you are able complete any minor repairs that are visible.

Make up flyers so everyone who attends your open house will get a flyer before they leave. The flyers should be an 8 1/2 x 11 inch fact sheet describing your home, the asking price and numbers on how you can be reached as well as your website if you are marketing on your web page with pictures. The flyers should also list your price and describe the property. Also be sure to have the local schools and other amenities in the area listed on the flyer.

You can also attach these flyers under windshield wipers of cars, and attach flyers about your "Open House" to neighborhood mailboxes. Do Not Place Anything Inside a Mailbox! It is against the law.

When you schedule the "Open House", be sure to schedule it for a Saturday or Sunday between 11 AM - 5 PM. Also be sure to check your calendar to ensure your "Open House" is not competing with any kind of major sports playoffs or any major religious holidays.

You might want to place an "Open House" sign in your front yard with balloons attached. If you are on a street with not a lot of drive by traffic, you may want to use some signs on prominent corners with arrows pointing the direction to your house.

Ensure you have a guest book so you can get the names, phone numbers and emails of every person who attends. If you can, make sure to take notes, and write down every positive impression and comment made by those who attended. Also write down anything that's constructive that you can change to make the house show better. You will want to be able to keep in touch of people who show an interest. This could be especially important if you reduce your asking price or change the terms of the sale later on.

Another finishing touch for your Open House is to have cookies and water or lemonade available. It may sound hokey, but folks will feel like they are home, which is what you want.

Again, if you are facing foreclosure and want to sell your home, selling it "For Sale By Owner" may be the route to go. If you find that time is of the essence you can always contact a real estate investor that likes to purchase home that are facing foreclosure. Usually, they are able to move fast and offer a fair price.