WARNING TO
"FOR SALE BY OWNER" SELLERS

The following public service information is offered to sellers who elect to post their property on our website as a "For Sale By Owner" seller.

Sellers who choose to sell their own property without the assistance of a professional Realtor may incur certain risks, liabilities, and disadvantages. You should know about some of the disadvantages so that you are prepared to minimize any potential loss to yourself. If you make an appointment with prospective buyers who want to view your home, please note the following:

SAFETY: Not all buyers are who they say they are. Some individuals, unscreened by you, may pose as a prospective buyer. They may actually have other motives than buying your home. Since you have no way of knowing in advance whether the individuals entering your home are bona fide buyers or perhaps thieves or kidnappers, there are some precautions for you to take:

a. More than one adult should be present at all appointments with prospective buyers. It's harder to perpetrate a crime against two adults than one.

b. Determine at the time you set the appointment exactly how many prospective buyers are planning to show up and get their full names and addresses. Do not allow large parties to enter your home. Try to limit it to the key buyer/decision maker(s) instead of their extended family and friends. Note their car and license plate.

c. Confine the prospective buyers to one room at a time. Do not allow multiple buyers to wander around unsupervised. Do not allow them to distract you from your primary goal -- namely selling your home to them.

FINANCIAL: Not all individuals, unscreened by you, are financially capable of buying your home. Don't waste your time with people who cannot afford your home. There are some precautions for you to take:

a. Before you set up an appointment, ask them to reveal their annual joint income, monthly recurring debts, and their credit history.

b. Ask about any past bankruptcies, car repossessions, or foreclosures that they might have been through.

LIABILITY: Not all individuals, unscreened by you, will be respectful of your personal property and lifestyle. For example, they certainly don't know about those "loose bricks" on your front steps or any potential sources of injury. There are some precautions for you to take:

a. Make every attempt to keep your home free of clutter and safety hazards.

b. Warn them (or their young children) to avoid harm wherever it may exist.

MISCELLANEOUS: Not all individuals, unscreened by you, are serious buyers. Although they may be financially capable of affording your home, they may not be truly attracted to it. They may compliment you on your home to avoid hurting your feelings. But that does not make them a serious buyer. There are some precautions for you to take:

a. Use your instincts and common sense to sort out the "Week-End Lookers" from the serious buyers. You do not want to sign a sales contract with somebody who is destined to back out of the deal a few weeks after you sign contracts.

b. Avoid the "Lookers." Focus only on serious buyers. Find out if they have a home to sell in order to purchase your home. If so, find out if it is listed with a Realtor or under contract yet. If it is not listed yet, they are not that serious. Refer them to Jersey Success Realty. We will get their home sold so they can buy yours.

c. While this public service information is designed for your benefit, it does not cover every possible risk or disadvantage to selling by yourself. Use common sense to avoid any and all liabilities to yourself.

Finally, if you find selling your own home a much bigger burden than you originally thought, call Jersey Success Realty for professional service and great results.

BACK to Post my Property as "For Sale By Owner" Seller

Email or call Jeff at (973) 691-0022 or (973) 347-8713.