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Sale by Owner to Prevent Foreclosure in California

Selling your home without paying real estate commissions

Tips for do-it-yourself in selling your home

Steps in preparing your home for sale:

  • fixing, maintaining, and increasing curb appeal of your property
  • learning home selling rules
  • advertising your sale
  • negotiating with potential buyers
  • preparing your home sale contract
  • concluding your sale

Fixing your home for sale

Make sure that your home needs no repair. Take steps to fix your home at minimum cost:

  • repair all switches that do not work
  • paint all of your rooms
  • clean your home thoroughly
  • get rid of all items that you do not need
  • mow the lawn, plant some flowers, place some plants at the entrance
  • clean all of your windows
  • paint your mailbox, entrance, and doors
  • keep your oven, refrigerator, and washer and dryer clean
  • replace blown bulbs and clean mirrors
  • put some fragrant behind furniture and toilet

Learning home selling rules

Read some books and get information on the Internet on selling home in California. Here are some books on selling your home in California:

  • For Sale by Owner in California by George Devine published by Nolo, ISBN 1-4133-0401-X
  • California Real Estate Practice - The How to Book by Walt Huber and Arlette Lyons published by Educational Textbook Company, Inc.

Online sources for selling your home

Advertising your home sale

You can buy a professional signs of "For Sale by Owner at places like Home Depot® and Lowe's®.

You may get home selling sign from agencies assisting seller such as Help-U-Sell® and similar organizations.

You can advertise in local newspapers and magazines (PennySaver®, Reader®).

You can list your home in Multiple Listing Service. See Flat Fee MLS Listing and List Home in MLS in California to learn how you can list your home for sale.

Negotiating with your potential buyers

Time is of the essence in selling your home. Your potential buyers know this and may use it against you to reduce your bargaining power. Try to negotiate with multiple buyers rather than trying to work it out with one buyer at a time. This is not illegal or unethical.

Preparing your home sale contract

You will find the forms used for selling and buying homes in California in the book titled California Real Estate Practice - The How to Book.

Consider working with an attorney specializing in real estate or a real estate agent for a fixed fee preferably before and not later than offering it to your potential buyer to sign.

Concluding your sale

Contact a settlement agency for a fixed amount to notarize and record your papers, pay the local fees, and prepare other documents for your lender and other agencies. Shop around to find the lowest closing fee as the quality of service is generally the same to meet the minimum legal standards.

Need help? Review your options to get foreclosure help by professionals (lawyers specializing in foreclosure, foreclosure consultants registered to assist homeowners subject to foreclosure, debt counselors, and real estate agents in California), California state agencies, county agencies in California, consumer advocacy groups, and nonprofit organizations in California.