How to Sell a House Online

Co-authored by Carla Toebe and Christopher M. Osborne, PhD

Last Updated: November 4, 2020 References Approved

When selling a home, as with most anything else, the more “eyeballs” you can get on the product, the better your odds of making a deal. Therefore, advertising your home on the internet is a no-brainer. However, actually selling your house online takes some smart planning, some shrewd decision-making, and some time-tested strategizing to draw prospective buyers to your home.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Spreading the Word

1
Pay for the best exposure. Selling your home online without a real estate agent can save you thousands of dollars in commission fees, but don’t expect to make a sale without spending some money in the process. One wise investment in most instances is to list your house with a paid “for sale by owner” (FSBO) site. There are many FSBO sites to choose from, so research sites carefully to make sure they have the following characteristics:^{[1]
X
Research source}^{[2]
X
Research source}
- High search engine rating. The best way for you to determine a website's search engine return strength is to do several searches using terms you, as a buyer, might use to find FSBO sites. The websites that show up at the top of your search engine results are the best rated sites, and the ones you should choose from.
- At present, some 70% of U.S. residential real estate web traffic passes through the sites Zillow and Trulia.^{[3]
  X
  Research source}
- Easy navigation. The FSBO site you choose should be easy to use, and should provide a site-search by price and area. Remember that potential buyers will need to use the site to find your house, and if the pages aren't user-friendly, visitors are likely to leave the site in favor of another.
- Quality listings. Selling a house online is unique from in-person sales in that buyers must rely on photos and descriptions for a first impression. Make sure the FSBO site you choose includes many high-quality pictures of their listings, as well as clear descriptive sections that effectively illustrate a home's characteristics.
- High-speed uploads. This also pertains to user-friendliness. Internet users are accustomed to instant web gratification. Slow uploads are likely to cause site visitors to search elsewhere.
- Extra services and sales tools. Some, though not all, online FSBO companies offer their customers yard signs, forms, marketing materials, lock boxes, guidance and/or sales support to help with the process.
2
Make time for free FSBO sites as well, if possible. Unlike paid FSBO sites, free sites generally offer nothing more than space for advertising. That means you have to upload your own photos, write your own descriptions and maintain your listing to keep it up to date.^{[4]
X
Research source}
- If you are confident in your ability (and have the time) to create an eye-catching listing that will draw in legitimate potential buyers, you can rely primarily on free FSBO sites.
- If you are unsure, it is probably best to prioritize one or more paid FSBO sites. You can always create more rudimentary free FSBO listings as well. After all, you never know which “lure” is going to work on the house-buying “fish” you seek.
- Consider linking to your FSBO postings with ads in online classifieds sites. Internet classifieds allow you to write your own descriptions and upload photos, or you may simply opt to link to a web-page (such as your FSBO site listing) that advertises your home for sale.
Advertisement
3
Advertise your home for sale on social networking sites. If you use social networking sites and have a large number of contacts, marketing your house on these sites is a great way to spread word of mouth for free.^{[5]
X
Research source}
- Many neighborhoods maintain a social site for residents. Posting on the website may result in a resident recommending your home to another friend.
- While it’s always possible that you’ll sell your house with only a Facebook posting or a well-timed Tweet, it is probably best to use social media to direct prospective buyers to your FSBO listing. It’s good to have at least one online hub to which prospective buyers can go to find a detailed listing on your home. Think of it as the difference between yard signs and a sales brochure.
4
Tell local Realtors. You might want to consider working with a Realtor. You can offer them a commission if they find you a buyer that closes on the house. Since you are listing the house yourself online, you will not need to pay a listing commission, just a commission for finding the buyer.
- If you want representation for this sale, remember that the Realtor will be representing the buyer, not you. You will need your own real estate attorney.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Starting the Sales Process

1
Consider your market. When you start actually selling your house, you need to consider how the climate of the market will impact your chances of selling. If it's a seller's market, for example, where there is little inventory and houses sell in a few days, a couple cell phone pictures might be enough. Otherwise, you may need professional help creating a better listing.
2
Get professional help. Utilizing professionals to take care of some of the services usually covered by real estate agents can ease the process for you.^{[6]
X
Research source}^{[7]
X
Research source}
- While studying comparable homes in your area (“comps”) can help quite a bit, you may want to hire a professional appraiser to help you set the right listing price for your home. After all, what’s the point of saving $15,000 on a real estate agent if you undervalue your home by $20,000?
- When it comes time to actually conduct a transaction, the amount of paperwork required is hard to fathom. Some paid FSBO sites will provide help for this process. Otherwise (and perhaps in addition), you may want to hire a real estate attorney to help you navigate the sea of forms, documents, and so on.
- Also note that, as many FSBO sites are updated by homeowners, those sites tend not to be up-to-date.
3
Conduct an auction or a direct cash sale. If time is of the essence, and you are confident in your ability to set the right price for your home and go through the transaction process quickly, you can try to unload your house quickly. For most people, such sales are not likely to be a first option.^{[8]
X
Research source}
- Auction websites like eBay are a viable option for selling your house online. Set up an account on the site, create your listing and upload your photos. If you’re lucky, you’ll make a quick sale for a decent price. If you’re unlucky, you’ll simply be delaying the process of making a sale.
- Auction laws vary from state to state, including whether you will need an auctioneer license. If possible, you will want to establish a minimum bid or reserve that must be met for the sale to go forward.
- If you must sell your house quickly, you can search the Internet for an investor who will purchase your home at a discounted price, on a fast-close, all cash basis. Popular sites like Craigslist may be good options for this type of sale. Don’t expect to secure top dollar for your home this way, however.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Enhancing Sales Appeal

1
Make your photos “pop.” Unless you are very lucky, a few grainy digital photos are not going to get the job done in selling your house. One look at FSBO and other real estate websites will tell you that numerous high-quality, even professional-grade photographs of listed homes are now the standard.^{[9]
X
Research source}
- Here, again, may be another investment worth making. You might want to consider hiring a professional to take pictures of your home. Barring that, you may want to at least contact that amateur photographer cousin of yours who is always in demand at family weddings.
- If you are taking the photos yourself, take the time to ensure proper lighting, clarity, and scale for your pictures. Stage each room so it looks lived-in but not cluttered. You want to inspire the viewer’s imagination, not command or limit it.
2
Add to the “wow factor.” Great photos are critical to most online home sales, but often other types of visual appeal are helpful as well. You want the person looking at the listing to be able to visualize him/herself living in the house while sitting on his/her couch or desk chair.^{[10]
X
Research source}
- Good options for enhancing your online advertisement include: professional-grade videos of the home, or perhaps even a 3-D video tour; area maps, perhaps including drone photos; detailed, and possibly 3-D, floor plans; online access to schedules, checklists, and documents once a potential transaction begins; and virtual staging, which allows potential buyers to visualize a room with various furniture and accessory set-ups.
- Access to such features should be a part of your package with a paid FSBO site. Browse the listings of different sites and decide which provides the best combination of extras that will enhance your home’s sales appeal.
3
Price it right. As mentioned elsewhere in this article, hiring an appraiser to help determine the right sale price for your home can add thousands to your pocket, or prevent you from overvaluing your home and delaying any sale.^{[11]
X
Research source}
- The appraiser will offer his/her professional opinion on the home’s value, but it is of course up to you to set the initial price and determine the minimum you will accept.
- Even if you aren’t the most shrewd negotiator, it makes sense to ask for a bit more than your target price (perhaps $10-$20,000 more, depending upon total price). This sets things up so that the inevitable counter-offer will bring you in line with your target. Keep in mind that this may cause some buyers to overlook your house when searching online.
- The more pressure you are under to sell, the more flexible you’ll have to be with the price you’ll accept. But try to stick to a hard price floor, especially if you are conducting an auction or direct cash sale, or you may eventually regret selling too low.
4
Be available and capable. If you’re going to serve as your own real estate agent when selling online, that means you need to be regularly available to show the house and knowledgeable and engaging when showing it. You do have the advantage of knowing the house better than any agent could, but you need to combine it with preparation, poise, and punctuality.
- Some may say that you should be ready to show the house at any time, just in case a legitimate buyer happens to drop by. There is something to be said, however, for setting specific viewing hours and/or only showing by appointment. This way, you can always be fully prepared (and have the house tidied up) when someone comes to take a look.^{[12]
  X
  Research source}
- Of course, if you do take appointments, always keep them. Also, however you choose to show the house, always be friendly and courteous. Even if the person taking a look doesn’t turn out to be a serious buyer, they may know someone who is.^{[13]
  X
  Research source}
- While being friendly and courteous, however, do weed out unqualified buyers so that you don’t waste time and possibly miss out on a legitimate buyer.
5
Take proper safety precautions while showing your house. Though it is unlikely that anyone coming to view your house is anything but an interested buyer, you should still protect yourself against someone who might bring you, your family, or your property harm. This includes:
- Taking down the full name and phone number of anyone interested in viewing your house, then calling that number later to verify the person's identity.
- Removing any loose valuables such as jewelry, credit cards or wallets, car keys, cash, or other small valuables.
- Using a sign-in sheet during an open house.
- Not putting yourself alone in a room with a potential buyer (stand in the hallway).
- Keeping the potential buyer within sight at all times.
- Hiring security personnel to circulate during an open house if you have many valuables.
- Requesting a picture identification when potential buyers show up to your house. This may be off-putting at first, but if you explain that you need to know who is being granted to detailed information about your home, they should understand.

Expert Q&A

Question

Any advice on how to list a property sale internationally, particularly South America?

Carla Toebe
Real Estate Broker
Carla Toebe is a licensed Real Estate Broker in Richland, Washington. She has been an active real estate broker since 2005, and founded the real estate agency CT Realty LLC in 2013. She graduated from Washington State University with a BA in Business Administration and Management Information Systems.

Carla Toebe

Real Estate Broker

Expert Answer

I would recommend Craigslist in the location it is in. People who are interested will look in that location. You can also do a search of homes for sale in that location and see what listing websites come up. Try those if they are not real estate sites. Youtube is also a possibility.
Question

How do you set up a website to sell your house?

Carla Toebe
Real Estate Broker
Carla Toebe is a licensed Real Estate Broker in Richland, Washington. She has been an active real estate broker since 2005, and founded the real estate agency CT Realty LLC in 2013. She graduated from Washington State University with a BA in Business Administration and Management Information Systems.

Carla Toebe

Real Estate Broker

Expert Answer

It would be best to search out website providers who specialize in real estate listing websites that provide templates for FSBOs. They can build it or you can build it from their templates. You will have to purchase a domain name from them and market it appropriately so that it will be seen. You should include a link in your email correspondence and other online postings wherever you advertised that links are allowed.
Question

How do I find a person to upload the photos I have taken?

Carla Toebe
Real Estate Broker
Carla Toebe is a licensed Real Estate Broker in Richland, Washington. She has been an active real estate broker since 2005, and founded the real estate agency CT Realty LLC in 2013. She graduated from Washington State University with a BA in Business Administration and Management Information Systems.

Carla Toebe

Real Estate Broker

Expert Answer

On the site where you need to upload them, there is likely a help section that will guide you through that process. You can always contact the customer service to have them walk you through it as well. Once you learn how to do that, you can do it yourself.