What is the number one reason why for sale by owners don't sell?  Yes it is a good lesson  to go to the corner of the room and repeat yourself....  Price, price, price, and yes say it again to yourself...  Price!  If you want to sell, vertically in today's market you have to have a realistic price.

So let's explore why most for sale by owners set their price too high to track perspective buyers.  The reason often is because the seller is focusing on the wrong goal.  The number one goal should be to sell your property.  What we often find as real estate agents, is that the for sale by owner, wants too much for the property.  Another thing that the real estate agents find is that the for sale by owner believes that they can save a lot of money by not paying an agent.  They see THEIR ONE HOME AND NOT many, like a buyer so their perspective about the value of their home is usually "way off." 

The seller as a for sale by owner ends up with unrealistic expectations of getting a fabulous sale and saving a bunch of money in the process.  The horrible results speak for themselves, a house that's priced way too high for the market, much higher than the comparable houses that are selling in the area and keeps a buyer from making any offers.  A seller can't run the "area" comparables and have the information, at hand, that realtors can access and buyers want to see! 

Another horrible reason that for sale by owners have trouble selling, is that they're dealing with buyers who want a deal since they know you are not working with an agent then they know you can afford to chop some money off the price.

There is no logical reason to try and sell your own home.  Would you try to fill your own tooth?   Good realtors do way more than stick a sign in the yard.  Buyers hire a realtor, because it is a FREE SERVICE TO THEM.  THEY WANT someone who can write a contract, negotiate a price and offer, hook them up with a lender, point them in the direction of inspectors, and come to closing with them.  The typical seller cannot protect himself or a buyer from the liabilites that can come with any sale.  And  the fact is, about  87% of "for sale by owners" usually end up with an agent.  Sellers need to realize selling a home is a very detailed and complicated process.  They won't have the answers when they don't even know what the questions may be.  The number 1 way buyers today search for a home is on the Internet.  Realtors expose homes to many websites where buyers are looking, a for sale by owner has little exposure except who happens to be driving by his home.  The typical buyer is not coming from his own neighborhood so he sabatoges his own sale by NOT HAVING A REALTOR!