2 Different Ways to Sell Your House Online for Free

We all know what it means to be stuck in our homes without the flexibility to continue repair projects or to invite anyone else in. But sometimes you don’t have the luxury of putting things off. Often military families have to sell their houses quickly, as do those who need to relocate for a new job offer. Unexpected things come up for everybody sometimes. Maybe you’re behind on your payments, or circumstances won’t permit you to prepare your house for sale before you have to move.

But don’t overestimate the things standing in your way. Not only can you sell your house online for free, but you also have some choices about how exactly you do it.

For example, working with ibuyers has become a popular option for homeowners interested in a fast sale without having to stage and show their homes in the traditional way. Fortunately, technology can come to our aid. We can use online services like Google Hangouts, Zoom, or Skype to provide virtual tours to prospective buyers. You can share photos, and a respectable ibuyer will work with you to map out the best option and a fair cash offer.

Is that the right path for you and your home? First, take a step back to consider a couple of very different ways to sell your house online for free.

How to Sell Your House Online for Free

You really do have choices about how to sell your house online for free. The best option for you will depend on the amount of time you have and the condition of the house.

The Hard and Uncertain Way: List Your House Yourself

If your house is ready to pass a building inspection and be shown, and time is not a big issue, then you can sell your house at no cost by listing it on a website like Craigslist that doesn’t charge anything, as long as the buyer isn’t using an agent. Otherwise, the buyer’s agent will be entitled to a 3% commission.

One problem with free listings is that they practically always reach a very small audience—a small qualified audience, that is. This is an issue if time is a factor. It’s also a problem if you are unable to show your home to inspectors or prospective buyers. And on top of it, you have no critical support: no advertising and no expert advice on pricing and the technical aspects of house sales, such as dealing with banks and legal documents.

A similar route would be to work with a company that will list your house on an MLS (multiple listing services)—a website that gets thousands of views from homebuyers. But this kind of support doesn’t come for free. These services charge less than an agent would, but they’ll still take a percentage or two of your home sale. And remember that you still have to stage your home, either in person or virtually, if you plan to list it yourself.

The Easy Way: Sell Your House Directly for Cash to an iBuyer

Even if you haven’t sold a house before, you’ve probably heard of cash real estate buyers. You might not know the whole story, though. Here are some of the things to keep in mind about cash sales:

• No commission: You get the full purchase amount immediately, and in cash, with no agent’s commission taken out. In California, sellers typically pay about 6% in commissions to real estate agents.
• Fast: Cash buyers generally close the deal in as little as a week.
• As-is: You can sell your house in any condition, without doing repairs, and you can even leave furniture you don’t want behind.
• Easy: A cash buyer can take care of the fees and help you with the paperwork involved in a real estate transaction. They may even find you help with moving.
• Discounted: The price you receive will reflect the condition of the house and the additional costs such as fees that the buyer is paying. The buyer should provide you with a house sale net sheet that outlines the process for determining the price of your house, so you can see how the price was determined and how it compares to the traditional real estate market.

Be sure to do your due diligence before committing to a deal. You want an experienced company with a sterling record so there will be no question of a fair price or the buyer’s ability to pay for your home. If it’s important to you to manage the details virtually, then look for an ibuyer who can handle even the home assessment through video and photos. And you’ll want to find an ibuyer that isn’t going to bail when times get tough.

In these complex times, it’s a good idea to examine all of your choices before making a decision. You may want to consult with experts even if you plan to handle the sale yourself. The important thing is to get the advice you can trust and make a plan you can stick to.

You Can Sell Your House Fast and Easily

You can sell your house online for free. If you choose to sell to SYHD, we can buy your house for cash in as little as a week. You won’t need to find an agent, go through complicated repairs, or stage your house for showings. If you want to improve on your current home, we can provide estimates for you. We can even refer you to wholesalers. We can do all of this without ever setting foot in your house—after only a virtual tour. Call us, and let’s see what we can do to help you through these hard times. Let us offer you certainty in a time of uncertainty.