Verbal is about as good as used toilet paper.

Get everything in writing.

You should have a good real estate lawyer help you draw up the papers. Don't try to do it all on your own.

Hire an agent. No offense. You need more experience before tackling this. Learn what they do, ask your agent tons of questions, and you'll be prepared to sell FSBO next time.

Make sure you priced it right. Too high and you'll linger on the market. Too low and you'll sell quickly but lose money. What's the market say other houses like yours are selling for, meaning sold, not for sale. There's a difference.

You need a contract, with earnest money, with provisions for you to follow and them to follow, that may or may not have an option fee, and time for inspections when if something bad turns up, they can cancel. You also need to submit a sellers disclosure form that reports every issue you know with the house. This will prevent you from getting sued if they find something later that you might have hid.

When they are ready to make an offer, it has to presented on a "Deposit Receipt" form, with a Deposit Earnest Money Check.

If you accept their offer and terms, you open escrow (or have a lawyer do it) to draw "Escrow Instructions" forms, that spell out in details every little thing in the transaction that is going to take place.

If you don't accept their offer and terms, you give them a counter offer, on a special form, listing your best price and terms, with a deadline to respond.

We've never been on the selling side of FSBO, but when we buy, I use my attorney to do the paperwork-y stuff-- and then we use a title company for the title search plus the actual transaction part of things.

I want to say the last time the seller provided their own attorney, I think we did all the usual signatures and transactions solely through that attorney.

I would not sell as a FSBO. And I am experienced.

Part of the problem is that the dam guvmt keeps on adding more and more rules and regulations that we slaves must obey. Things like: Seller must provide a plumber's certificate that there is a low-flow shower head on every shower. Seller must provide plumber's certificate that there are only low-flush toilets. Seller must have water heater strapped to the wall. Smoke detectors, CO detectors, ... Certification that sliding patio doors are tempered glass. Asbestos certification. Bleach-free toilet paper. And more and more disclosures. ...

I do not keep up with all of the local regulations in the various towns/cities/counties that I am involved in. My local realtors do!

I am also not as amiable as my realtors are. I do not suffer fools and idiots well; I sometimes get sarcastic and belligerent. Part of what they do to earn their commission is to show the place and to be friendly and personable, and NOT to tell prospective buyers to go $%#$.

I pay the commission, gladly!

in my area, we do not need lawyer, or RE agents... we use AN OFFER TO PURCHASE FORM.

you can get a free one, by searching or at office supply for a cost.

My guess is at first you may have people looking who will ask you to owner finance, if that is what you want ok, if not, find out right away how they are qualified.

Where i live, we fill out the one page form and they take their paper to their banker for their loan, and I take my copy to a title company and the ball is rollling.

We use agents to find a buyer and the agent does the marketing.

You need to make sure they are pre approved from a bank or mortgage company before you tie up with them.

You can do this yourself. I've bought properties on scrap paper out of a 3 ring notebook.

When selling you want to be covered with a state approved contract from a realtor or lawyer that has the realtors contract and provide full disclosure.

Jack of MI, Are you serious??? You put the house on the market and you

don't have the paperwork ready??? Purchase Agreement! Sellers disclosure: DO NOT hide any material defects on the house that you are aware of or you will get sued by the new owner. Lead base paint disclosure??? Who's will hold the deposit money? It's not yours nor is it the buyers until the closing then it's distributed. OR if the house does not sale under contract then a release is signed and deposit is returned. What other disclosures or inspections are required by the state of MI, county or local government???

Yes a good real estate attorney is important to look at the purchase agreement and other paperwork.

Sell it as is. as is.

A car you can sale it "AS IS" and even list the obvious. The air-condition does not work or the windows do not work in the bill of sale...

However as the seller of a house and you know of a material defect and you try to hide behind the "AS IS" factor. I wish you a lot of luck.

Seller Disclosures ask a lot of questions. I am sure many of you remember the day when you could buy a house on a hand shake and that was the best honored way to do it. NOT NOW; DISCLOSED, DISCLOSED, DISCLOSED. As an owner by non occupant you may not know all of the issues with the house. However if you had problems with water in the basement or a roof leak or an electrical issues disclose it. The Seller Disclosure statement is a protection for the buyer as well as for the seller. PLUS home warranties are a great piece of mind for the buyer and the cost is not that much for the seller to pay for it at closing.

Oh yes and the pre-home inspection by the seller is a great tool to help do any repairs that may hold up the closing.

The last few places I’ve bought the sellers disclosure has said, “no known information, used as rental “ and nothing else.

They have also said “as is, seller will make no repairs”