An investigation has been carried out by a group of three economists in order to establish whether using a for sale by owner (FSBO) web site could really make homeowners more money in comparison to selling a house with a traditional real estate agent. The answer, at least in Madison, Wisconsin, is yes.
Long before the light of the Internet shone across the land, Realtors were the ones who had access to the lists of properties for sale in a given location. This information could be extremely difficult to gather on one’s own without flying to the desired city and driving the side streets, jotting down addresses. But along with the development of the Internet, it’s easy to list and share information, and even Realtors are opening up their listings to public access. In such a situation, does it still make sense to pay a 6% commission?
If you expect a low-stress selling experience, a Realtor is probably your choice. But if it’s all about the bottom line, it is being argued that selling a place yourself can be more profitable in a city with a well-used FSBO web site. Madison, WI has such a site (FSBOMadison.com) and provided to be an excellent test case for the already mentioned economist to compare FSBO results to Realtor results between 1998 and 2004.
To put it simply, their research indicates that the FSBO homes sold for an average price of $175,068 in Madison, while Realtor homes sold for $173,205 in the same period. When we remove commissions from that figure, the FSBO sellers came out a good deal ahead. However, using a Realtor’s multiple listing service (MLS) makes the time a house is on the market shorter and prevents you from having to witness strangers tramping through your home and pointing out the water stains on your woodwork.

You will often find yourself wondering how to add some value to your house, but it is usually associated with high expenses and lot of time devoted to renovation. Our hints will show you how to improve your house cheaply and with little effort. That a nifty touch here and a clever tweak there often add more value to your living space than the most extravagant additions or renovations.

1. The interior of your home may be perfect, but if the outside sucks, let’s face it, people are just going to drive by. Start the cosmetic makeover by cleaning up your yard; throw away all the old junk scattered around, trim the hedges, mow your lawn, and rake up all the leaves.
2. Paint the fence (or railing) that surrounds your home, and fix the broken boards and bars. The walls could do with a coat or two too.
3. Spruce up your front door with a fresh coat of paint, a new knocker, or possibly a shiny knob – such things work wonders. And make sure your doorbell isn’t broken!
4. Make sure the address number is in a readable, visible font. Stylized curves may not be those easiest on the eyes.
5. Paint your mailbox; or even pull it out and place a new one.
6. Recoat your driveway. Pull up growing weeds in the cracks between the tiles, and clean up the mold and mildew.
7. Uproot all the dead and dying plants and shrubs.
8. Add new vinyl and siding to replace those shoddy ones.
9. Don’t just shake out not the dust from the welcome mat, but put in a new, bright one that says more than just welcome.
10. Wash the windows – it’s hard to imagine how much of a difference one coat less of grime will make.
11. Clean the roof – you should hire a professional to do it.
12. Chop the tree branches that tempt entry through your house’s windows.