Every home seller must eventually decide whether to sell their home on their own, or to use the services of a REALTOR^®. Sometimes it just takes a well-planned program to convert a FSBO to one of your active listings.

1. Before you call the owner, make sure you know the community statistics (how many currently for sale, how many have sold, average selling price, average time on the market).

2. You need to develop a "script" that is totally different from all the other REALTORS^® who might be calling the owner. You might try something like this:

   "Hi, Mr. Seller (look up his name in the tax records). I'm Suzy REALTOR^® with ABC REALTORS^®. I'm sure you think I'm calling to ask you to list your home, but that is not the reason for my call. (This should get his attention because I am sure all the other REALTORS^® have called telling him why he should list with them.) I'm calling to ask if I might come by your house to acquaint myself with your property, since you are in my service area and I always want to stay updated on everything that is currently for sale there. Would today at 3 PM or tomorrow at 10 AM be more convenient for you? I'll only take a few minutes to walk through and make some notes and take a few pictures to keep in my files."

3. Prior to going to the property, take a color photo of the house and mount it on the front of your company's folder. When you go out to the house, take the folder (now showing a nice color photo of the Seller's house), enclose a packet of information on your company and yourself, and enclose the comps. After you've walked through the property, thank the Seller, tell him you put together a packet of information for him, tell him to feel free to call you at his convenience if he has any questions, and then leave. Give him space and time to look over the material.

4. The following week, send him a Thank You note, and enclose a blank copy of a Seller's Disclosure with a little note attached that says "you may find this helpful in selling your house. Please call if you have any questions." Enclose your business card.

5. The following week send another note asking how he's doing with the sale of his house and enclose a blank Lead Based Paint Disclosure. Same note gets attached; "You may find this helpful in selling your house. Please call me if you have any questions." Enclose your business card.

6. The following week stop by the house. Tell him you were in the neighborhood looking at other properties and you thought you would stop to see if there was anything you might be able to help him with in the sale of his house.

7. 3 weeks have now gone by, and he may be frustrated with people not showing up when they say they are, not being able to get people's names and numbers for follow up. Now is the time to finally tell him it would be a privilege to list his home, and you would like the opportunity to sit with him to explain your marketing program.

My experience has been that if you have not been "pushy," but rather "helpful," he will allow you to make a presentation. Turn on your charm, be professional, be prepared, and hopefully you'll add another listing to your inventory.

The last "tip" with a FSBO: if you make a promise to the FSBO, be sure you keep that promise and follow through.

See you next week.

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