Screen Callers When You
Sell Your Home Yourself

When you sell your home yourself, you want to be careful whom you let in the door to show your house to. Gather as much information as you can when someone calls to make an appointment. That way, when the doorbell rings, you have a way of making certain that it is the person you are expecting.

Before you agree to show your home, make an effort to engage the caller in a friendly conversation. Try to find out whether this is a potential buyer or just a "tire kicker". If the caller is not planning to move within the next few months, there is no sense wasting your time with him or her.

Once a date and time to show your home has been set, ask the caller how many people are coming and what make and color car will they be coming in? When they arrive, a quick look in the driveway is a safety precaution.

In chapter 8 of the FSBO How-To ebook you will find Telephone Profile Form you can copy and use when people respond to your for sale by owner ads or signs. When you sell your home yourself, keep copies of this form by the phone; it is designed to help you gather information you should have handy when the caller comes to see your home.

The form helps organize your appointments. Read it quickly before the prospective buyer arrives to remind yourself about details of your conversation. By asking about something personal when you greet the visitor, you immediately create a friendly atmosphere.

While you were chatting on the phone, you might have written on the Telephone Profile Form that the caller said his family would like a pool. Dig out some photos showing how much fun your family and friends had around the pool. Every little effort helps when you sell your home yourself.