So you're looking to sell your property and don't know exactly where to start.

For Sale By Owner
Well you can try to FSBO it. Many properties are sold this way and you can often save some money if you do it correctly. It's also A LOT of work…but if you do it correctly, it can be a satisfying experience. Spend some time and give your property a good cleaning and some curb appeal. When people pull up in front of your place, it should look inviting! Make sure you do enough advertising and let everybody know that it's for sale. Make sure you have a BIG sign on your lawn and lots of free brochures/flyers for those people who happen to be driving by…don't just have a telephone # for them to call.

Using a Realtor
Most people find out about houses for sale by using Multiple Listing Service (MLS). This is a nationwide service that lists most of the properties that are on the open market. It's generally a pretty easy system to use and it really can sell your property. The "problem" is that now you're paying a commission (oh no!) and so your total income may be less than you had hoped. Remember, that you can bump the price up accordingly before you price it.

Listing your property

1. Pricing your property.  Your realtor can create a Competitive Market Analysis or CMA for your property. This is an estimate of what your property is worth based on recent sales of similar properties in the general area. It's not really an exact science and should be used as an estimate or starting point only. Your final price could be higher or lower than this suggestion so keep an open mind.
2. The listing contract. Now your realtor should generate a contract between you and the real estate broker. This is a legally binding contract that details the conditions of the listing agreement. For example, the contract includes the start and stop dates of the listing, what is included with the property (e.g. appliances, drapes, etc.), and other conditions that may be important to the sale. It's a good idea to go over this contract carefully so that anything that might be important to you is not left out. When the contract is ready, you'll authorize it with your signature.

Marketing your property
Now that your property is listed, the realtor usually does several things to get the word out. Included in this list are often the following:

1. Put a sign in the front yard
2. Put a lock-box for a spare key
3. Put a listing in MLS (Multiple Listing Service)
4. Put ads in the local newspapers or real estate magazines
5. Put out Internet ads