Selling a Home on Your Own

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PHOTO: JACK HOLLINGSWORTH/PHOTODISC
If you've decided that you want to plant your roots in a rural area, you'll need to consider a variety issues.

A MOTHER EARTH NEWS editor shares tips for selling a home on your own.

Selling a Home on Your Own

If you end up buying directly from a seller who is not using an agent, hire a buyer’s representative or a real estate attorney to assist you with the paperwork, from the initial offer to closing. Get everything in writing.

You can find fill-in-the-blank offer-to-purchase agreements and contracts at your local library or on the Internet. When I was ready to sell my first house, to save money for both the buyers and myself, I customized a standard contract template and then paid a small fee to have an attorney review it.

Buying a parcel of land directly from the owner is sometimes done with a land contract. For more on this subject, read Leo and Carol Schen’s book, Finding and Buying Your Place in the Country.

  • Published on Feb 1, 2003
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