When you list your home for sale by owner on http://www.northiowafsbo.com, we put your advertising dollars to work. Here are some recent numbers.
In July 2008, northiowafsbo.com had 2624 unique visitors, 2686 visitors in August and 2219 visitors in September.
Our homeowners also benefit by the advertising dollars we spend with KIMT Television each month. In September northiowafsbo had 75,423 ad views on kimt.com with a 20% click-through rate. We also had a video commercial run on the same website. It aired 2712 times!
Friday, October 3, 2008
Saturday, September 13, 2008
FSBO-A Testimonial
I just received this e-mail from a past client. She sold her house for sale by owner on http://www.northiowafsbo.com/ this past summer. Here's what she said.
"Stephanie, just wanted to thank you again for your help in selling our home. I still can't believe it only took four days to sell it. After we were under contract we had other people who wanted to see the house. Even a realtor called wanting to show the house. Your excellent pictures and website really work. Please feel free to use this testimonial as proof of how great your website works. Thanks again!" Wendy Wussow, Lincoln, NE, formerly of Mason City, Iowa.
Thanks Wendy! Good luck in Nebraska. You made my day!
Stephanie Scholl
Owner, northiowafsbo.com
"Stephanie, just wanted to thank you again for your help in selling our home. I still can't believe it only took four days to sell it. After we were under contract we had other people who wanted to see the house. Even a realtor called wanting to show the house. Your excellent pictures and website really work. Please feel free to use this testimonial as proof of how great your website works. Thanks again!" Wendy Wussow, Lincoln, NE, formerly of Mason City, Iowa.
Thanks Wendy! Good luck in Nebraska. You made my day!
Stephanie Scholl
Owner, northiowafsbo.com
Homes For Sale in Clear Lake
We have three new homes for sale in Clear Lake. They'd be great for the person who's not afraid of a fix-er-upper or they'd make real good rental properties. All are located close to downtown and priced to sell! Check them out at
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Three Sale Pendings in July
July was a great month for owners advertising their homes for sale by owner on http://www.northiowafsbo.com/ We have three Sale Pendings to let you know about. They included a cute bungalow in Mason City, an acreage in Forest City, and a wonderful family ranch in Britt. In all, the owners saved approximately $21,500 in realtor commission fees!
Rayn Majerus had this to say about whether he'd recommend northiowafsbo to a friend. "Absolutely. It worked very well. It was easy to do and we enjoyed working with you. All around it was a great experience. Our place sold in a month and a half."
Congratulations!
Monday, July 7, 2008
North Iowa Real Estate For Sale
Our latest home advertising for sale by owner is located in Sheffield, Iowa.
It comes complete with a hot tub room with gas fireplace.
You can view it at http://www.northiowafsbo.com/property_for_sale/516_borst/index.html
New Home Sells in Mason City
I'm pleased to announce another home has sold this month on northiowafsbo.com! Richard Wybornny, of Charles City, started advertising on the website last November. He says some buyers from Texas are moving in.
"I think it's a good way to go!" said Wybornny about advertising on http://www.northiowafsbo.com/. "We found buyers from Texas and don't have to pay that 6% realtor commission. They just click on it and the information is there."
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Sale Pending
The owners of 707 2nd Street SW in Mason City have accepted an offer on their home- four days after advertising on http://www.northiowafsbo.com/
"They're a young couple who has looked at sixty homes for sale," said the owner. "Their mother has been watching northiowafsbo.com and when she saw it posted she told them they better hurry and look at it. They made an offer right away!"
Iowa Acreage For Sale
This beautiful North Iowa Acreage is our newest listing on http://www.northiowafsbo.com/
6 1/2 prime acres of real estate on a blacktop road! Three-bedroom home built by one of the finest carpenters in the area!
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Mason City Home For Sale By Owner
SOLD!!We have another darling home for sale by owner. This one has great curb appeal and many improvements. See all the pictures and details at http://www.northiowafsbo.com/property_for_sale/707_2nd_street_sw.html
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Mason City Home For Sale
SOLD!!!
We have another great house for sale in Mason City. This charming brick bungalow-style home would make a great starter home. Located in a wonderful neighborhood. Super housing opportunity. Come see it at http://www.northiowafsbo.com/property_for_sale/310_south_tennessee_place/index.html
Monday, June 16, 2008
Ranch Home For Sale
SOLD!!
We've just listed another ranch home for sale by owner. This one is located on a very quiet street in Britt. Small town living at its best with a new elementary and an aquatic center set to open in 2009. It's very, very nice and in turnkey condition. See more at http://www.northiowafsbo.com/property_for_sale/726_2nd_avenue_sw/index.html
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
NorthIowaHOBO.com is now NorthIowaFSBO.com
I wanted customers, past and present, to be the first to know about some exciting changes that are happening on our website. As you may have noticed, northiowahobo.com is currently changing its name to northiowafsbo.com. While we’ve had a lot of success with the ‘hobo’ name, ‘fsbo’ is a much more broadly=used term in the ‘for sale by owner’ market. We already perform well in the Internet Search Engines, but I anticipate even higher placings under ‘fsbo’. Plus, northiowafsbo will soon be offering space for other ‘fsbo’ items, such as automobiles, campers, furniture, etc.
If you have a ‘hobo’ sign in your yard, I will have it replaced with the new name in the coming days. And don’t worry about visitors who are familiar with the ‘hobo’ name not being able to access the site. Even if they type in northiowahobo.com, they will be re-routed to the new address!
With the name change comes a change in e-mail. I can be contacted at the following..
stephanie@northiowafsbo.com
newlistings@northiowafsbo.com
Thank you for your business, past and present! If you are encountering any problems please contact me right away. Stephanie Scholl, Owner
If you have a ‘hobo’ sign in your yard, I will have it replaced with the new name in the coming days. And don’t worry about visitors who are familiar with the ‘hobo’ name not being able to access the site. Even if they type in northiowahobo.com, they will be re-routed to the new address!
With the name change comes a change in e-mail. I can be contacted at the following..
stephanie@northiowafsbo.com
newlistings@northiowafsbo.com
Thank you for your business, past and present! If you are encountering any problems please contact me right away. Stephanie Scholl, Owner
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Another Reason to Sell/Buy FSBO
Several local homeowners are no doubt disappointed by the lack of potential buyers in the market. According to the following article in USA Today, existing home sales fell 1% in April compared to one year ago... the midwest saw a 6% decline. Meanwhile, the number of homes for sale on the market is 'surging'.
Find the details in the following USA Today article. There is a little bit of a rosy outlook (for homebuyers), but you have to read all the way to the end!
http://www.usatoday.com/money/economy/housing/2008-05-23-existing-home-sales_N.htm
In my opinion, there is no better time to consider selling fsbo. After getting a professional appraisal of your home, you can be much more flexible with your price- knowing you won't have to pay a six percent realtor commission.
Find the details in the following USA Today article. There is a little bit of a rosy outlook (for homebuyers), but you have to read all the way to the end!
http://www.usatoday.com/money/economy/housing/2008-05-23-existing-home-sales_N.htm
In my opinion, there is no better time to consider selling fsbo. After getting a professional appraisal of your home, you can be much more flexible with your price- knowing you won't have to pay a six percent realtor commission.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
More on Mortgages
A few days ago I blogged about my conversations with some local mortgage lenders discussing a decline in applications this spring. Today, I see this related article at USAToday.com
http://www.usatoday.com/money/economy/housing/closetohome/2008-05-21-mortgage-demand_N.htm
http://www.usatoday.com/money/economy/housing/closetohome/2008-05-21-mortgage-demand_N.htm
Monday, May 19, 2008
Mason City Housing Market
While the housing market in Mason City and North Iowa isn't experiencing a severe value decline as in other parts of the country, the market is definitely soft.
I've spoken to several mortgage lenders in the past few weeks. All of them agree that fewer people in general are applying for mortgages locally compared to one year ago. No longer do buyers enjoy 100% loan programs. They're needing more money down.
According to one mortgage lender "The market is definitely softening. Values are not as high so owners are hanging on to their current homes."
The good news for buyers with good credit, interest rates are still under 6%. A great time to buy if you have your ducks in good order!
I've spoken to several mortgage lenders in the past few weeks. All of them agree that fewer people in general are applying for mortgages locally compared to one year ago. No longer do buyers enjoy 100% loan programs. They're needing more money down.
According to one mortgage lender "The market is definitely softening. Values are not as high so owners are hanging on to their current homes."
The good news for buyers with good credit, interest rates are still under 6%. A great time to buy if you have your ducks in good order!
Sunday, May 4, 2008
April 2008 Best Month Yet!
Just wanted to let North Iowa real estate owners know that April 2008 was our best month yet for visitors to http://northiowahobo.com!
We averaged a total of 3,581 unique visitors, or approximately 119 per day. These potential homebuyers also opened a whopping 12,601 pages full of information about homes for sale by owner in North Iowa.
That beat our previous record-holding month of July 2007 which averaged 107 visitors/day.
We averaged a total of 3,581 unique visitors, or approximately 119 per day. These potential homebuyers also opened a whopping 12,601 pages full of information about homes for sale by owner in North Iowa.
That beat our previous record-holding month of July 2007 which averaged 107 visitors/day.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Tips for Selling FSBO
As someone who has sold two homes 'fsbo', I want to share what I think are common mistakes made by others trying to do the same. It comes down to three main culprits- a lack of marketing, patience and showcasing.
Ask any homeowner who has tried to sell 'fsbo' and they will tell you the biggest challenge is getting the word out. Let's face it, putting a sign in the front yard probably isn't going to generate the amount of interest you need. But this is exactly what a lot of fsbo's are hoping. Then if the sign doesn't work in a month, they call a realtor. You need traffic!
So what options do you have? There are several possibilities- two of which stand out the most. You can advertise using the newspaper and/or the Internet. In my opinion, the newspaper is extremely expensive, the information is difficult to find and the audience is very local. On the other hand, 80% of home buyers are already using the Internet to search for homes. Why not advertise where your audience is currently searching? FSBO websites, like www.northiowahobo.com/ offer lots of information and several pictures. Plus, people from all over can access the information.
Those fsbo's with the most success recognize good marketing requires variety. Take for example, one of my clients. She's trying to sell a home without a realtor. She's always advertising on my website because it's very affordable. But right before holding an open house, she advertised for a day or two in the local newspaper and she sent out Open House post cards to all the homes in the surrounding neighborhood. Her Open House attracted 140 people on a cold, rainy day!
If you're really serious about selling 'fsbo', it's going take an upfront investment to market your home. While it may cost money in the beginning, it won't compare to the cost of a realtor's commission fee after the sale.
The second mistake I see fsbo's making is giving up too soon! Patience is hard to come by when you want to sell a home. According to the latest statistics, the average home for sale in Mason City, Iowa took 181 days to sell with a realtor. That's six months! Of the homes that have sold on http://www.northiowahobo.com/ the average sale period is four to six months. A few have sold within a month or two and the longest sale period was seven months.
One of my favorite clients was a sweet older woman with a beautiful house. After one week of trying fsbo, she told me she hadn't had any calls so she was going with a realtor. I told her she had to do what she felt was best. Let's face it, selling FSBO is not for everyone. The ironic thing is, her home was still for sale 11 months later with a realtor.
The third and final mistake I see being made by fsbo's (and any homeseller for that matter) is the house simply isn't ready to show. Clear the kitchen counters. Clean the closets. (I think the average person should get rid of at least 60-percent of what is in their closets.) Wash the windows. Get rid of the clutter- which includes picture frames and knick-knacks on tables, extra furniture and side tables. (One living room does not need four LazyBoy Recliners and two sofas.) Get the crud out from around the sinks and toilets. Fix things that aren't working- closet doors that don't open, door knobs that aren't working. And while we're at it, clear the yard of all those ornaments. They may be precious to the homeowner, but when you're selling a home, you want it to appeal to the homebuyer. And finally, freshen the air. When a homebuyer walks into the home, first impressions often come through the nose.
Ask any homeowner who has tried to sell 'fsbo' and they will tell you the biggest challenge is getting the word out. Let's face it, putting a sign in the front yard probably isn't going to generate the amount of interest you need. But this is exactly what a lot of fsbo's are hoping. Then if the sign doesn't work in a month, they call a realtor. You need traffic!
So what options do you have? There are several possibilities- two of which stand out the most. You can advertise using the newspaper and/or the Internet. In my opinion, the newspaper is extremely expensive, the information is difficult to find and the audience is very local. On the other hand, 80% of home buyers are already using the Internet to search for homes. Why not advertise where your audience is currently searching? FSBO websites, like www.northiowahobo.com/ offer lots of information and several pictures. Plus, people from all over can access the information.
Those fsbo's with the most success recognize good marketing requires variety. Take for example, one of my clients. She's trying to sell a home without a realtor. She's always advertising on my website because it's very affordable. But right before holding an open house, she advertised for a day or two in the local newspaper and she sent out Open House post cards to all the homes in the surrounding neighborhood. Her Open House attracted 140 people on a cold, rainy day!
If you're really serious about selling 'fsbo', it's going take an upfront investment to market your home. While it may cost money in the beginning, it won't compare to the cost of a realtor's commission fee after the sale.
The second mistake I see fsbo's making is giving up too soon! Patience is hard to come by when you want to sell a home. According to the latest statistics, the average home for sale in Mason City, Iowa took 181 days to sell with a realtor. That's six months! Of the homes that have sold on http://www.northiowahobo.com/ the average sale period is four to six months. A few have sold within a month or two and the longest sale period was seven months.
One of my favorite clients was a sweet older woman with a beautiful house. After one week of trying fsbo, she told me she hadn't had any calls so she was going with a realtor. I told her she had to do what she felt was best. Let's face it, selling FSBO is not for everyone. The ironic thing is, her home was still for sale 11 months later with a realtor.
The third and final mistake I see being made by fsbo's (and any homeseller for that matter) is the house simply isn't ready to show. Clear the kitchen counters. Clean the closets. (I think the average person should get rid of at least 60-percent of what is in their closets.) Wash the windows. Get rid of the clutter- which includes picture frames and knick-knacks on tables, extra furniture and side tables. (One living room does not need four LazyBoy Recliners and two sofas.) Get the crud out from around the sinks and toilets. Fix things that aren't working- closet doors that don't open, door knobs that aren't working. And while we're at it, clear the yard of all those ornaments. They may be precious to the homeowner, but when you're selling a home, you want it to appeal to the homebuyer. And finally, freshen the air. When a homebuyer walks into the home, first impressions often come through the nose.
Thursday, April 3, 2008
How Our Advertising Is Helping You
I often have to remind people that I'm not a realtor. I don't sell homes. Instead, I advertise them fsbo using the Internet. The homeowners who list their homes on my website are doing the selling with the help of their own real estate attorneys.
So what's my job? My job is to get potential buyers to come to my website, http://www.northiowahobo.com/, and see those homes. I do this in a couple of different ways.
First, every month I spend a set amount of money on advertising. Keep in mind I'm a start-up business and funds are limited. So, I've focused on one main venue- the local television station and its website, http://www.kimt.com/. I have to admit, I'm extremely pleased with the results. During the months of February and March of 2008, my website has had more than 1.5 million ad views and more than 1500 clickthroughs from kimt.com.
I also am an active member/volunteer with the Mason City Chamber of Commerce. It's a wonderful organization with great ideas for growing the city and region. When people from out of town are relocating they often 'check out' this area by visiting the chamber's website, http://www.masoncityia.com/. I average 30 to 50 clickthroughs from the chamber's relocation section of its website every month.
Thirdly, word of mouth is extremely invaluable. I recently signed up a woman's home in Clear Lake and asked how she found out about http://www.northiowahobo.com/. She said her brother sold his home in Fertile using the website last fall. Now she's giving it a try. Wow! Now that's the best advertising I can get!
So what's my job? My job is to get potential buyers to come to my website, http://www.northiowahobo.com/, and see those homes. I do this in a couple of different ways.
First, every month I spend a set amount of money on advertising. Keep in mind I'm a start-up business and funds are limited. So, I've focused on one main venue- the local television station and its website, http://www.kimt.com/. I have to admit, I'm extremely pleased with the results. During the months of February and March of 2008, my website has had more than 1.5 million ad views and more than 1500 clickthroughs from kimt.com.
I also am an active member/volunteer with the Mason City Chamber of Commerce. It's a wonderful organization with great ideas for growing the city and region. When people from out of town are relocating they often 'check out' this area by visiting the chamber's website, http://www.masoncityia.com/. I average 30 to 50 clickthroughs from the chamber's relocation section of its website every month.
Thirdly, word of mouth is extremely invaluable. I recently signed up a woman's home in Clear Lake and asked how she found out about http://www.northiowahobo.com/. She said her brother sold his home in Fertile using the website last fall. Now she's giving it a try. Wow! Now that's the best advertising I can get!
Number of Visitors to Website Doubles
The number of visitors to North Iowa Homes Offered By Owner has doubled from one year ago!
Our March 2008 numbers are in. I'm excited to announce we saw a total of 3,227 visitors- an average of 104 visitors per day. Compare that to March 2007, when 1,649 visitors came to the site for an average of 53 per day.
I'm extremely pleased with the consistent and steady growth we are experiencing. Now that spring is here, I see no reason why those numbers shouldn't continue to grow. Word is getting out as more and more homeowners have success advertising their homes 'for sale by owner' on http://www.northiowahobo.com/.
Our March 2008 numbers are in. I'm excited to announce we saw a total of 3,227 visitors- an average of 104 visitors per day. Compare that to March 2007, when 1,649 visitors came to the site for an average of 53 per day.
I'm extremely pleased with the consistent and steady growth we are experiencing. Now that spring is here, I see no reason why those numbers shouldn't continue to grow. Word is getting out as more and more homeowners have success advertising their homes 'for sale by owner' on http://www.northiowahobo.com/.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Two More Homes Sell!
It may be April Fools Day, but I have no tricks up my sleeves today!
I've just been informed from two of our homeowners that they've found buyers for their properties!
The first is a wonderful acreage outside of Rockwell with a sale pending.
The second is a nice ranch on a wooded lot in Clear Lake. "We got a lot of people calling who saw the home on the site (http://www.northiowahobo.com/)." says Kim Dwyer of Clear Lake. "It was a very good experience. I've told several people about the website."
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Iowa Foreclosure Numbers
Anyone who is selling or looking for a home is smart to stay on top of the housing market. Here is the latest news from the Des Moines Register regarding foreclosure rates in Iowa compared to the rest of the nation.
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080129/NEWS/80129035
This article from USA Today looks at the numbers from the national perspective.
http://www.usatoday.com/money/economy/housing/2008-01-29-foreclosures_N.htm
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080129/NEWS/80129035
This article from USA Today looks at the numbers from the national perspective.
http://www.usatoday.com/money/economy/housing/2008-01-29-foreclosures_N.htm
Monday, January 7, 2008
Gearing Up For 2008
Happy New Year, everyone!
I'm so excited to have northiowahobo.com become the advertising tool that helps you find or sell your next home. 2008 marks the beginning of our second year serving homeowners in North Iowa.
No doubt a continued tough market is in the 2008 forecast. Home prices are down, energy costs are up and now the jobs market is on the downside. But a tough market is still a market! Homes will sell in the new year.
By selling fsbo on http://www.northiowahobo.com, you are at an advantage. First, you have more leeway in pricing your home. Second, you know your home best. That makes you the best salesperson. And third, by using northiowahobo.com, you place your home where hundreds of potential home buyers will see it each month.
Any questions? Send an e-mail to stephanie@northiowahobo.com. I look forward to working with you over the coming months.
Happy 2008
Stephanie Scholl
I'm so excited to have northiowahobo.com become the advertising tool that helps you find or sell your next home. 2008 marks the beginning of our second year serving homeowners in North Iowa.
No doubt a continued tough market is in the 2008 forecast. Home prices are down, energy costs are up and now the jobs market is on the downside. But a tough market is still a market! Homes will sell in the new year.
By selling fsbo on http://www.northiowahobo.com, you are at an advantage. First, you have more leeway in pricing your home. Second, you know your home best. That makes you the best salesperson. And third, by using northiowahobo.com, you place your home where hundreds of potential home buyers will see it each month.
Any questions? Send an e-mail to stephanie@northiowahobo.com. I look forward to working with you over the coming months.
Happy 2008
Stephanie Scholl
Sunday, January 6, 2008
New Year Starts Off With a Sale!
by Stephanie SchollCongratulations to Nancy Peyton! After four months of advertising her Thornton home on northiowahobo.com, she's found a buyer!
"The buyers saw it on northiowahobo.com" said Peyton. "The site was awesome! For one, you're able to put more pictures in your ad. So when people are looking at a house they can see more than just the outside. I will be recommending http://www.northiowahobo.com/ to anyone who's selling a house!"
Thanks Nancy!
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