Chances are you'll also get some real estate agents who may come by. They may say they've got buyers looking for a home in your area and, if they bring a buyer by, would you pay them a "selling agent's commission." This is usually half a regular commission, so if you'd regularly pay 6 percent, they're asking for 3 percent. I usually suggest agreeing since it can make for a quick sale and you'll still be saving half the commission.

Finally, hopefully, you'll get some actual buyers who come by to see your home. They may have seen your sign, or your advertisement, or your listing on the Internet. They've called to say they want to see your home, and now they're here.

GET BUYERS TO SIGN IN

While it may seem so obvious that it's hardly worth mentioning, one of the biggest mistakes that people selling by owner make, is to overlook the "sign in" register. It's very important that you get everyone who comes to your house to sign in. You should have a notebook or register near the front door so that as people come in, they can list their names, addresses, and phone numbers and, very importantly, the date. You want to say something such as, "Have you signed in, yet?" If you ask as they enter, almost always people will sign your register. If you wait until after they've seen your house, they may simply leave.

One big reason to get lookers signed in, is so that you can call them back. Buyers rarely purchase on their first visit. And sometimes all that it takes to peak their interest and get them to come back (and hopefully make an offer), is a phone call. Call them up, ask them if they have any questions, and start a conversation. It could lead to a sale. But, you can't do it if you don't know who came by and if you don't have their phone number. Be sure to call neighbors, too. While they may not be interested themselves, they may have friends who are. And you can compose a list of agents from your register, in case you want to list later on.

EXCLUDING BUYERS

A second big reason to sign people in, is that if you do later list with an agent, you can use the names from your register to exclude buyers. You can say you'll pay the agent a commission for buyers he or she brings by. But, if the buyers first saw the home while you were selling "by owner," they're your buyers, you'll deal with them directly, and no commission is due. This is why it's important to get as much information on the buyers as possible, including the date they saw your home.

TIP

Keep your sign-in register until you sell your home and escrow closes, or for at least six months if it doesn't sell. It can be a great resource that you can refer to, sometimes calling potential buyers back at 1 or 2 month intervals to see if they've changed their minds and would like to reconsider and see your home again.