Sell me your house!
May 20, 2014 4:44 PM Subscribe
I want to buy FSBO real estate in Boston. Where do I look?
I want to look for For Sale By Owner properties (condos, multi-families, townhouses and single families) specifically in South Boston, but where in the heck do I look?
Redfin, trulia and zillow were useless as was craigslist.
I'm looking at other avenues besides the traditional buyer/seller agents (I already have plenty). I am not a first timer and am not afraid of renovation. I'm looking for a little risk. I know that I'm probably going to be looking at some shady websites and that's okay! What are some though??
I know this can be done because I have loved ones who have sold condos in downtown Boston on Craigslist themselves. Is there anywhere else I should be looking to buy properties without agents on either side? I'm also interested in short sales and foreclosures but am just having a tough time finding them. Can you please suggest some?
For whatever reason every real estate site tries to cover these up. Show me your blemishes!
I want to look for For Sale By Owner properties (condos, multi-families, townhouses and single families) specifically in South Boston, but where in the heck do I look?
Redfin, trulia and zillow were useless as was craigslist.
I'm looking at other avenues besides the traditional buyer/seller agents (I already have plenty). I am not a first timer and am not afraid of renovation. I'm looking for a little risk. I know that I'm probably going to be looking at some shady websites and that's okay! What are some though??
I know this can be done because I have loved ones who have sold condos in downtown Boston on Craigslist themselves. Is there anywhere else I should be looking to buy properties without agents on either side? I'm also interested in short sales and foreclosures but am just having a tough time finding them. Can you please suggest some?
For whatever reason every real estate site tries to cover these up. Show me your blemishes!
Response by poster: Do courthouses typically have listings anywhere? Either on the web or a printed listing I could pick up? Thanks!
posted by floweredfish at 5:11 PM on May 20, 2014
posted by floweredfish at 5:11 PM on May 20, 2014
You can also try Entry Only, which seems to have a lot of FSBO properties.
posted by anastasiav at 5:31 PM on May 20, 2014
posted by anastasiav at 5:31 PM on May 20, 2014
Why don't you mail a letter to the houses your are interested? Or better yet, knock on the door.
I am do a fair bit of real estate investing in Central Florida. I currently own over 20 houses. I very rarely use a realtor. Of course, I am buying distressed properties at whole sale, and trying to turn them into sustainable rentals, or just flip the house. It sounds to me like you are looking for a home for yourself. I spent two years looking for the right house for myself. You are going to have to work for it.
You could going to a local REIA, like this one. REIAs are networking events for real estate investors. There are not many brokers there. But, you will find home flippers, who have purchased the house in a foreclosure auction, and renovated it. Their profit is in the renovation, not the commission, and as such they often present better deals.
But really, if you like a house, send the people a letter. Or knock on the door. I can tell you that if you knock on enough doors, you will find a seller.
The miracle house, the great buy - you will have to work for that. You will not find it neatly cataloged on any website for you to browse - because the great buy is sold before it gets into the catalog.
posted by Flood at 5:32 PM on May 20, 2014 [1 favorite]
I am do a fair bit of real estate investing in Central Florida. I currently own over 20 houses. I very rarely use a realtor. Of course, I am buying distressed properties at whole sale, and trying to turn them into sustainable rentals, or just flip the house. It sounds to me like you are looking for a home for yourself. I spent two years looking for the right house for myself. You are going to have to work for it.
You could going to a local REIA, like this one. REIAs are networking events for real estate investors. There are not many brokers there. But, you will find home flippers, who have purchased the house in a foreclosure auction, and renovated it. Their profit is in the renovation, not the commission, and as such they often present better deals.
But really, if you like a house, send the people a letter. Or knock on the door. I can tell you that if you knock on enough doors, you will find a seller.
The miracle house, the great buy - you will have to work for that. You will not find it neatly cataloged on any website for you to browse - because the great buy is sold before it gets into the catalog.
posted by Flood at 5:32 PM on May 20, 2014 [1 favorite]
You can try:
Suffolk County Foreclosures
Auction.com
Places like redfin, trulia and zillow might be useful, but they're for research, not purchasing.
posted by China Grover at 5:50 PM on May 20, 2014
Suffolk County Foreclosures
Auction.com
Places like redfin, trulia and zillow might be useful, but they're for research, not purchasing.
posted by China Grover at 5:50 PM on May 20, 2014
Are you just looking for good deals or just frustrated with realtors? If the former, maybe what you want are REO repos? I guess I am curious as to why you want fsbos.
posted by St. Alia of the Bunnies at 5:55 AM on May 21, 2014
posted by St. Alia of the Bunnies at 5:55 AM on May 21, 2014
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Another option would be the auctions at the courthouse of properties in foreclosure.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 5:04 PM on May 20, 2014