In the opening paragraphs, it’s important to quickly answer the main question being asked – do people sell houses on Facebook? The short answer is yes, absolutely. Facebook has become a popular platform for people to list and sell their homes entirely online, without the need for a real estate agent.
Facebook makes it easy for homeowners to market their property. They can create posts with photos, details, and listing info that will be seen by their network of friends, family, and local community members. For buyers, Facebook provides a convenient way to scroll through potential homes for sale that may not be found on traditional real estate sites.
Advantages of selling a house on Facebook
There are several key reasons homeowners choose to sell their house on Facebook:
- No agent fees or commissions – Homeowners keep more of the sale profit without paying a real estate agent’s typical 5-6% commission.
- Exposure to a wide local network – A “For Sale by Owner” post can spread rapidly, reaching family, friends, coworkers, acquaintances, and more.
- More control over the sale – Homeowners make all the decisions about pricing, responding to buyers, offers, and terms.
- Convenience and simplicity – Creating a few Facebook posts is much easier and faster than the typical work needed to formally list with an agent.
- Familiar platform – Many homeowners already use Facebook regularly and are comfortable navigating it.
Additionally, it’s free to create Facebook posts advertising the home for sale. The DIY approach saves thousands in agent commissions. Overall, listing directly on social media opens up new opportunities at a very low cost to the homeowner.
Steps for selling a house on Facebook
If you decide to try selling your home on Facebook yourself, here are some tips for getting started:
- Take high quality interior and exterior photos of your home
- Write an eye-catching and descriptive caption including key details like square footage, bed/bath, school district, etc.
- Post frequently, stay active in relevant local Facebook groups, and engage anyone who shows interest
- Require buyers to contact you directly (via Messenger/text/email) before disclosing the address
- Drive traffic to the listing by sharing posts across both your personal and business pages
- Consider paid Facebook ads targeting local home buyers in your area
- Use Facebook’s shop feature to add important listing details
- Follow up quickly and set up in-person showings for serious inquiries
- Negotiate directly with buyers and handle financing/paperwork yourself
Patience and persistence are key. It may take a few weeks or months to find the right buyer through Facebook. But the visibility and convenience of social media makes it worth trying.
Risks of selling a house on Facebook
While Facebook provides a accessible platform, there are also some risks to be aware of:
- Safety/security concerns – Sharing your address openly or with strangers can be risky
- Unqualified buyers – Weeding out “tire kickers” takes additional effort
- Lack of exposure – Your listing may not reach as many potential buyers compared to MLS
- DIY paperwork – You’ll have to navigate contracts, title transfers, etc. yourself
- No expert guidance – Without an agent, you lose their housing market expertise
- Negotiations – Going back-and-forth yourself with buyers can be stressful
- Closing process – Facebook has no system for escrow, inspections, etc. like real estate sites
There are also legal considerations if you don’t follow proper protocols required in your state for home sales. Be sure to research your local laws first.
Tips for buying a house on Facebook
Are you looking to buy a home? More and more deals are happening directly between sellers and buyers on Facebook. Here are some tips for house hunters:
- Search Facebook Marketplace, groups, and posts for “For Sale by Owner” listings in neighborhoods you’re interested in
- Be proactive reaching out to sellers who don’t list an address – don’t wait for them to promote the listing weeks later
- Once you visit, act fast if it’s the right fit – FSBO homes often sell quicker with no agent listing
- Make sure to see the home in-person before making an offer, don’t rely on Facebook photos alone
- Hire a real estate attorney to represent you and review contracts/paperwork to protect your interests
- Get an inspection to uncover any issues not disclosed by the sellers
- Make sure to get homeowners insurance quotes yourself since there is no broker
- Factor in closing costs, moving expenses, repairs and other fees on top of your offer price
As with any major purchase like a home, make sure to do your due diligence. But buying directly from a motivated seller on Facebook can be a win-win for both parties.
Pros of selling a house on Facebook
Let’s recap some of the main advantages of trying to sell your property on Facebook:
| Pros |
|---|
| Avoid paying agent commission and keep more profit |
| Exposure to a broad audience in your area |
| Full control as the seller: pricing, offers, terms |
| Free and simple to create posts marketing your listing |
| Familiar interface used by billions worldwide |
Facebook provides homeowners with an accessible and convenient do-it-yourself approach to sell for maximum value. Listing on social media has become a go-to strategy for more and more sellers nationwide.
Cons of selling a house on Facebook
Of course, using Facebook to sell a house also comes with some potential downsides:
| Cons |
|---|
| Safety issues sharing your address publicly |
| Dealing with unqualified lookers wasting your time |
| Less exposure than MLS real estate sites |
| Lack of guidance/expertise on pricing, paperwork, etc. |
| Stressful negotiations and back-and-forth yourself |
| No built-in system for inspections, escrow, closing like real estate platforms |
There are certainly trade-offs to assessing offers, showing the property, and facilitating the transaction completely on your own through Facebook.
Key statistics on Facebook real estate
Some interesting numbers on how Facebook is transforming the real estate world:
- 1 in 3 homeowners would consider selling their home directly on social media without an agent
- 86% of buyers search for homes for sale on social media
- Homes listed on Facebook sell on average about 15 days quicker compared to the MLS
- 65% of U.S. Facebook users are young millennials, the prime first-time homebuyer demographic
- $18 billion in real estate was sold directly through Facebook in 2018 alone
With over 2.9 billion monthly active users, Facebook’s massive reach makes it easy to see why it’s becoming so popular for real estate transactions. The numbers show both buyers and sellers leveraging social media to find better deals.
Should I sell my house on Facebook?
So should you list your property on Facebook? Here are some key questions to consider:
- Are you comfortable negotiating directly with buyers yourself?
- Do you fully understand your state’s home sale laws and disclosure requirements?
- Are you willing to handle all the paperwork/payments/transfers yourself?
- Is it worth the trade-offs for the potential extra profit by avoiding agent fees?
- Do you already have experience selling homes FSBO (For Sale by Owner)?
- Will you list on MLS sites as well, or social media only?
In general, Facebook tends to work better for sellers in these situations:
- Motivated to sell quickly
- Comfortable using technology
- Have time for showings/open houses
- Familiar with home buying/selling process
- DIY attitude to save on commissions
- Already active on Facebook
Assess your specific needs and circumstances. With the right prep work and marketing strategy, listing on Facebook directly can open new opportunities.
Conclusion
Selling real estate directly through social media platforms like Facebook is becoming more popular, with tens of billions in home sales now happening online. Facebook provides an accessible DIY approach for motivated homeowners to market and sell their property themselves. The huge networking reach of Facebook allows “For Sale” listings to spread quickly through local communities. While it does require more time and effort on the seller’s end to handle showings, paperwork, negotiations, and closing without an agent, the potential to avoid commissions and sell faster makes trying Facebook worthwhile for many homeowners looking to maximize sale prices.