It’s safe to say that a majority of homes for sale in Hawaii are put on the MLS and offered to the local real estate market. This is the normal way to sell a house. The sequence goes something like this:
- Homeowner decides the time is right to sell their house
- They contact a local Hawaii real estate broker or agent
- Property is listed at an agreed price
- Agent holds one or more open houses
- After a time, an offer is hopefully accepted and the property goes into escrow
- Buyer performs an inspection and arranges a loan (or cash) to complete the purchase
- Property is sold and title transferred
This is a fine way to sell your property if you’re in no hurry and want to test the market.
However, not everyone falls into that camp. In many instances, you may not wish for a march of strangers coming through your front door during weekend open houses. You may not want your neighbors seeing the condition of your house.
In fact, you may not want anyone knowing you’re selling your house at all. You may wish to sell your house privately, completely under the radar. No open houses, no public MLS listing, no sign in the yard. No parade of strangers through your door.
We bought two houses this way in 2013 — directly and privately from home sellers. In both transactions:
- The homes never hit the local MLS
- There were no open houses
- There were no “showcase” open house days
- There were no signs out front
- The neighbors never knew the home was even for sale
Advantages of Selling Your Home Privately
Why would a homeowner wish to sell their house in Hawaii privately instead of publicly? Here are just a few reasons:
- The homeowners may be embarrassed about the condition of their property and not want the neighbors or general public inside
- The homeowners may not want to risk their house going in and out of escrow with unqualified buyers or with buyers who can’t raise the money
- The homeowners may wish for privacy for other reasons surrounding their sale – family, medical, personal, financial, etc.
If this sounds like you or someone you know, consider contacting us about your house. Of course, it’s all under the radar!
