Why Didn’t the Home Sell??
“We finished last with you, we can finish last without you.”
–Pirate general manager Branch Rickey to slugger Ralph Kiner, explaining why he decided to trade him.
The usual scenario with For Sale By Owner Homes (known in the industry as “FSBO’s”) is a homeowner who initially tries to sell their home themselves, then throws in the 
towel and hires an agent when they discover that it’s more difficult, time-consuming, etc. than they thought.
Statistically, that’s the fate of something like +85% of all FSBO’s.
Which leaves the other, much less common kind of FSBO: a homeowner who opts to go it alone after being represented by an agent, who failed to sell their home.
The owner’s logic?
The same as Branch Rickey’s, presumably.
(Mis)Diagnosing the Problem
Will that fix things?
It could, if the sole problem was the agent’s (lack of) skill.
In my experience, though, it’s usually a blend of a not-so-hot agent and an unrealistic price.
Which suggests that the solution is . . . hiring a good agent, and choosing a more realistic price (vs. trying the same price, on their own).
See also, “Why Real Estate Pro’s (Usually) Skip FSBO’s”; “(More) FSBO Mistakes”; “FSBO Mistake #1 (and #2, #3, etc.)”; “FSBO Mistake #4“; “FSBO Mistake #37“; and “How Do You Tell if a Home Seller is Motivated? (Hint: It’s Not Because They Tell You They’re Motivated).“
