How to Get Instant Alerts for FSBO and 'Make Me Move' Homes

The other day, somewhere deep within the recesses of Facebook, someone posted that it would be awesome if there was a way for Zillow to notify them of new FSBOs and Make Me Move® homes that were added to Zillow.

Why in the world would an agent want to know when new FSBOs and Make Me Move properties were added to the site?

For one reason, a couple of months ago we discussed the possibilities of using these properties to help you find your buyer clients a home in the inventory-starved areas of the country.

Here's another reason -- prospecting for and securing more listings.

From time immemorial, real estate agents have 'worked FSBOs' as a method of securing listings. Sure, it takes a gentle approach, but the fact is many people that try going the For Sale By Owner route realize just how hard it is and eventually wind up listing their home with an agent anyway.

But, to work FSBOs, you need to know where the FSBOs are.

Ditto with Make Me Move properties. 'MMMs' are properties entered into Zillow by home owners that are saying, 'Here is a price that just might make me move.' Sure, sometimes people enter silly fantasy prices, but the fact is, there have been homes found, and sold, through the Make Me Move feature.

Rather than scouring Zillow daily for new FSBOs and MMMs, wouldn't life be simpler if you could have new properties like this show up in your inbox whenever they are added (or changed)?

Well, you can!

How to get notified of FSBOs and Make Me Move properties

Utilizing Zillow's saved search notifications makes this super easy.

• Go to Zillow and enter a ZIP code or city in the search bar
• On the results page, click "Filter"
• Under For Sale properties, check only "By Owner"
• Under Pre-Market properties, check only "Make Me Move"

This is what your filter page will look like:

• Click "Save Search"

• Label the search whatever you'd like (e.g., "FSBO's in 98199" or "MMMs in San Diego"). This is to help you remember what the search is for.
• Select "Instant Updates"

• Click "Save Search"

That's all there is to it! When a new property that fits your criteria appears on Zillow, you will be notified within minutes.

Why would that be important?

Maybe, just maybe, this FSBO or MMM owner who just dropped their price in a smoking-hot market is either over-priced, or really needs to sell. Either way, sounds like an ideal time for a great real estate pro to step in, and offer to help. Run a CMA and hand deliver it to the owner. Don't be pushy, be helpful.

And maybe when they give up on going FSBO, they will call the timely, helpful real estate agent.

Happens every day somewhere, doesn't it?

You can set up as many saved searches as you'd like. Using different filter criteria, you could set up searches for different ZIP codes, price ranges, neighborhoods and more. The sky is the limit.

So whether you are looking for properties for your buyers in a low inventory area, or you are interested in working FSBOs and Make Me Move's for potential listings, setting up saved searches and turning on notices could be a helpful tool to add to that real estate marketing and prospecting tool box.