If lenders can't sell real estate maybe they can sell independent sellers.

At a time when the real estate industry and the lending industry are at loggerheads over lenders selling real estate, a Columbus, OH mortgage lender and broker with 700 offices is offering assistance for FSBOs -- for-sale-by-owner property owners -- independent sellers.

Citing statistics that reveal most FSBOs end up turning to real estate agents, Allied Home Mortgage Capital Corp. is tapping the FSBO market by offering FSBOs an educational program it says will help them unload their homes at the price they seek.

"It is hard to believe that homeowners don't take the time to fully understand the thought process and discover the best marketing techniques for selling their largest investment," says Allied's senior loan officer Rob Hufty.

"With the help of a check list and marketing tools, many homeowners will have a better strategy to sell their home faster and for their asking price," he added.

FSBO sellers make up a small, but persistent segment of real estate listings ranging from 10 to 15 percent of the market, depending upon the location and market conditions.

Allied's move is much like a real estate broker carving out a market niche in a subdivision, but some real estate and mortgage experts argue there's a difference. They say mortgage lending and real estate selling are two distinct markets that shouldn't be confused.

"It's dangerous. Lenders should lend and Realtors should sell real estate. Call me old fashioned," said Nino Saso, vice president and branch manager of Pacific Republic Mortgage Corp. in San Jose, CA.

Others say Allied is trying to be a jack of all trades and may end up a master of none.

"I wouldn't try to do loans. Why do lenders try to sell houses? Better to do one thing well than two badly," said Mary Pope Handy, a Los Gatos, CA real estate agent.

However, Rob McCarthy, a mortgage planner with American Family Funding in Campbell, CA says Allied's move is not unlike real estate agents who double as loan brokers.

"The opposite happens in lots of real estate, first where the Realtor wears two hats -- that of the agent and that of the loan broker. Some clients are okay with this, but most find this a conflict of interest, just like dual agency (a real estate agent representing both the buyer and the seller)," said McCarthy.

Hufty says it's simply a matter of choice.

He says most people, with some guidance, can sell their own home and recommends that homeowners get as much information as they can on selling their own home.

He offers hour-long clinics to show FSBOs the ropes. His Web site also borrows information from and provides links to The Yellow Sign, a Web site with FSBO information that, in turn, links back to Allied's site for mortgage information.

"With a check list of things to remember, what to have available, plus marketing tips to give the home greater curb appeal and more inviting interiors, the homeowner doesn't have to guess and scramble to find everything," says Hufty.

"We are very excited about this program. It gives sellers every marketing option to sell their home without spending a lot of time operating it like a second full-time job," he says.

Sellers shouldn't assume, however, that a seminar and checklists can teach them what real estate agents have developed a career learning, experts say.