How to Sell a House By Owner and Save $$$

BREAKING NEWS: The NAR Settlement went live on August 17. Home sellers can now save up to $25,994 in commission on an average $433,229 home in the US.

You can save 3%, or $12,997, on the listing agent commission by selling your home by owner. And an additional up to 2.5% to 3% on the buyer agent commission! No wonder a whopping 55% of millennials are considering selling their homes by owner.

Selling your home on the best For Sale By Owner Websites can be faster too! 77% of FSBO homes sold in 2 weeks, compared to 4 to 12 weeks with an agent.

How to Sell a House By Owner in 6 Steps

The biggest challenges when selling a house without a Realtor are paperwork, negotiations, and closing.

Here’s our comprehensive guide on how to sell a house by owner like a professional:

Step 1: Price Your Home Competitively

20.6% of sellers dropped the asking price for their homes in July 2024. Inaccurate pricing led to increased days on the market and potentially cost the sellers a few good offers.

Here’s how you should price your home based on market conditions:

• Seller’s Market: You can price your home up to 10% more than the market.
• Buyer’s Market: Lower your asking price to beat the competition.

In the current buyer’s market, price your home slightly below Fair Market Value to attract more offers. You can also calculate your home’s worth using free online tools or get a CMA report.

Step 2: Make Your Home Market-Ready

When selling your house without a Realtor, paying special attention to how your home is presented to potential buyers is important. Since staged homes influence 58% of buyers, remember to:

• Declutter and Depersonalize: Clean surfaces like coffee tables and countertops. Remove personalized items such as photos, keepsakes, fridge magnets, etc.
• Improve Curb Appeal: Opt for clear landscapes, fresh flowers, or exquisite wall paints. Remove dead plants, trees, shrubs, etc., to enhance curb appeal.
• Opt for a Professional Home Stager: Hire professional home staging companies to prep your house for listing photographs and walkthroughs.

Step 3: Increase Your Property’s Visibility

When you sell a house by owner, marketing and exposure are key to beating an agent-assisted sale:

• Hire a Pro Photographer: Homes photographed professionally sell 32% faster than the average home. Hire a professional to collate an appealing portfolio.
• Craft a Captivating Property Description: A catchy headline with an engaging statement can grab a buyer’s attention. Use popular adjectives like captivating, luxurious, impeccable, etc.
• List on For Sale By Owner Websites: While FSBO listing sites like Zillow and Craigslist reach millions, some sites offer free listings on their platforms. However, these sites will limit the exposure your home receives.
• Put a “For Sale” Yard Sign: 19% of sellers use yard signs to market their homes when selling FSBO. Yard signs increase the home’s visibility. In some cases, you can even attract unrepresented buyers.
• List on MLS: Homes listed on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) will also be visible on 100+ real estate websites, giving your house maximum exposure. No wonder 89% of home sellers use the MLS to market and sell their homes.

Step 4: Organize Home Showings

You can do the following when selling a house yourself to potential buyers:

• Open Houses: 92% of home buyers find an open house useful. Hosting an open house is an effective way to show your home to potential buyers.
• In-Person Showings: With a showings tool like Houzeo Showings, buyers and buyer agents can choose a showing slot at their convenience. The tool provides features to request, reschedule, update, and cancel showings.

Step 5: Review, Compare, and Negotiate Offers

Though you are selling a house without a Realtor, the basics of what to do when you get offers remain the same. You must accept, decline, or ignore the offers (not recommended).

Look for contingencies offered by the buyer:

• Will you get a cash offer on your house?
• Did the potential buyer get preapproved for a mortgage?
• Is the buyer offering to cover some closing costs?

Step 6: Finalize the Sale Seamlessly

A real estate attorney can help you draft the paperwork for selling a house without a Realtor to minimize legal risks. This includes title and closing documents. Typically, their fee ranges between $150 and $500 per hour.

How to Sell My House By Owner Near Me

NAR Settlement Saves Sellers Thousands in Commission

The NAR Settlement went into effect on August 17, 2024. Buyer agent commissions can no longer be offered on the MLS. This means sellers will save thousands! But it also means there’s a lot more compliance and litigation risks.

Here’s what this means for you:

• Sellers Can Save Thousands in Commissions: You will likely pay much less than the traditional 3% buyer agent commission. That’s because buyer agent commissions will be negotiated twice: Once when buyers engage buyer agents, and again when sellers review offer contracts.
• Seller Priority #1 Will Be Paperwork (to Mitigate Compliance & Litigation Risks): Buyer agents mitigate all types of risks. From seller disclosures, offer contracts, contingencies, inspections, repair requests, appraisal, and closing – Buyer agents keep the paperwork tight. Their state licensing authorities, Realtor associations, and MLS’ audit paperwork compliance. Without buyer agents, sellers will have to learn and adapt. Or risk expensive litigation.
• Negotiations Can Now Feel Like Haggling: Buyer agent commissions will now be part of offer contracts and buyer agency agreements. Buyers may ask sellers to include commissions in the form of seller concessions. That means home buyers and sellers alike will be negotiating commissions. Sellers will need expert licensed brokers to help them with these negotiations.
• Buyer Agent Commissions Can Be Offered Offline: Buyer agent fees can still be offered outside of the MLS. They just cannot be advertised on the MLS.

🚨 FSBO Mistakes to Avoid

Here are common mistakes FSBO sellers make that you should avoid:

• Listing on Only FSBO Sites and Not on the MLS: An MLS listing is syndicated to 100+ real estate websites, which can help you attract unrepresented buyers. Statistically, homes listed on the MLS sell faster and for 13% more.
• Pricing Your Home Incorrectly: Overpricing might turn potential buyers away. Underpricing will lead you to leave some serious amount of money on the table.
• Skipping Professional Real Estate Photography: Professionally photographed homes sell 32% faster. So, skipping professional real estate photography will lead to lesser foot traffic and slower home sales.
• Miscalculating Closing Costs: An error when calculating your closing costs can affect how you plan for future expenses. A shortfall could impact your ability to secure your new home.
• Completing Your Paperwork Inaccurately: Mistakes in your paperwork could lead to major problems, potentially delaying or even canceling the sale.

Pros and Cons of Selling a House Without a Realtor

36% of Millennials, 26% of Gen Xers, 22% of Boomers, and 19% of Silent Gen are selling a home by owner. More importantly, buyer agents are not opposed to working with FSBO sellers.

✅ Pros of Selling For Sale By Owner

• You Will Save Thousands in Commissions: On average, a seller spends a lot on real estate commissions. Selling a property without a Realtor will help you save 2.5% to 3% on the listing agent commission.
• You Can Hit the Market Quickly & Sell Fast: FSBO websites like Houzeo will get you on the MLS within 24-48 hours or faster. Statistically, 77% of FSBO homes sell in less than 2 weeks.
• You Will Have More Control Over the Process: You will interact with buyers directly as an independent home seller. You will also control other aspects of selling by owner, such as showings, negotiations, paperwork, etc.

❌ Cons of Selling For Sale By Owner

• You May Need Support: You might need help with paperwork, inspections, negotiations, or closing, as you will manage everything yourself. So, list with a company that provides licensed broker support if you need it.
• There Could be High Hidden Fees: Several FSBO listing services with low upfront costs have a high hidden fee at closing. Some of them, like Craigslist, are infamous for attracting unqualified buyers and scammers.

Should You Sell a House By Owner?

Yes! Selling a house by owner can save you thousands in commissions. However, most FSBO sites do not list your home on the MLS, significantly limiting the exposure to your home.

If you’re wondering how to sell a house by owner with an MLS listing, sell with Houzeo. Houzeo will get your FSBO home on the MLS within 24-48 hours. Also, you will have 5-star Houzeo customer support to help you at every step.

» Want to know what sellers have to say about Houzeo? Read these exclusive Houzeo reviews now!

Frequently Asked Questions

• How to Sell a House By Owner