FSBO Guide

For Sale By Owner sounds simple: skip the listing agent, save 2.5-3% commission, pocket an extra $10,000-$15,000 on a typical home sale. And for the right seller in the right market, that math works out. But FSBO isn’t for everyone, and the statistics are more nuanced than either side admits.

The Real FSBO Numbers

NAR’s frequently cited stat says FSBO homes sell for 23% less than agent-assisted sales. That number is misleading. It includes sales between family members, estate sales, and other non-arm’s-length transactions that drag the average down. When you compare FSBO sales to similar agent-listed properties in open-market transactions, the gap narrows to 2-6% — and part of that gap is because FSBOs tend to be lower-priced homes in the first place.

Here’s the honest assessment: a competent seller in a hot market with a well-priced home can absolutely net more through FSBO, even after paying the buyer’s agent commission. A first-time seller in a complex market trying to sell a $600,000 home with title issues and disclosure complications? Hire an agent.

The True Cost of FSBO

FSBO doesn’t mean zero commission. You’re almost certainly still paying the buyer’s agent — typically 2-2.5% of the sale price. The NAR settlement changed how this is disclosed (buyer agents must now have a written agreement before showing homes), but the practical reality is that most buyers are represented and most buyer agents expect compensation.

If you refuse to offer buyer agent commission, you’re eliminating a large chunk of potential buyers — specifically, the ones whose agent won’t show your property without agreed compensation. In a strong seller’s market, you might get away with it. In a balanced or buyer’s market, it’s a recipe for crickets.

So the real savings from FSBO: the listing agent’s side, typically 2.5-3%. On a $400,000 home, that’s $10,000-$12,000 in your pocket. Significant money. But you’re doing the work that agent would have done.

Getting on the MLS Without a Listing Agent

The Multiple Listing Service is where buyer agents find homes. If your property isn’t on the MLS, you’re invisible to roughly 90% of the buyer pool. The solution: flat-fee MLS services.

For $300-$500, a flat-fee service will list your property on the MLS with your photos, description, and contact information. You handle everything else — showings, negotiations, paperwork. We cover the best options in our flat-fee MLS guide.

You’ll also want to syndicate your listing to Zillow, Realtor.com, and Redfin. Most flat-fee MLS services include this automatically since these sites pull from the MLS.

Pricing Your Home Without a CMA

This is where most FSBOs go wrong. Without a comparative market analysis from an agent, sellers default to one of two bad strategies: pricing based on what they need (your mortgage balance is irrelevant to the market) or pricing based on Zillow’s Zestimate (which has a 7.5% median error for off-market homes).

Better approach:

1. Look up 5-8 recent sales (last 90 days) of comparable homes within a half-mile on Redfin or Zillow. Match on: square footage (+/- 15%), bedrooms/bathrooms, lot size, age, condition.
2. Adjust: no pool when comps had one? Subtract $10K-$20K. Updated kitchen when comps had dated ones? Add $5K-$15K. These adjustments are estimates but they get you in the ballpark.
3. Calculate a price per square foot from the comps. This sanity-checks your number.
4. Price at or slightly below the comparable range. Remember: underpricing drives traffic and often leads to offers above asking.

If you want a professional opinion without a full agent commitment, some agents offer a one-time CMA for a flat fee ($200-$500). Some appraisers offer pre-listing appraisals for $400-$700. Either is worth the money.

Marketing Your Own Listing

• Professional photos: This is not optional. $150-$350 for a pro photographer. iPhone photos will cost you more in lost buyer interest than the photographer costs.
• Listing description: Lead with the best features. Don’t bury “updated kitchen with quartz counters” after two paragraphs about the neighborhood history. Include: bed/bath count, square footage, lot size, recent updates, and neighborhood highlights.
• Yard sign: Old school but still works. “For Sale By Owner” signs with your phone number generate 5-10% of inquiries.
• Social media: Post on local Facebook marketplace and neighborhood groups. Targeted Facebook ads ($50-$100 budget) can reach people actively searching in your area.
• Showing schedule: Use a service like ShowingTime or set up a Google Voice number so you’re not giving out your personal cell to strangers.

Legal Paperwork

This is the part that scares people, and honestly, it should. Real estate contracts have serious legal and financial consequences. You need:

• Purchase agreement: Your state’s standard residential contract. Do NOT download a template from the internet and hope for the best. Use your state’s approved forms.
• Seller disclosures: Required in most states. You must disclose known material defects. What counts varies by state.
• Lead paint disclosure: Federal requirement for homes built before 1978.
• Title work: A title company handles the search, insurance, and closing.

Hire a real estate attorney. This is non-negotiable. $500-$1,500 for a residential transaction. They’ll review the purchase agreement, handle counter-offers, manage the contract-to-close process, and represent you at the closing table. Some states require an attorney anyway (New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and others). Even where it’s optional, the cost is trivial compared to the risk of a contract mistake on a six-figure transaction.

Who Should (and Shouldn’t) Try FSBO

FSBO Works Best When:

• Your home is in a hot market with low inventory
• The property is under $400,000 (commission savings are proportionally larger)
• You have some real estate, legal, or negotiation experience
• You already have a potential buyer (relocation buyout, neighbor, etc.)
• You’re willing to dedicate 15-20 hours to the process — showings, calls, paperwork

Hire an Agent When:

• Your local market is slow or inventory is high — you need every marketing edge
• The home has complications (title issues, needed disclosures, unusual property type)
• You can’t be available for showings on short notice
• You’re uncomfortable negotiating directly with a buyer or their agent
• The property is high-value ($500K+) — the complexity increases and 3% agent commission on a $700K home buys you a lot of expertise

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I still need to pay a buyer’s agent?

Technically, no — you don’t have to offer buyer agent compensation. But practically, most buyers are represented, and if their agent isn’t being compensated through your listing, they may not show your home. Offering 2-2.5% to the buyer’s agent is standard practice even for FSBO sellers and keeps your listing competitive.

Can I list on Zillow without an agent?

You can post directly on Zillow as “For Sale By Owner,” but it won’t appear in the main search results the same way an MLS listing does. For maximum visibility, use a flat-fee MLS service — your listing will automatically syndicate to Zillow, Redfin, Realtor.com, and hundreds of other sites.

What if a buyer asks me to pay their agent’s commission and cover closing costs?

Negotiate. Everything in real estate is negotiable. If the net proceeds work for you, it doesn’t matter how the money is allocated. A $400K offer with 2.5% buyer agent commission and 2% seller concessions nets you the same as a $382K offer with no concessions. Focus on the net, not the line items.

How long does FSBO usually take?

FSBO homes spend an average of 24 days on market compared to 19 days for agent-listed homes (2024 NAR data). The gap is small. Where FSBO takes longer is in the contract-to-close phase if you’re handling negotiations and paperwork without experience. An attorney helps close this gap.

FSBO Resources

If you’re selling without an agent, our flat fee MLS comparison is essential — it’s how you get on the MLS without paying full commission. Nail your asking price with our pricing strategy guide and prepare your home with our staging tips. For a full overview of the selling process, see our complete selling guide.