Rocking Porch Homes

How to Sell Your House Without a Real Estate Agent

If you want to sell your house, most people will recommend that you go through a real estate agent. However, it comes with a hefty price tag: usually around 6% of the sale price coming out of the equity you may have on the property, among other expenses. Besides, finding a trustworthy, skilled, and reliable real estate agent isn’t always straightforward.

Therefore, some choose to sell their house by owner instead of going the real estate agent route. Here is what you should keep in mind if you want to sell your home without a Realtor.

1. Prepare your home for selling

Staging your house for sale can be an overwhelming, but necessary step in the home selling process. Declutter the property by renting a storage unit to store anything you do not use daily and depersonalize it as much as possible so potential buyers can picture themselves living here.

Your house may need some freshen-up to be attractive. It could be a fresh coat of paint, some landscaping, or more extensive repairs since buyer financing is often dependent upon the condition of the house.

2. Figure out the best price to sell your house

Figuring out how much your property should sell for is one of the trickiest parts of selling your home without a real estate agent. If you do not have any real estate expertise yourself, it is strongly recommended to hire an appraiser. Although it costs between $300 and $500 on average, it could save you thousands of dollars in the long run.

3. Market your home to potential buyers

If you sell your house by owner, you will need to market your home yourself. A sign in your front yard is only the beginning. You will need to list it on websites like FSBO.com or Realtor.com to attract as many potential buyers as possible.

An open house will help sell your home, but you will also need to be ready at all times to show your property. Make sure it is always clean and organized and that you have a backup plan for your pets if applicable.

4. Negotiate the selling price

Once you get an offer, you will need to negotiate the selling price and what should and should not be included in the sale. Don’t forget that potential buyers may have the help of a real estate agent to guide them through the process.

5. Get ready for closing!

Closing is a legal affair. There is certainly a lot of paperwork for selling a house without a realtor. You may need to hire an attorney to help guide you through the process and prepare the documentation. Although closing can feel like the end of the road, you are not immune against last-minute bad surprises, like the buyers’ financing following through.

Selling your house without a realtor is not always a straightforward process. You may end up spending a lot more time and money than you expect to get your home ready to sell. You will need to keep your house available for showings on short notice and, if you have a full-time job, take time off work to guide potential buyers.

With or without a real estate agent, there is no guarantee that you can sell your house quickly. If you are short on time and would like to unload the property as fast and with as little hassle as possible, it may be worth investigating selling your house to a company instead of listing it.

If you would like to sell your home in Cherokee and Cobb County, including Woodstock, Marietta, Kennesaw, Acworth, Canton, and Roswell, we may be able to help. Contact us today, and we will do our best to answer any questions you may have about selling your house without a Realtor.