How do you sell a house without a realtor?

Written by Michael FrankeLast reviewed: November 2, 2026

You can sell a house without a realtor by pricing it from recent nearby sales, marketing it yourself, negotiating with buyers directly and closing through a title company or real estate attorney. You still owe the buyer every disclosure the law requires, including the federal lead paint disclosure for homes built before 1978. Few sellers do it: for sale by owner deals were 5% of U.S. home sales in the year ending June 2025, according to NAR.

Key facts

FSBO sales were 5% of home sales in NAR's 2025 Profile (July 2024 to June 2025), an all-time low (NAR).
Homes built before 1978: give the EPA lead pamphlet, disclose known lead paint and allow a 10-day inspection (42 U.S.C. 4852d).
State disclosure forms still apply without an agent, for example in Tennessee, Ohio, Wisconsin and Indiana.

Selling in Indiana, Ohio, Wisconsin, Tennessee or Georgia? Get a written cash offer in 24 hours, no obligation.

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The steps, in order

Price it. Pull recent sales of similar homes within a mile from your county records or a listing site, and adjust for condition. Overpricing is the most common reason a FSBO listing sits.
Fix or disclose. Decide what you will repair. Anything you know about and do not fix, you disclose.
Market it. Photos, a listing on a flat-fee MLS service or FSBO sites, a yard sign and showings you schedule yourself.
Screen offers. Ask every buyer for a mortgage pre-approval or proof of funds before you accept.
Use a written contract. Most states have standard purchase forms; a real estate attorney can review yours for a flat fee.
Close through a title company or attorney. They search title, pay off your mortgage and liens, and handle the deed. In Georgia, a Georgia attorney must conduct the closing.

Disclosures you still owe

Federal law applies to every seller of a home built before 1978: before the buyer is bound, you must give the EPA pamphlet "Protect Your Family From Lead in Your Home," disclose any known lead-based paint and any reports, include the Lead Warning Statement in the contract, and give the buyer 10 days to inspect unless they waive it in writing. Keep the signed forms for three years (EPA). A seller who knowingly breaks this rule can owe the buyer three times their damages (42 U.S.C. 4852d).

Most states add their own form. Ohio requires a residential property disclosure form, and a buyer who gets it late can rescind within three business days. Wisconsin requires a real estate condition report within 10 days of accepting an offer. Our state seller guides cover each state we buy in.

Fair housing law also applies when you sell: you cannot turn a buyer away because of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status or disability (HUD).

What you save and what you take on

Selling yourself avoids the listing side commission, but you may still be asked to pay the buyer's agent, and you take on pricing, marketing, showings and negotiating. NAR reported a median FSBO price of $360,000 against $425,000 for agent-assisted sales in its 2025 survey. Those are different sets of homes, so the gap does not prove any one house would sell for more with an agent (NAR).

If the reason you want to skip the agent is that the house needs work, has tenants or you need a firm date, a direct sale to a cash buyer removes the showings as well as the commission. See cash offer vs listing with an agent for the numbers side by side.

Frequently asked questions

Is it legal to sell a house without a realtor?

Yes, in every state. You do have to follow the same disclosure, fair housing and closing rules as any seller.

Who handles the paperwork if there is no agent?

A title company or real estate attorney prepares the closing documents, searches title, pays off your loan and records the deed. In Georgia, a Georgia attorney must conduct the closing.

Do I have to pay the buyer's agent if I sell by owner?

Not automatically. Since August 17, 2024, offers to pay a buyer's agent can no longer appear on the MLS, and commissions are negotiable. A buyer may still ask you to cover their agent as part of the offer (NAR).

What is the fastest way to sell without a realtor?

Selling directly to a cash buyer. There are no showings or financing contingencies, and you choose the closing date.

Sources

Checked against each source on November 2, 2026. This page is general information, not legal or tax advice.

2025 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, highlights (National Association of Realtors)
NAR 2025 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers reveals market extremes (National Association of Realtors)
42 U.S.C. 4852d (lead-based paint disclosure on sale) (Cornell Law School LII)
Real estate disclosures about potential lead hazards (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency)
Fair Housing Act overview (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development)
NAR settlement FAQs (National Association of Realtors)