We are reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Moving to a new area is an exciting time for anyone, with new places to explore and maybe an upgrade to the house of your dreams. Knowing how to buy and sell a house without a realtor helps you feel prepared.
Agents offer access to listings and information you might not find otherwise, but that access comes with a hefty commission. Many people skip the realtor, especially when they know the buyer or seller. Since 2024, changes to how commissions get negotiated have made going it alone more financially realistic than ever.
Knowing how to buy and sell a house without a realtor opens you up to a world of possibilities. Without having another person to facilitate things for you, you’re bound to encounter more hurdles, but you’ll experience more benefits as well. People who like to plan things out and tackle more responsibility might like the benefits they receive from negotiating their own deals.
When you don’t work with an agent, you don’t have to pay their commission. Real estate broker commissions in the United States have remained at 5% to 6% for decades, which can add up to a lot when you pay the commission while trying to own a home.
The money could be better spent elsewhere, like furnishing your new home or fixing some unexpected repairs after you move in. Since August 2024, sellers are no longer automatically on the hook for the buyer’s agent commission, too.
Many people love to have all the control they can in a situation, and that level of control matters so much more when you’re the one selling your home. Because you’ll have more control over listing your house and scheduling showings, you can move at your own pace, but you should recognize that nothing will get done unless you do it yourself. You won’t be relying on an agent to handle it for you.
As you learn to buy and sell homes, you may find that you have an affinity for the field. It may even encourage you to swap fields and become a real estate agent. While there may be no way to determine how many people change careers throughout their lifetimes, many people do pivot into other fields or dabble in several areas before finding the job that’s right for them.
Finding something you’re passionate about is vital to living a fulfilled life, and dabbling in the industry could result in a significant positive change for you.
In November 2024, a federal court approved a nationwide settlement resolving an antitrust lawsuit against the National Association of Realtors, the trade group representing most licensed agents in the country. The suit argued that long-standing industry rules had propped up broker fees for years. The core practice changes took effect in August.
Listing agents can no longer advertise a set commission for buyer’s agents through the multiple listing service, and buyers now have to sign a written agreement with an agent, spelling out exactly what that agent charges, before touring a single home.
For anyone weighing DIY sale or purchase, the practical upshot is transparency. Commission has become a line item you negotiate rather than a cost buried somewhere in the sale price, and a seller no longer automatically covers both sides of a deal.
Commissions have not vanished, though. Plenty of sellers still offer buyer’s agent compensation to keep a listing attractive to a wider pool of buyers. Even so, the negotiation is explicit now, which works in your favor when you’re comparing the cost of hiring representation against handling a deal yourself. Here’s what shifted:
Learning how to buy and sell a house without a realtor might be complicated, but you can figure it out as you go. While it might be more work for you, you’ll be able to move at your own pace and take baby steps if necessary.
Getting preapproved is the best way to determine how much house you can afford. You’ll know where to start looking and can bookend your house searches appropriately. By narrowing down the market, you’ll be on your way to finding something that works for your family. Plus, you won’t have to wait around for mortgage approval.
Using homebuying platforms can help you see where there’s the most inventory and get a better idea of what you want in a house. Apps like Opendoor can show buyers inventory that’s only on that platform and not listed elsewhere, so you should check everywhere to make sure you’re not missing your dream home. Utilize platforms to make the most of your options, especially since you may not have access to a realtor’s listings.
Lawyers can help you with negotiations. They can contact the seller directly and work to your benefit. They can draft contracts that specify contingencies and are extremely valuable during the homebuying process. Your lawyer can help you review any paperwork you need clarification on.
A home inspection is a common and highly recommended part of the homebuying process, regardless of whether you use a realtor. You’ll want all minor and significant issues brought to light, as this can be crucial before you settle on the amount to pay for a home.
These inspections can determine how fit a house is to live in and whether any issues need to be resolved, which you can then negotiate with a seller. A proper assessment gives you leverage in the negotiation and can potentially save you money or help you add contingencies to a contract.
If you’re ever unsure about the homebuying process without a realtor, you can ask questions. Your lawyer and home inspector will be there to help you understand anything you don’t really know, and you can also turn to the internet for help and advice. You aren’t the first person to try to make a deal without a realtor, and you won’t be the last, so make sure to search for any information you feel you need to know.
Selling gets less attention than buying in most DIY guides, but the steps matter just as much, and the upside can be bigger since the seller is usually the one paying the commission in the first place.
Overpricing is the most common mistake among for-sale-by-owner sellers, since a seller without an agent’s local comps often anchors to what they wish the home is worth rather than what it’s worth. Pull recent, comparable sales within your neighborhood and run the numbers through a few home-value estimators before settling on a list price.
A home that sits too long at the wrong price ends up selling for less than a well-priced one would have, because buyers start to wonder what is wrong with it.
Getting your home onto the multiple listing service is the single biggest lever a for-sale-by-owner seller has, since most buyers and their agents search the MLS first. Flat-fee MLS services let you pay a one-time fee, often a few hundred dollars, to get your listing syndicated to the MLS and major sites without hiring a full-service listing agent. Sites built for owner-direct sales are another option if you would rather sell to a buyer who is also skipping representation.
Professional photos, a clear floor plan and a compelling description do more heavy lifting than any single showing. Block out consistent windows for private showings and open houses rather than allowing constant one-off requests, which can quickly become overwhelming without an agent to screen interest for you.
Once offers start coming in, compare more than the top-line number. Financing type, contingencies and closing timeline all affect how solid an offer really is. A real estate attorney can review the purchase agreement, confirm your disclosures are complete and make sure contingency deadlines are realistic before you sign anything.
Sellers are legally responsible for disclosing known material defects, whether or not an agent is involved. Skipping or downplaying a known issue, like a leaky roof or failed septic system, can expose you to a lawsuit well after closing. Working from a standard disclosure form for your state, rather than writing one from scratch, helps you avoid leaving out something you didn’t realize mattered.
Realtors still tend to sell for about 18% more on average than owner-sold homes do. That gap is why pricing accuracy, professional photos and a clean marketing plan matter more, not less, once you take the agent out of the equation.
Skipping a realtor could reduce what you pay in commission, but it does not make a transaction free. Here is a realistic breakdown of where the dollars go.
The costs a traditional listing agent charges are for a full-service listing, which typically bundles the commission for both the listing agent and the buyer’s agent, historically 5% to 6% combined. On a $400,000 home, that’s $20,000 to $24,000 split between the two sides.
For-sale-by-owner sellers may instead pay a flat-fee MLS listing that runs roughly $100 to $500. A real estate attorney to review contracts and handle closing typically runs $500 to $1,500 for a straightforward deal. Professional photography, a yard sign and basic marketing add another few hundred dollars.
If you still offer buyer-agent compensation, budget for that separately. Historically, buyer-agent compensation has often run around 2.5% to 3% of the sale price, though post-settlement practices can vary by market and transaction.
Using a 5.5% traditional commission estimate and sample FSBO listing-side costs that include flat-fee MLS access, attorney review, photography and basic marketing, the potential listing-side savings may look like this:
|
Home Price |
Traditional Full Commission at 5.5% |
FSBO Listing-Side Costs |
Potential Savings Before Buyer-Agent Compensation |
|
$300,000 |
$16,500 |
$2,000-$4,000 |
$12,500-$14,500 |
|
$500,000 |
$27,500 |
$2,500-$5,000 |
$22,500-$25,000 |
|
$750,000 |
$41,250 |
$3,000-$6,000 |
$35,250-$38,250 |
Closing works the same way whether or not an agent is involved, but you are the one keeping track of every step instead of an agent doing it for you.
Your lender sends a closing disclosure that lists your final loan terms and all fees associated with the transaction at least 3 business days before closing. Compare it line by line with your original Loan Estimate and flag any unexpected cost increase to your lender or settlement agent right away.
A title company or closing attorney, not a realtor, actually runs the closing appointment in most states. That person or company confirms a clear title, holds funds in escrow, prepares the deed and makes sure money moves in the right direction on closing day. Without an agent coordinating that relationship, it falls on you to choose a title company or closing attorney early and confirm what they need from you before the closing date.
On closing day, expect to sign the deed, the mortgage or deed of trust, the promissory note and a stack of disclosures. Bring photo identification and, if funds are due at closing, a cashier’s check or confirmed wire, and always verify wiring instructions by phone using a number you already know rather than one from an email.
Going without a realtor is not just a paperwork inconvenience. A few real risks deserve attention before you commit to the DIY route.
Wire and title fraud specifically targets real estate closings. The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center logged more than 12,000 real estate fraud complaints in 2025, totaling over $275 million in reported losses. Once, a case in the FBI’s 2025 report involved a couple closing on a home who received an email impersonating their attorney, then wired over $449,000 to a fraudulent account before catching the scam.
An agent is not immune to this risk either, but a solo buyer or seller has one less set of eyes checking that wiring instructions and closing emails are legitimate.
Pricing mistakes cut both ways. Underpricing a home as a seller leaves money on the table, and overpaying as a buyer without a comps-savvy negotiator in your corner is just as common.
Disclosure and contract mistakes carry legal exposure. A missed contingency deadline or an incomplete disclosure form can unravel a deal or trigger a lawsuit long after you have moved out.
A smaller buyer pool can mean a slower sale. Some buyers, and their agents, are less comfortable navigating a for-sale-by-owner transaction, which can narrow your pool of serious offers.
You lose a built-in second opinion. An agent’s job includes catching things you might miss, from a lowball offer disguised as a strong one to a home inspection item worth pushing back on. Without one, that judgment call is entirely yours.
A few questions come up over and over again once people start looking into a DIY sale or purchase. Here are straightforward answers to the ones you might hear most.
Yes. No state requires a buyer or seller to use a real estate agent. Some states do require an attorney to be involved in the closing, so check your state’s rules before assuming you can skip legal help entirely.
In most cases, yes. A real estate attorney fills a lot of the gap an agent would otherwise cover, from reviewing the purchase agreement to confirming your disclosures meet state requirements.
It can, particularly if pricing, marketing or negotiation is not handled carefully. That is exactly why the pricing and marketing steps above deserve as much attention as the commission savings.
It is a service that lists your home on the multiple listing service for a one-time fee rather than a percentage-based commission, giving you the same visibility as a listing agent would provide without the ongoing cost.
Earnest money still goes into an escrow account held by a neutral third party, typically a title company or attorney, rather than being handed directly to the seller. The purchase agreement should specify exactly when that money is released or refunded.
When you handle buying and selling on your own, expect more paperwork than you’d have with an agent. Still, for the price of autonomy, that trade-off might feel worth it. Learn how to buy and sell a house without a realtor if spending less for the same outcome sounds good to you. Get emotionally and financially prepared, and the process can feel more rewarding. It’s okay to work with a realtor, too, especially if you’d rather manage nothing yourself. It depends on what you want most.
Note: This article was first published on February 22, 2023, and was revised on August 31, 2026, to reflect the most current information.
