How to Sell My House Without a Realtor

If you want to sell your house without a realtor, you can, and homeowners do it every day. This guide covers the routes open to you, the steps for each, the paperwork involved and the warning signs to watch for, so you can pick the path that fits your deadline.

Can you sell without a realtor?

In general, yes. An owner can sell their own property without hiring a listing agent. What changes is who does the work: pricing, marketing, screening buyers, drafting the contract and managing the closing all fall to you, to the buyer, or to a professional you hire for part of it.

The rules that apply, including required disclosures and how a closing is handled, differ by state. Before you sign anything, ask a real estate attorney or a title company where the house is located what applies to your sale.

Start with your deadline

The most useful question is how long you can wait. If you have months and the house is in decent shape, doing a sale on your own can work. If a court date, a job start, a lender letter or an estate deadline is pressing on you, the calculation changes, and speed starts to matter more than price.

Write down the latest date you can afford to close. Every option below looks different once that date is on paper.

Your three routes

Route one: sell it yourself. You set the price, advertise the house, answer inquiries, run showings and negotiate. You keep the money an agent would otherwise be paid, but you also carry all the time and risk. It suits owners with a house in good shape and a flexible calendar.

Route two: sell it yourself with professional help on the paperwork. A real estate attorney or a title company handles the contract and the closing while you find the buyer. This gives you a safety net on the parts where mistakes are costly.

Route three: sell directly to a buyer who purchases as is. There is no listing and no stream of showings, and the buyer usually handles the repairs. You trade some price for speed and certainty. This route is the main reason people land on our site, and it is the one we can match you to.

Step by step if you sell on your own

Step 1, work out a price. Look at what similar homes nearby actually sold for, not just what they are listed at. Match size, age, condition and location as closely as you can. Pricing too high leaves a house sitting, and pricing too low gives away your equity.

Step 2, get the paperwork in order. Find your deed, your latest mortgage statement and any records of repairs or permits. Ask your servicer for a payoff figure so you know how much of the sale price goes to the loan.

Step 3, market the house. Clear photographs, an honest description and a sign are the basics. Be accurate about the condition, because a buyer who is surprised later may walk away.

Step 4, screen buyers. Ask a buyer for proof they can pay, either a lender letter for a financed purchase or proof of funds for cash. Meet people in daylight with someone else at home.

Step 5, write and sign a purchase contract. Do not use a handshake agreement. Have an attorney or title company review the contract, since it fixes the price, the closing date and what happens if either side backs out.

Step 6, open the title and closing process. A title company or attorney searches the title, collects the funds, pays off your mortgage and records the deed. The closing statement shows exactly where the money goes, so read it before you sign.

What you give up without an agent

An agent normally brings a contact list, a listing on the major home search sites and experience in negotiation. When you go without one, you lose that reach unless you replace it yourself, and you are the one fielding awkward questions from buyers.

For many sellers that is a fair trade. For a seller who is also dealing with foreclosure letters or a family emergency, it can be too much at once, which is when a direct buyer starts to look attractive.

Paperwork checklist

Sellers commonly gather the following: the deed, the mortgage payoff statement, a signed purchase contract, any disclosure forms your state asks for, the title search results and the final closing statement. Ask your title company or attorney which of these apply to you.

If an heir, a spouse or a co-owner shares the title, every owner may need to sign. Sort out who has authority before you accept an offer.

Warning signs

Be wary of anyone who asks for money up front, pushes you to sign quickly, or asks you to hand over the deed before you are paid. Confirm wire instructions by calling the title company at a number you looked up yourself, because fraudsters imitate closing emails.

If you are behind on your mortgage, remember what the CFPB says: you do not have to pay anyone to help you avoid foreclosure, and free help exists through the HOPE Hotline at (888) 995-4673 and HUD-approved housing counselors.

If your situation is more specific

Some sales come with extra complications. If you are behind on payments, read about selling before foreclosure. If you are splitting a household, read about selling during a divorce. If you inherited the property, start with the inherited house guide. If you want someone to assume your loan, read how a mortgage takeover works. A house that needs work has its own page on selling as is, and a sale to a relative has a page of its own.

Getting matched

If you would rather skip the listing process, tell us about your house on the contact page. We are a referral service, so we refer your details to a buyer or another professional who may contact you with an offer or next steps. There is no charge to submit your information, and you can decline anything you hear.

Related guides

• Sell My House Fast for Cash
• Sell My House Before Foreclosure
• Sell My House During a Divorce
• Sell an Inherited House You Do Not Want
• Take Over My Mortgage: What It Really Means
• Sell My House As Is, No Repairs
• Sell My House to a Family Member

Common questions