How to Sell Our Home Without Realtor

[Wolverine7]

Hello-

We are transitioning our of the military and want to move back to our home state. We own a home and want to sell it but using a realtor means we would have to shell out amost 10K and we just don't have it. We are interested in selling the home on our own to save money but do not know where to start... Any resources/tips/info available on here would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

[727]

 My brother used a for sale by owner service (there is one called for sale by owner dot com), he used Help U Sell.   They were satisfied as they had a fairly good idea of what to price their home (they used the property appraiser to see recent comparables).   They paid a listing fee ~$500 if I recall and sold it in a month or so.  Perhaps they could have asked 5 or 10K more with a traditional agent, but they would have eaten most if not all of that up with comissions. 

I'm not a fan of residential real estate agents.  Commercial real estate agents earn their fees, but I don't feel residential agents do.   I'm sure that will annoy some real estate agents but I'm OK with that. 

If you have a good idea (you can do your own researcher or hire a local appraiser) you might try free ways such as craigs list or Zillow for a month or so, if you have the time that seems like a good place to start.  If you find a buyer just get a real estate lawyer to do the contracts for you  for a fee of course but much less than you'd pay a real estate agent (and I'd use a lawyer even if - perhaps especially if- I had a real estate agent) if something goes wrong the lawyer has insurance for his mistakes. 

[DGM]

It is super easy. Just get a residential real estate contract for your state and (as 727 said above) you must employ the services of a real estate lawyer (btw, you still need a lawyer even if you use an RE agent as RE agents are not allowed to act in that capacity for you or the buyer). Should be roughly $1000 or less. The whole "Realtor" thing is fabricated and a pyramid money-making scheme. You can do the same with a lawyer. And don't be dismayed by the RE agents blackballing your property (i.e they will try not to show it to potential buyers whom they represent b/c they get no comission from you). Be persistent in the market and the right buyer will come along saving you both big bucks. Relators are on par with used car salesmen. Good luck!

[preciousfl]

I agree that Realtor is on the level of used car sales.

[preciousfl]

I had a Rusty Armstrong and it was clear he was with the buyer, not me the seller.  He is on the with USAA and do not work with him in Arkansas.  

[Pitbull12]

If you use the right listing service like FSBO or Assist to Sell you can pay to have your home listed on the MLS and you can state that you will pay a commission to a realtor that brings you a seller of 2-3 percent. That will significantly enhance your prospects.