How to sell your house without a realtor might sound like an empowering and cost-effective way to go about the process—after all, skipping the agent means skipping commission fees, right? But before you dive into the DIY approach, it’s important to understand what selling your home without a real estate professional involves—and why many homeowners who start FSBO end up hiring a Realtor in the end.
Let’s take a closer look.
What It Takes to Sell Without a Realtor
Selling your home is more than just putting up a sign in the yard and listing it online. Here’s what you’ll need to do on your own:
Accurately Price Your Home
Pricing a home correctly is part science, part strategy. Go too high, and your home sits. Go too low, and you leave money on the table. Realtors have access to up-to-date market data and the experience to know how to price your home right the first time.
Prepare Your Home for Sale
From staging and decluttering to repairs and curb appeal, there’s a lot to consider before your first showing. Are you confident you know what buyers in today’s market are looking for? What about the best place to spend your hard-earned money? Spending a dollar to get $.50 back doesn’t make sense, and if you don’t put it in the right place, that can easily happen.
Market Your Property Effectively
Selling isn’t just about listing—it’s about reaching the right buyers. That means professional photography, compelling listing descriptions, digital advertising, open houses, social media, and tapping into buyer networks. Most FSBOs are limited to one or two platforms, while Realtors bring a much broader reach.
Handling showings and Inquiries
You’ll need to be available to answer calls, answer lots of questions, schedule appointments, show the home (sometimes on short notice), and follow up—all while juggling daily life.
Navigate Offers, Contracts, and Negotiations
This is where things get complicated. Can you read and understand a real estate purchase agreement? What about contingencies, addenda, and counteroffers? What about which lenders will drop the ball and not close on the property after dragging it on for months?
What about vetting cash buyers to make sure they can actually perform and are not just tying you up while they continue to shop for another house? One misstep could cost you thousands—or the sale entirely.
Keep the Transaction on Track
Once you’re under contract, the job isn’t done. You’ll need to coordinate inspections, appraisals, buyer financing, title work, and closing attorneys—all while keeping everything on schedule and legally compliant. What if the house doesn’t appraise?
How do you manage that situation? What about inspection repairs? Many home inspection reports are 70 pages long, full of items that need to be discussed and addressed.
The Reality of FSBO Sales
Here’s a stat that’s hard to ignore: According to the National Association of REALTORS®, FSBO homes typically sell for significantly less than homes sold with a real estate agent.
Why? It comes down to exposure, expertise, and negotiation. Without the guidance of a professional, many sellers unknowingly underprice their homes, miss crucial steps, or scare off qualified buyers.
Even with good intentions and strong motivation, selling your house without a realtor becomes a complex journey that many homeowners eventually decide isn’t worth the hassle or risk.
The Advantage of Hiring a Realtor (Like Us)
At The Poltrock Team, we do more than just list your home—we sell it. With over two decades of experience in the Murphy, NC market, we know how to price, market, and negotiate to get you top dollar. Our list-to-sale price ratio is consistently higher than the market average, which means more money in your pocket.
And because we handle every detail from start to finish, you get peace of mind—without the stress, guesswork, or costly mistakes.
Ready to Make Your Move?
If you’re still wondering how to sell your house without a realtor, let’s chat first. Even if you’re considering the FSBO route, we’d love to answer your questions and show you what’s possible with the right team on your side.
Call us today at 828-837-6400 or contact us here to schedule a no-pressure consultation.
And if you’re looking for trusted, local expertise, check out the top-rated Murphy, NC, realtors ready to help you get the most from your sale.