Last Updated on March 17, 2024 by Saira Farman
When you are planning to sell your house, the first thing you would do is contact a realtor. The services of a real estate agent will help you sell your house easily. As you would be aware, once the sale is complete you need to pay a commission to the realtor. The commission could be up to 6% of the sale price, which is a big amount.
Did you know you could save this commission amount by selling without a realtor? Yes, it is possible to sell your house without using the services of a realtor. You can do this by directly selling your home by using the services of a website like Houzeo.com.
In this guide, we tell you How to list on MLS.
Selling without a realtor
Here’s an interesting statistic for you. On average, Americans pay $25,722 as commission to realtors when they sell their houses. This is big money that you can save when you sell your home directly without using a realtor. The following are the benefits of selling your home without using the help of a realtor:
- You can save on commission. Not using a listing agent will save you 2.5% to 3% commission. If the buyer also does not have an agent, you can save the entire 6% commission. This represents big savings, and you can use this money for other things.
- You don’t have to depend on an agent to get things done. The entire control over the transaction is with you.
- When you sell using the services of a tech company like Houzeo, you can start the process within 24 hours.
While the benefits of selling without a realtor are significant, there are some drawbacks you should be aware of:
- Without an agent, you will not be able to list the house on MLS.
- A realtor helps you through the process, especially with paperwork. Without a realtor, you need to do it all yourself.
- Some websites have poor customer service. Choosing the wrong website can make you regret not working with a realtor.
How to sell your house without a realtor?
There are different ways in which you can sell your house without the help of a realtor.
1) Using the services of a tech company
Tech companies in the real estate sector are offering various services to home sellers and buyers. One of the leading tech companies in this sector is Houzeo. This tech company had listed properties worth $3.5 billion in 2021. You can use their services to sell your house without using a realtor. This can help you save commission money.
The following explains the working of Houzeo.com:
- Houzeo offers 100% online services making it convenient for sellers to sell their houses. Listing on Houzeo is fast and effective.
- You only need to pay a flat fee for listing on Houzeo. The fee is $349. Paying this fee helps you save thousands on commission to the listing agent.
- Your house listing will be syndicated on MLS and on websites like Redfin, Zillow, Realtor.com, etc. This ensures maximum exposure for your house, increasing the chances of making a sale.
- Houzeo uses technology to its best. You get access to their IntelliList system which allows you to manage your listing online in an easy and convenient way.
- Houzeo is well-reputed and has an excellent customer rating of 4.9/5 from more than 3,000 reviews.
- Managing showings and managing offers from buyers can all be done online. Houzeo has a user-friendly interface that makes it so popular.
- Apart from its website, there is also a mobile app you can install. This makes it easy to manage your listing.
- Houzeo offers nationwide coverage.
- They are known for their excellent customer support. They also have a settlement agent platform that you can use if you need help while closing.
- The combination of savings on money and the use of technology makes Houzeo the best option to consider when you want to sell your house without a realtor.
If you want to learn more about them, read Houzeo Reviews.
2) Use FSBO to sell
FSBO or For Sale by Owner is a feature where house owners can directly list their houses for sale on websites. There are many websites that offer FSBO services for house owners. You can use one of the best fsbo sites to list your house for sale. The following explains all you need to know about FSBO:
- FSBO websites allow you to list your house for sale on their website. They usually don’t charge any fee for it or may charge a nominal fee.
- You must know listing on FSBO will not get your house listed on MLS. Without MLS, the chances of potential sellers seeing your house listing are less.
- The benefit of using FSBO is that you save on commission money.
- You need to do everything on your own, which includes paperwork and closing. This can be daunting, especially for first-time house sellers. Some FSBO sites offer you additional services, but these can be expensive and can be equivalent to paying the commission.
3) Sell for cash
There are many real estate companies that buy houses for cash. These companies buy your house, refurbish it, and then sell it for a profit. Such companies would offer a quick deal enabling you to sell fast and get cash quickly. This is beneficial if you are in need of money.
- You can sell your home quickly. An offer can come within 24-48 hours and closing can happen in a matter of a few days.
- The money you get is lesser than the market value. There may be deductions for home repairs, closing costs, etc.
- It is suitable if you need urgent cash and is willing to sell at a lesser price.
Read more to know about “Companies that buy houses for cash.”
4) Sell to an investor
Another option is to find an investor who wants to buy your house as an investment. This is an ‘as is sale’ meaning the buyer buys the house in its existing condition. This model also ensures you get cash quickly with a quick closing. However, the price you get will be lesser than the market value.
