When you’re looking to sell a home, one of the best ways to save money at closing is to do all the legwork yourself. Selling your own home can cut out the expensive middlemen, including real estate agents and brokers. This strategy also ensures you have full control over the advertising, negotiations, and purchase and sale agreements.
However, there are plenty of benefits to going with a seasoned REALTOR as well.
While there is more time and effort involved in selling your own home, the Internet can be a viable resource for people intent on getting the job done alone.
You can find informative For Sale By Owner (FSBO), flat fee MLS listing, and other discount brokerage sites that cater to people seeking to sell their own homes. These websites give you access to handy resources and tools that will help maximize your success.
Here are a few of the best FSBO websites to list homes for sale by owner and buy owner-listed properties.
Best FSBO Sites
1. ForSaleByOwner.com
As one of the most popular websites for homeowners wanting to sell their homes without an agent, ForSaleByOwner.com is a vast resource that is both affordable and easy to use.
Sellers and buyers can utilize the free tools found on the site, including comparative market analysis (CMA), which estimates a home’s value and finds comparable properties in nearby neighborhoods. Users also have access to other information about the characteristics of local real estate markets to help evaluate what a home is worth without needing a listing agent and brokerage.
Some of these tools require registration with an email address and password, but access to other features is free to the public externally.
Home Seller Packages – ForSaleByOwner.com
Homeowners interested in listing their house, condominium, land, or other property type for sale through this top FSBO website have two package options:
a. The Independent Package (Free) – A 30-day free listing gives homeowners the ability to create a standard listing on the site for evaluation. Homeowners can also attach an unlimited number of photos with this package, and access to legal forms is available, but they must be paid for when utilized.
b. The Partner Package ($399) – This package is an upgrade to The Independent package that costs $399 as a one-time fee until the home is sold or the listing is cancelled. This includes the services offered in the Independent package, as well as professional photography, a 3D virtual tour of your home, a For Sale By Owner yard sign, and state-specific legal forms. Most importantly, an account advisor is included to help sellers navigate the process as needed.
For Home Buyers – ForSaleByOwner.com
Prospective homebuyers can use For Sale By Owner to search for available properties in the desired area and compare their prices and features without paying a fee. Buyers can contact sellers by sending a message through the platform to request a showing or make an offer.
Notifications can also be sent when new opportunities that match buyer criteria arrive, so long as registration is completed on the home for sale by owner site. Closing assistance and financing are available to buyers, too.
2. FSBO.com
This top For Sale By Owner site has a long history of maintaining a large marketplace of homes that are listed for sale by owner. It can be beneficial for both buyers and sellers in just about any real estate market. Through FSBO.com, sellers have access to a couple of property promotional plans with various features and benefits.
Home Seller Packages – FSBO.com
For homeowners wishing to use the site to list their commercial or residential property for sale, there are two packages available:
a. The FSBO Package ($99.95) – Homeowners can list their property for sale on the FSBO website for up to 6 months. It includes unlimited photos of the home and a video if desired, and will receive a free Redfin.com listing for a flat fee of $99.95.
b. The MLS Package ($399.95) – With this package, homeowners gain enhancements such as MLS and Realtor.com listings for six months, syndication to Zillow, Trulia, and other top buyer sites, as well as a FSBO.com listing. The MLS listing package is a premium upgrade option that costs $399.95 and includes a buyer’s broker commission set up front, ranging from 2-3 percent.
All sellers who utilize the site get access to additional resources and supplies helpful in the home-selling process, including yard signs available for purchase, and expert advice along the way.
For Home Buyers – FSBO.com
Buyers using FSBO.com can search all listed properties and contact sellers without signing up for a subscription or paying a one-time fee, but registration online is required to view foreclosure listings.
3. Houzeo.com
Another top option for homeowners wanting to sell their property without a costly real estate agent or broker is Houzeo.com. This fast-growing FSBO site rivals both FSBO.com and ForSaleByOwner.com platforms through its three listing package offerings: Silver, Gold, and Platinum.
Home Seller Packages – Houzeo.com
For home sellers looking to list their house, condo, vacant land, multifamily, or other type of real estate, there are these three packages to select from:
a. The Silver Package ($199 + 0.5%) – Home sellers receive a basic 6-month MLS listing with up to 24 photos, and listings on Zillow, Trulia, Realtor, Redfin, and other major homebuying marketplaces online. It includes unlimited listing changes, open houses, Houzeo IntelliList and Showings, and a custom yard sign that can be purchased for $49 (or free with a selfie). However, there is an additional 0.5% fee charged by Houzeo at closing.
b. The Gold Package ($249 + 1%) – This package includes everything in the Silver plan plus additional features like extra photos, licensed broker assistance, contract-to-close consulting, Houzeo Offers, mobile app, seller disclosures, and more. Sellers have their property listed on several different real estate websites and can make unlimited open house and listing changes for no additional cost. The Gold price package is $249, plus a 1% fee at closing.
c. The Platinum package ($299 + 1.25%) – A full-service virtual home selling package that includes everything from the other plans, plus access to a licensed real estate broker, a 12-month listing, personal concierge services, call forwarding, a rush service, coming soon listing, and additional MLS exposure. The Platinum package costs a flat fee of $299 for posting the listing, then an additional 1.25% when your home sale closes.
All users receive access to the Houzeo blog, informational FSBO videos, and a complete seller’s guide to help navigate the home-selling process.
For Home Buyers – Houzeo.com
First-time and experienced home buyers can browse the home for sale by owner listings for free and submit an offer to purchase by messaging the seller through the website or via their email address. Seller phone numbers are publicly available to call, too.
Top FSBO Websites That Are Completely Free
If you’re looking for the absolute basics when marketing homes for sale, don’t forget other convenient websites for real estate listings, such as Zillow, Craigslist, and Facebook Marketplace. You won’t get much assistance, but they each attract a significant amount of internet traffic, with individuals, partners, and businesses researching properties to buy.
Regardless of how you sell your home, either with an experienced REALTOR or self-sell, we recommend listing your property for sale with these three free sites, too. Taking advantage of their free listings will give you tremendous exposure. However, there may be premium features worth considering, too.
Final Thoughts on Using Homes For Sale By Owner Sites
To successfully sell your own home without the expensive real estate agent and broker fees, you will need to have the right information and support at your fingertips.
A quality home for sale by owner website will provide you with an inexpensive option with great do-it-yourself tools. Helpful websites such as ForSaleByOwner.com, FSBO.com, and Houzeo.com are cheap when compared to full-service real estate brokerages. They can be crucial in helping you understand the housing market and get the best price for your home when going at it alone.
Just be sure to read the pricing fine print because you may still need to pay a buyer’s agent commission at closing if you also want to attract buyers working with agents and brokers via the MLS. Even so, you can still save a considerable amount of money by not paying the typical listing agent commission of 2.5-4% of the final sales price.
However, trusted real estate agents can bring a significant amount of experience and expertise to the table that could save you money in the end. If you’re not ready to invest a significant amount of time to prepare your home and listing properly, analyze the market, and negotiate with buyers, then you could end up costing yourself more cash selling by owner.