Selling Your House Without A Realtor
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Selling Your House Without A Realtor
Are you wondering how to sell a house without a realtor in Texas? Selling your home without a realtor may be a viable option if you’re trying to save money on real estate agent commissions.
If you plan on selling your house on your own, you must understand the level of commitment needed to successfully sell the house, in addition to several pros and cons. If you are ready to sell your home on your own, this article was curated just for you. In this brief for sale by owner guide, we will cover how to sell your house without a real estate agent and who you can contact to sell your home in as little as two weeks.
How to Sell a House Without a Realtor in Texas
If you want to sell your house without a realtor, there are a few steps you will need to take. The first step is to determine the price of your home.
Research Your Home Value
It is very important to find out how much your house is worth in its current state. It is standard for houses sold by owners to either sell quickly because the house is below market value or to sit on the market for a long time because of a too-high asking price.
Some real estate websites have automated valuations that you can use to estimate your property. Although the tool is helpful, it can be inaccurate. To find out the value of your property, it would be best to have it appraised or to get an actual cash offer from a real, local buyer.
Prep Your Home
If you want potential buyers to have a good impression of your home, you will want to prepare your house and make it show-ready. Decluttering your home by donating things you no longer use or putting them away in storage is a great place to start.
It is also best to remove any personal items to give your home a more modern look. This allows potential buyers to see themselves in your space. If there are any unfinished repairs or projects, be sure to complete them before you show the house.
Hire a Photographer
Have you ever looked for a property online and immediately clicked away because the photos did not put the house in the best light? That is how your potential buyers will feel if you post pictures online that make your home look drabby or unattractive. A quick google search of “professional real estate photographers” should pull up a laundry list of potential photographers near you.
List Your Home
There are several different ways to list your home for sale. You can list it on social media, Craigslist, or other free platforms. Keep in mind that some online platforms may charge you a fee to list your home.
If you wish to list your home on real estate websites, you may not be able to unless you have access to the MLS. All real estate agents have access to this database to list homes, and the average person does not.
There is no need to fret, though; there is still a way for you to list the property on MLS. Some brokerages offer an MLS-only listing package that you can purchase for an hourly or fixed fee. .
Enlist Help When Needed
Selling your home without an agent does not mean that you have to handle the entire process on your own. If you would like, you can reach out to a brokerage to help you host tours, negotiate a deal, take offers, or prepare a contract.
Of course, they will do that for you for a flat-rate fee. This type of package could cost significantly less than what you would pay for a real estate agent’s commission.
Answer Inquiries and Negotiate
Be aware that since you’re selling the home on your own without a real estate agent, potential buyers may offer you low offers, or they may ask for repairs. It is up to you to either take those deals or complete those repairs.
You can even get creative and offer a credit against the list price to avoid repairing anything. Whatever you decide to do, be sure to respond to your offers in a timely manner. Most home buyers like to hear back within 48 hours after submitting their offer.
Handle Paperwork and Close
The paperwork involved with selling your home without a real estate agent may seem intimidating, especially if this is your first time. Each state has its own rules for real estate transactions, so ensure that you understand the laws before closing the sale. There can be extra steps necessary if you have a unique circumstance like selling a house that is part of a bankruptcy for example.
There may be specific tax implications you must be aware of or other requirements that you must meet. If you are unsure, you can enlist the help of a real estate attorney to look over your paperwork.
Pros and Cons of Selling a House Without a Realtor
One of the most significant advantages of selling a house without a realtor is the amount of money you could save. The average real estate agent makes a 6% commission on each home sale. To put that into perspective, if you sell your home for $300,000, the real estate agent receives $18,000 of that $300,000 in commission.
If you want to save more money, you can go about selling the home on your own. If you want to work with a real estate agent, but you don’t want to pay their commission, you can negotiate with them to see if they will reduce their rate.
More Control Over the Process
When selling the house on your own, you won’t have to worry about a real estate agent’s opinion. You can dictate as much time as you need to sell your home, and you can set your own terms and conditions no matter what your specific situation or reason for selling.
Faster House Sale
If you already have a homebuyer in mind, you can close on the sale quickly so long as financing goes through. Per the National Association of REALTORS, 77% of homes sold by owners sold in about two weeks. There is such a high percentage because most people already know who they want to sell their house to.
Cons of Selling a House Without a Realtor
Although you won’t have to pay for your real estate agent’s commission, you still have to pay for the buyer’s real estate agent if they have one. A large percent of homebuyers usually have a real estate agent because buying a house is a considerable investment.
Under or Overselling
Pricing property can be a challenging feat if you don’t have experience with the market, and you may be unsure of what would be a fair market value for your house. If you overprice the house, your home will sit on the market for some time which can cost you time and money. If you underprice, you leave a lot of money on the table.
Inexperience With Negotiating
Once you receive an offer from a potential buyer, you must negotiate the terms and price to ensure that both parties walk away happy. Most buyers use some form of financing to purchase their homes. You may find yourself lost if you don’t understand the appraisal, inspection, or financing process.
Paperwork for Selling a House Without a Realtor
The paperwork portion of selling a house is probably the most challenging part of selling your home independently. In general, most real estate transactions use the forms listed below.
Original Sale Contract
You don’t need to have this document on hand to sell your home, but many buyers and their real estate agents ask for this paper when looking at your house. This contract is the agreement you made with the previous owner of your home, and it outlines the purchase.
What is included in the original sale contract:
- How much the house initially sold for
- Who was the previous owner
- When did you buy the house
- Disclosure about the property
You and your new buyer can sign a new contract without the need for this document. The new buyer will also conduct their own inspections and get title insurance to ensure no problems with the sale.
Mortgage Statement
If you plan to sell your home before paying off your current mortgage, you will need to obtain a mortgage statement from your lender, also known as a payoff letter. The payoff letter should state how much you owe, including any interest owed. With this information, you should be able to estimate your home sale proceeds.
Homeowner Insurance Records
When you provide a potential buyer with proof of your homeowners’ insurance, including any claim information, you will give them a rough idea of how much they will need to pay when they move in.
This is not necessary, but there are certain things you will need to disclose. Keep in mind that some mortgage lenders require a copy of your homeowners’ insurance and previous claims before approving the loan for your buyer.
HOA Documents
If your home is part of a homeowners association, also known as an HOA, you should let your buyer know. There are certain HOA documents that your buyer’s mortgage lender may request before purchasing your home.
Governing HOA documents you need to show:
- Articles of incorporation
- Rules and regulations
- Bylaws
- Minutes from association meetings
- Declaration of covenants, restrictions, and conditions
- Homeowners dues statement
At the end of the day, it is up to your buyer and their mortgage lender to search and discover the covenants of your HOA. If you want the process to go a lot smoother, it would be best to provide your buyer and their lender with a copy of these documents.
Home Maintenance and Repair Costs
Home maintenance and repair costs show all the work done to your home while you owned it. While these documents are not legally required, these records help your new homeowner focus on any repairs that need immediate attention.
Capital Improvement Receipts
Capital improvements are upgrades that prolong and add value to your home, such as bathroom remodels or adding a pool. You can use these types of projects to help mitigate the capital gains tax you owe when you sell your house.
Figuring in capital improvements for your taxes will be much easier if you keep a record of any significant improvements made on your home. If you do any basic upkeep projects, such as any maintenance or repairs, you can’t use that to diminish your capital gain tax liability.
Only improvements that increase your home’s value apply. If you need help reporting your capital gains tax after the sale, reach out to a reputable tax advisor for more information.
Do I Need a Real Estate Agent?
In general, you don’t need to have a real estate agent represent you when selling your house. You will have to take many steps on your own to get the deal done, but it does not require a real estate agent. If anything, having an agent on your side may make the process easier, but at the end of the day, the choice is up to you.
How to Sell a House Faster
If you want to sell your house faster, you can reach out to companies that buy houses for cash. There are many different companies that offer to purchase your home for cash, but there are a few things you should be aware of about how to sell without a realtor before you sign any contracts.
What Are Cash Buyer Companies?
Cash buyer companies buy homes directly from sellers for cash. These companies have significant financial backings that allow them to make all-cash offers. They purchase houses quickly and can close on the sale within one to two weeks.
Review Companies
When looking for a company to sell your house to, you may encounter several different private companies or iBuyers who can offer you cash. Before you even request an offer from them, be sure to take a look at their reviews from third-party companies to see what other customers did or did not like about working with them. It also helps to check out the Better Business Bureau to see what complaints they have, if any.
Advantages of Selling Your Home for Cash
Selling your home to a cash buying company is very convenient. You won’t have to prepare your home for sale or make it available to show to potential buyers. Instead, all you have to do is request an offer, accept the offer, and close on the sale.
Timing
When you sell your home the traditional way, your house may sit on the market for weeks or months before someone puts in an offer. Even if they put in the offer within a few weeks of listing the property using financing from a bank, you have to wait for the deal to go through before you see any money. When you sell your house to a cash buyer, you can close on the deal within a week or two.
Predictability
You know precisely how and when things will happen with a cash buying company. This is because you have the option to choose your closing date, and you won’t have to worry about mortgage financing falling through.
This is very helpful, especially if you plan on moving out of state after selling your home. When you partner with a cash buyer company, you know exactly when you need to hire movers.
Disadvantages of Cash Buying Companies
Of course, although there are many advantages of working with a cash buyer, there are a few cons you should keep in mind. A disadvantage that many people run into is the qualification process.
Qualifying for an Offer
Qualifying for an offer depends on the company that you work with. For example, if you work with Capstone Homebuyers, they will take your home regardless of its condition.
That may not be the same for other types of companies. Some of them may not want to purchase your home if there are too many repairs or if the house is in bad shape.
Best Website to Sell a House
One of the best websites to sell a house is sellmysahousefast.com. They have an A+ Better Business Bureau rating, and they buy houses in any condition. In addition to that, they also do not have any commission fees.
Process of Selling Your House for Cash
The process of selling your house for cash is pretty straightforward. In general, there are only a few steps you have to take before closing on the sale.
Request an Offer
Once you find a company that you want to work with, you will have to request an offer from them. You will input information about your house along with your personal information so someone can reach out to you.
In-Person Inspection
Shortly after you input your information, the cash buyer company should reach out to you for an in-person inspection. The point of the assessment is to see the property and answer any questions you have about the process.
Review and Accept Your Offer
After the inspection, you will receive a free, all-cash, no-obligation offer. Depending on the company you partner with, you may have between five to seven days to accept the offer. Companies like Capstone Homebuyers work with your schedule and provide you with as much time as you need. At this stage, you have the opportunity to reach out to other cash buyers and compare quotes.
Choose Your Closing Date
If you agree with the offer, you can then pick your closing date. You will close at a local title company and pick up your cash. Shortly after that, you can move out of the property and on to your next adventure.
How Capstone Homebuyers Determines the Offer
Once you request an offer from Capstone, they will send out a representative to take a look at the property. While at your home, they will make a note of any repairs that they will need to take care of.
The cash offer they provide you is based on your house’s “after repair value.” They will create an estimate of how much it will cost to repair the home and deduct those expenses before making your offer.
Do I Have to Do the Repairs?
When working with Capstone Homebuyers, you won’t have to repair or clean up the house before the sale. Instead, they will handle the repairs after closing.
What Happens at Closing?
When it comes time to close, you will review the final numbers a day or two before your closing date. Capstone Homebuyers will ensure the title company provides those numbers to you before closing. You can then look over the paperwork and make any corrections if needed.
Attend the Closing
You have the option to either go to the title company’s location, or you can arrange to have them meet you at your property. While you’re with the title company, a representative from Capstone Homebuyers will be there with you to ensure the process goes as planned.
Sign the Paperwork
If everything looks good to you, all you have to do is sign the paperwork and collect your money. You can either have the funds wired to your bank, or you can opt for a check; the choice is yours.
Sell Your House for Cash Without A Realtor
Selling your house the traditional way can cost you a lot of money. It can also take a long time to sell if your home needs repairs. When you sell your house to a cash buyer company like Capstone Homebuyers, you can cut the entire process in half.
No more cleaning, staging, showing, and realtor fees. Contact us now if you are ready for your free all-cash no-obligation offer! Our team is here to walk you through the process and answer any questions you have!