What it really costs to sell a house by owner
The cost to sell a house by owner is lower than a listed sale in one specific way, and the same in most others. You skip the listing side of the commission. You do not skip title work, closing fees, transfer taxes, repairs, your mortgage payoff or the question of whether to pay the buyer's agent. This page goes through each cost line by line, so you can estimate your own number before you set a price. We do not quote figures here, because they depend on your price, your county and your contract. The seller closing costs calculator turns your numbers into an estimate.
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The cost to sell a house by owner, in one list
Before the detail, here is the full list of costs an owner can expect. Not every sale has every item, but most have most of them.
Closing costs: title search and title insurance, settlement or closing fees, recording fees and any courier or lien search charges.
Taxes: transfer tax on the deed, which in Florida is the documentary stamp tax, plus your share of the current year's property tax.
Agent pay: possibly a contribution to the buyer's agent, if you agree to one. Marketing: photos, signs, website listings and any flat fee MLS entry.
Professional help: an attorney review of the contract, if you use one. Sale terms: repairs, credits or price changes after the inspection.
And at closing: your mortgage payoff, any liens or judgments, association estoppel fees and other balances that must be cleared.
Read next: the full guide to seller costs
The costs that do not go away when you skip the listing agent
Many owners assume the commission is the whole cost to sell a house by owner. In fact it is the only cost that selling by owner removes.
Title work still has to happen, because the buyer and their lender need clear title. Someone still has to close the sale, record the deed and pay off your mortgage.
Transfer taxes are set by the state or county, not by whether you used an agent. Property tax prorations happen in every sale.
Inspection requests still arrive. Buyers inspect owner sales just as closely as listed ones, and sometimes more closely.
And if the buyer has an agent, the question of who pays that agent arrives at your door rather than being settled inside a listing agreement.
So the useful comparison is not commission versus nothing. It is the listing fee you save against everything else you will still pay, plus any difference in sale price.
Read next: seller closing costs, line by line
FSBO closing costs: title insurance and closing fees in Florida
Closing costs make up a large share of the cost to sell a house by owner, and they look much like those on a listed sale.
The title company or attorney charges for the title search, the settlement service and any document preparation. They also collect recording fees and pay for lien searches, such as municipal lien searches for open permits or code violations.
Title insurance is the larger item. In Florida, who pays for the owner's title policy depends on county custom. In Miami-Dade and Broward the buyer often pays, while in Palm Beach and much of the rest of Florida the seller usually does.
Because that is custom rather than law, it can be negotiated in the contract. Whoever pays for the owner's policy often chooses the title company.
Ask two or three title companies for an estimate of seller charges before you accept an offer. Make sure each estimate covers the same items.
Read next: who pays for title insurance by county · using a title company on an owner sale
Documentary stamp tax on the deed
Florida charges documentary stamp tax when a deed is recorded. It is calculated on the sale price, and the seller usually pays it.
Miami-Dade County runs its own schedule, which differs depending on the property type. Ask your closing agent which applies to your sale.
Other states have their own transfer taxes, or none at all. Some add county or city taxes on top. If your property is outside Florida, ask a local title company what applies.
Because the tax is based on price, it rises with the sale price. It is one of the larger fixed costs in a Florida sale, so put it in your estimate from the start.
Who pays can technically be negotiated, but most Florida contracts follow the custom that the seller pays deed stamps.
Read next: how Florida deed stamps are calculated
Buyer agent commission: offer it or not?
This is the biggest open question for most owners, and the 2024 NAR settlement changed how it comes up.
Buyer-agent pay is no longer offered through the MLS. Buyers sign a written agreement with their own agent that says how the agent is paid. Many buyers then ask the seller to cover some or all of it as part of the offer.
You do not have to agree. You can say no, offer a set amount, or treat it as a credit the buyer can use toward their costs.
There is a trade-off. Declining may narrow your buyer pool, since many buyers have limited cash after the down payment and closing costs. Agreeing raises your cost of sale.
Commissions are negotiable, and there is no standard rate set by law. Decide your position before the first offer arrives, so you can answer calmly.
Read next: how buyer agent pay works now
Marketing costs: photos, signs and MLS
Marketing is the part of the cost to sell a house by owner you control most, and spending a little here often pays back.
Professional photos are usually worth paying for. They decide whether buyers book a visit. A floor plan and a short video can help too.
A yard sign and directional signs are cheap. Check your association and city rules first, since some limit signs.
By-owner websites range from free listings to paid packages. Some paid packages include an MLS entry through a partner broker. Check current pricing on each site, because packages change often.
A flat fee MLS entry costs a set amount rather than a percentage. It puts your home in front of agents and the portals the MLS feeds, while you keep the rest of the work.
Read next: flat fee MLS listings explained
By-owner website fees, including forsalebyowner.com
Owners often search for forsalebyowner.com fees, Zillow costs or the price of other by-owner sites. The models differ more than the names suggest.
Some sites offer a free basic listing. Others sell tiered packages that add photos, signs, featured placement or an MLS entry through a partner broker.
Some flat-fee brokers charge a set fee up front, and some add a fee at closing. Read what each package includes and whether any part is due when the house sells.
We do not quote competitor prices here because they change. Check each site's current pricing page on the day you compare, and note the date.
When you compare, ask one question: does this get my home onto the MLS? Exposure to agent-represented buyers matters more than the site's own traffic.
Read next: comparing the by-owner listing sites
Attorney fees and other professional help
Even if you handle the whole sale yourself, paying for help on one or two parts adds a little to the cost to sell a house by owner and often saves much more.
An attorney review of the contract is the most common. Real estate attorneys usually charge a set fee or an hourly rate for a review, and it is far less than most listing fees. Ask for the fee before you send the contract.
In some states an attorney is expected at closing, so that cost is part of the sale whether or not you list with an agent.
Other optional help includes a pre-listing inspection, a survey if you do not have a current one, and a professional valuation.
This is not legal or tax advice. A real estate attorney or tax professional answers the specific questions about your sale.
Read next: help you can buy one piece at a time
Repairs and credits: the cost to sell a house by owner after inspection
After the inspection, many buyers ask for something. It is often the cost owners forget to budget.
Requests come as repairs before closing, a credit at closing or a lower price. Each has a different effect on your net, your timeline and the buyer's loan.
In Florida, insurance drives many of these requests. Roof age, wind protection, the electrical panel and plumbing type can affect whether a buyer can insure the house, so these items tend to get negotiated hardest.
Buyers may also ask for help with their own closing costs. Lenders limit how much a seller can contribute, so check with the buyer's lender before agreeing a number.
Set aside a reserve in your estimate for this stage. You may not use it all, but it keeps a surprise from changing your plans.
Mortgage payoff, prorations and liens
These are not fees for selling, but they come out of your proceeds and decide what you take home.
Your mortgage payoff includes the principal balance plus interest to the payoff date and any lender fees. The closing agent orders the exact figure from your lender.
Property taxes are prorated. Florida bills property tax in arrears, so at closing the seller is debited for the part of the current year they owned the home.
Liens, judgments and unpaid code fines must be cleared before clear title can pass. The title search finds them. Open permits can also need closing out.
If the home is in an association, the estoppel certificate shows what is owed, and the estoppel itself carries a fee. Any unpaid dues or assessments are paid at closing.
Read next: how estoppel certificates work
The hidden cost to sell a house by owner: time and price
Some costs never appear on the settlement statement.
Carrying costs come first. Every month the house is on the market, you pay the mortgage, taxes, insurance, utilities and upkeep. A slower sale costs more in this way.
Your time is a cost too. Showings, calls, paperwork and negotiation take hours, often at short notice.
The biggest hidden cost is price. If the home is priced wrong or reaches fewer buyers, the sale price can fall by more than the fee you saved. In NAR's Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, owner sales have tended to sell for less than agent-assisted sales, though the homes themselves often differ.
None of this means owner sales cannot work. It means the price you get matters more than any single fee, so price from sold comps and reach as many buyers as you can.
FSBO vs flat fee vs full-service: net proceeds compared
The honest way to compare the cost to sell a house by owner with other routes is net proceeds, meaning what you keep after every cost, at a realistic sale price for each route.
Pure FSBO has the lowest fees. You still pay closing costs, taxes, marketing and possibly the buyer's agent. The risk is a lower price or a slower sale if exposure is thin.
Flat fee MLS adds a set fee for the MLS entry. You get agent and portal exposure while doing the rest yourself, which often narrows the price gap with a listed sale.
A reduced-fee or full-service listing costs more in fees but includes pricing, marketing, negotiation and coordination. For some homes and sellers that is worth the cost, and for others it is not.
Run all three on your own numbers. Use the same sale price, or a price you think each route can reach, and include every cost on this page.
Read next: listing fee models side by side · a reduced-fee full listing · working out your net proceeds
Estimate the cost to sell a house by owner with the calculator
The fastest way to a real number is to plug your own figures into a calculator.
Enter your expected sale price, mortgage balance and county. Then add any buyer-agent contribution, credits and marketing costs you plan for.
The seller closing costs calculator estimates the Florida items, including deed stamps and title costs by county custom. Treat it as an estimate. Your closing agent gives the final figures.
Run it more than once. Try a lower price, a higher credit or a different buyer-agent position, and see how each changes your net.
If you want a better sale price figure to start from, a free valuation built on sold comps gives you one. Use it whether or not you decide to sell by owner.
Read next: estimate your closing costs · back to the by-owner selling guide
Keep control and still get on the MLS
A flat fee MLS listing puts your home where buyer agents search while you keep running the sale. Add only the help you want: pricing, contract coordination or negotiation.
These pages explain how selling by owner works, with Florida specifics where they matter. They are not legal, tax or financial advice. For a contract, a title issue or an estate, speak to a Florida real estate attorney; for tax, speak to an accountant. We are glad to introduce you to either, and a home valuation costs nothing in the meantime.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How much does it cost to sell a house by owner?
- It depends on your price, county and contract terms. You still pay title and closing fees, transfer tax on the deed, your share of property taxes, marketing, any repairs or credits, and possibly part of the buyer's agent pay. You save the listing side of the commission. The seller closing costs calculator gives an estimate for your figures.
- What are FSBO closing costs?
- Usually title search and title insurance where the seller pays by custom, settlement fees, recording fees, lien searches, documentary stamp tax in Florida, property tax prorations, association estoppel fees and your mortgage payoff. These are much the same as in a listed sale. The only cost that disappears is the listing fee.
- Who pays closing costs in a for sale by owner sale?
- Both sides pay some. The contract and local custom decide who pays what. In Florida the seller usually pays the deed stamps, and who pays the owner's title policy depends on the county. Buyers usually pay their own loan costs. Any of these can be negotiated in the contract.
- Do I have to pay the buyer's agent if I sell by owner?
- No. Since the 2024 NAR settlement, buyer-agent pay is agreed between the buyer and their agent, and it is no longer offered through the MLS. Many buyers will ask you to contribute. You can agree, offer a set amount or decline, though declining may narrow your buyer pool.
- What are forsalebyowner.com fees?
- By-owner sites, including ForSaleByOwner.com, generally offer free or tiered paid packages, and some include an MLS entry through a partner broker. Prices and packages change, so check the site's current pricing page on the day you compare. Look closely at whether any fee is due at closing.
- Is flat fee MLS worth the cost for an owner?
- Often, yes. A flat fee MLS entry puts your home in front of agent-represented buyers and the portals the MLS feeds, for a set fee rather than a percentage. If more exposure helps you get a better price or a faster sale, the fee can pay for itself. Compare it on net proceeds.
- Are closing costs tax deductible when I sell?
- Some selling costs can reduce the gain on a sale for tax purposes, and many homeowners also qualify for an exclusion on the gain from selling a main home. The rules depend on your situation. A tax professional answers this for your case, and this page is not tax advice.
- What is the cheapest way to sell a house?
- In fees, a pure owner sale to a buyer without an agent is usually cheapest. In net proceeds, the cheapest route is the one that leaves you the most after all costs at the price it can achieve. That might be FSBO, flat fee MLS or a listing, depending on the house and the market.
More FSBO Guides
The best for sale by owner websites, compared
Zillow, ForSaleByOwner.com, ByOwner, FSBO.com and flat fee MLS compared by what each one actually reaches.
FSBO services: pick only the help you need
A free CMA, flat fee MLS entry, contract and closing referrals, showing help, or a full listing. Use only what you need.
How to sell a house by owner, step by step
The nine steps of an owner sale, from pricing on sold comps to closing with a title company or attorney.
Work out your numbers
What is my home worth?
A valuation built from closed sales in your own community, with the comparables named.
Estimate your net proceeds
Work the commission, documentary stamps and closing costs against your own number.
Current market reports
Prices, days on market and inventory for the counties we cover, updated monthly.
How we list a home
What we do between the listing agreement and the closing table, phase by phase.
Talk It Through
Selling it yourself? Start with the right number
Plenty of owners sell successfully on their own. Onias Derilus is a licensed Florida broker, and a pricing conversation costs nothing whether you list with anyone or not.