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FSBO Statistics: Will You Save Money Selling By Owner?
HomeLight
Real Estate
1 week ago
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In today’s market, home sellers are looking for ways to keep as much of their sale proceeds as possible. Some sellers choose to take the “For Sale By Owner” (FSBO) route to avoid paying Realtor fees. But will you save money selling by owner? What do the latest FSBO statistics tell us?

In this post, we provide key FSBO statistics to help you decide if selling by owner is the right path for you. We’ve also researched the numbers to show you estimated FSBO statistics in each state.

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FSBO statistics home sellers should know

This first set of FSBO statistics comes from an annual report by the National Association of Realtors (NAR) based on last year’s sales transaction data. We’ve broken it into four categories to give you a better understanding of what you might expect if you decide to be your own real estate agent.

FSBO sales overview:

  • Only 6% of 2024 home sales were FSBO transactions (a historical low)
  • 90% of home sellers sold with the assistance of a real estate agent
  • 10% of FSBO sellers eventually hired an agent due to stress or complexity

Reasons why sellers choose FSBO:

  • 30% of FSBO sellers wanted to avoid paying agent commissions
  • 38% of FSBO sellers sold to a family member, friend, or neighbor

Top 3 most difficult steps for FSBO sellers:

  • Getting the listing price right (17%)
  • Selling within the length of time they planned (13%)
  • Understanding and performing all the paperwork (10%)

FSBO sales proceeds:

  • FSBO homes typically sell for less than other homes
  • FSBO homes sold at a median of $380,000 in 2023
  • Agent-assisted homes sold at a median of $435,000
  • 75% of FSBO sellers still paid a buyer’s agent commission (2.5%-3%)

Will you save money selling by owner?

On the surface, selling your home without an agent might seem like an easy way to save money. After all, you could avoid paying a typical 2.5%–3% listing agent commission. However, the FSBO statistics we shared above tell a different story.

According to the latest report from NAR, FSBO homes sell for a median of $380,000. In contrast, agent-assisted homes sell for a median of $435,000 — a $55,000 difference. Even if a FSBO seller saves 2.5%–3% by not paying a listing agent, the lower sales price often outweighs that savings.

Here’s a simple example:

  • FSBO sale: You sell your home for $380,000. Subtract 2% in closing costs (about $7,600), and your proceeds would be about $372,400.
  • Agent-assisted sale: You sell your home for $435,000. Subtract a 3% listing agent commission (about $13,050) and 2% in closing costs (about $8,700). Your proceeds would be about $413,250.

In this example, even after factoring in closing costs and agent commission, you would walk away with about $40,850 more by using an agent.

In addition, if you used an agent, you could save time and effort, which can often be counted as financial savings if it meant not having to take time off from work or spend money on your own marketing materials and professional photography.


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