For Sale by Owner (FSBO) vs. Real Estate Agent

January 30, 2023 by Blaz Korosec

Are you gearing up to sell your Texas property? If so, then you’re likely trying to figure out the best way to go about it. You may have heard about “FSBO homes,” which are For Sale By Owner real estate listings. You may have also heard about people who have successfully sold their homes using real estate agents.

Which method is best suited for you? If you’re not sure, then learn more about each option below.

Using a Real Estate Agent

One of the most common ways Texans choose to sell their homes is through a real estate agent. First, you connect with an agent. Then, they’ll take a look at your property, help you value it, have it inspected, and help you get your property on the market. When buyers start to reach out, your agent will answer questions, negotiate a fair price, and help you seal the deal.

All these perks do come at a cost – namely a percentage of your overall final sale price. In most cases, these fees range from about 3% to upwards of 10%.

FSBO Homes: How to DIY

To save some money, you might be considering listing real estate for sale by owner instead. To successfully sell FSBO homes, you will have to do a lot of the heavy lifting yourself. That means you will list your own property, value it yourself, talk to buyers, negotiate, and close on the home. This process is fairly complicated, especially if it’s your first time selling a home.

FSBO Homes VS Working with an Agent: Are there Alternatives?

Clearly, there’s a huge difference between FSBO homes and homes that get sold with the help of a real estate agent. When you attempt to do everything yourself, you can potentially save money, but you’ll inevitably have to put a lot more effort into the sale. On the other hand, if you use an agent, you could boost your home’s sale price and have an easier path towards making the sale.

What you may not know, though, is that there are plenty of options that rest in between these two. You could opt to work with a company like investorade, where you can sell your home as-is for cash or have investors bid on it. You can learn more about our options for sellers on our site, or you could contact one of our agents to find out more.