Sell Your House Without a Realtor in California

The best way to sell your house without a realtor in California depends on your goals, experience, and local market.

One of the following five options may be best for your selling journey — but don't sleep on an alternative that could net you more than selling without a realtor.

Sell for sale by owner (FSBO)

You'll save an average of 2.61% of the sale price by not paying a listing agent commission.[3]

However, you'll have to handle everything in the sale, including pricing, marketing, and negotiating. You won't get any assistance from an agent, transaction coordinator, or real estate attorney.

Your home also won't be exposed to many potential buyers unless you use a flat fee multiple listing service (MLS) company.

This option is best for experienced sellers in California or sellers with a buyer lined up.

Use a California flat fee MLS company

Sellers without a realtor in California who don't have a buyer lined up generally use a California flat fee MLS company to get their listing on the MLS.

The MLS is the first stop for buyers and buyers' agents searching for properties for their clients. Most MLSs syndicate to Realtor.com, Zillow, and other real estate sites.

In addition to getting your listing on the MLS, most flat fee MLS companies offer additional services like pricing and paperwork support.

California flat fee MLS companies charge $95–$2,495, depending on the services you use.

With this option, you'll still have to handle every part of the sales process you don't outsource to the flat fee MLS company.

This option is best for experienced sellers in California who don't need much support beyond getting their property exposure on the MLS.

Hire a transaction coordinator

Sellers hire transaction coordinators to handle a sale's paperwork and other administrative tasks.

Transaction coordinators generally don't help with marketing, pricing, or negotiations, so they're more of an option for sellers without a realtor who are using a flat fee MLS company but want administrative help with their sale.

Some transaction coordinators charge an hourly rate of around $40–$55, while others charge a flat fee ranging from several hundred to several thousand dollars.

This option is best for inexperienced sellers who want assistance with the sales process and paperwork.

Hire a real estate attorney

Real estate attorneys generally perform the tasks of a transaction coordinator and some of the tasks a real estate agent handles.

Although California doesn't require sellers to hire a real estate attorney, consider hiring one to draw up your sales contract and make sure you comply with local laws.

This option is best for inexperienced sellers who want extra assurance they're doing everything right.

Find a cash buyer in California

Cash buyers in California buy homes from sellers for cash, bypassing the steps required in the other options to sell without a realtor. They can make on-the-spot offers and close within 7–14 days.

Online marketplaces like Clever Offers, investors, and iBuyers are your best cash buyer options.

Typically, using a cash buyer is a good option for those who want to sell their home fast or as is. On the downside, you'll likely get only 60%–80% of the home's after-repair value from a cash buyer.[4]

This option is best for sellers who value a speedy sale or have a home that needs major repairs and want to sell as is.

Should I sell my house without a realtor?

Selling without a realtor may be right for sellers who have the following going for them:

• They've previously sold a home in California. You're more likely to avoid financial or legal missteps than a first-time seller.
• They have a lot of time to handle the details of a sale. Houses spend an average of 44 days on the market in the U.S.[5]
• They already have a buyer lined up. About 38% of sellers without a realtor sold to a family or a neighbor, streamlining the selling process.[6] If you fall into this group, check out our tips for selling to a family member.
• They're in a hot seller’s market. In a hot market, you’re more likely to sell for list price or above when selling without a realtor.
• They need to sell fast. You can sell to a California cash home buyer within a few days.

Selling without a realtor may be wrong for sellers with the following goals and experience:

• They want to sell for market value — or higher. Sellers without a realtor got around 13% less than sellers who used an agent. Cash home buyers typically pay 60%–80% of a home's after-repair value.[1][7]
• They don’t have a lot of free time. You’ll have to do almost everything an agent does when selling for sale by owner (FSBO), without the efficiency and knowledge an experienced real estate agent brings to the deal.
• They've never sold a home in California. Again, when you sell without a realtor, you’ll have to learn to do everything an agent in the state can do.
• They want to limit their exposure to legal risks. About 36% of recent sellers not using a realtor say they made legal mistakes because they didn’t use an agent. An agent can guide a seller through the maze of contracts and paperwork.[8]

Overall, selling a home without a realtor is best for experienced sellers who can dedicate lots of time to their home sale. Approximately 53% of buyers said they didn't trust sellers who didn't have an agent, so you'll need to work hard to make a buyer feel comfortable.[2]

💸 If you don't want the pressure and responsibility that comes from selling without a realtor, we recommend working with a top-rated local agent who charges a reduced listing fee.

7 steps to sell a home in California without a realtor

1. Set a competitive price | 2. Prepare your home | 3. List your home | 4. Manage your showings | 5. Review offers | 6. Perform due diligence | 7. Close the sale

1. Set a competitive price

One of the biggest challenges of selling without a realtor is figuring out how to set a listing price for your home. When you sell with a realtor, your agent will perform a comparative market analysis (CMA) by evaluating similar, recently sold properties in your area.

You can get a rough estimate of your home’s value by using a real estate website like Zillow to compare your home to similar recently sold properties in your area.

Doing your own analysis won’t be as accurate as a realtor's CMA. Local real estate professionals can access more data from the MLS than is publicly available, and they have professional knowledge about how your home’s features and market conditions affect your home value.

Get a pre-listing appraisal

A professional pre-listing appraisal offers another way to determine your home’s market value. In California, you can hire an appraiser typically for between $126–$436. Find an appraiser near you through the U.S. government’s Appraisal Subcommittee website.

Use a flat fee MLS plan with pricing support

Some flat fee MLS companies in California offer pricing assistance for an additional charge.

As you figure out your list price, consider if you’ll be subject to capital gains taxes on your sales profit next tax season. It may affect how you choose to price your home.

2. Get your home ready to sell

Fix any minor but obvious issues that might repel buyers, like chipped paint or holes in the drywall. Fixing bigger issues like an outdated kitchen or a worn roof depend mostly on whether the returns will be worth it.

You’ll also have to base your repair decisions around what the market calls for — though, as a seller without a realtor, you might not know the latest styles and standards.

In a regular sale, your real estate agent would provide guidance on the market. As a seller without a realtor, you’ll have to do some research to figure out what to do based on the particulars of your home and market.

When you’re ready to put your home on the market, here’s how to make it attractive to potential buyers:

• Stage your home to help potential buyers imagine themselves living there. Consider a virtual staging if you’ve already moved out or the house is empty.
• Improve your curb appeal to make a good first impression.
• Hire a photographer to make your listing photos stand out. A professional real estate photographer in California costs an average of $189 per session.
• Write a listing description to spotlight your home’s best features and capture details that photos can’t convey.
• Fill out property disclosures to be up-front about issues with your property and help head off potential legal troubles.

Get in-depth tips on how to prep your home in our general guide to selling your house without a realtor.

3. List and market your home

The best place to market your home is on your local multiple listing service (MLS).

The MLS is a digital database of home listings by licensed real estate agents in the region. It’s the first stop for buyer’s agents searching for properties for their clients. Most MLSs also syndicate to Realtor.com, Zillow, and other real estate sites.

List using a flat fee MLS company in California

California flat fee MLS companies are run by brokers who will list your home on the MLS for a relatively small fee of $95–$2,495.

You won’t have much help from a real estate agent (though some flat fee MLS plans offer limited agent support), but they’ll list your home alongside the other properties being sold by agents.

List directly on free platforms

If you're set on a pure for sale by owner sale and don't want to pay to get on the MLS, ForSaleByOwner.com, Zillow, and others are among our picks for the best for sale by owner real estate websites.

You can also promote your home sale for free on social media.

Rules for listing your home

Before listing your home online or anywhere else, read California's rules for advertising real estate. Most of these rules apply to realtors, but it’s best to make sure your actions don’t violate state regulations.

For instance, as in some other states, California allows you to use a yard sign to get the word out if your home is listed on the MLS. Yard signs cost $2–$75. 

4. Manage your showings

Set up private appointments or open houses for potential buyers to visit your home.

Keep track of your appointments and buyers’ contact information with scheduling tools like Google Calendar or apps like ShowingTime, Doodle, and Calendly.

Tips for successful home showings

• Keep your home between 68 and 76 degrees Fahrenheit. Potential buyers should walk into a comfortable environment.
• Let in plenty of natural light. Studies show that natural light improves people’s moods.
• Use a neutral scent. Try subtle candles or air fresheners.
• Let buyers tour the home on their own. Your presence can be a distraction, and potential buyers might not feel comfortable having an honest conversation with their real estate agent. Use a lockbox to provide agents access and plan to be away from the home before they arrive.
• Schedule back-to-back showing appointments. Blocks of appointments fuel the impression your home has multiple interested buyers. You’ll also reduce the number of times you’ll leave your home while buyers tour it.
• Share disclosure forms and property fact sheets. Keep them in a noticeable spot in the home, like on a kitchen counter.
• Promptly respond to buyer questions. Buyers typically see many properties. If you’re not responsive, they may lose interest in your home and focus on other options.

Check our for sale by owner toolkit for more tools to help you through your sale.

5. Review offers and negotiate 

In addition to the offer price, a buyer’s offer will usually include:

• Closing costs information. Look for whether the buyer wants you to cover some or all of their closing costs.
• Closing timeline. The buyer’s proposed closing date will usually be in 30–60 days.
• The buyer’s pre-approval letter. If they don’t have loan pre-approval from a bank, the sale may fall apart. A buyer with a cash offer doesn’t need a pre-approval letter.
• Contingencies. All criteria must be met before finalizing the sale.

Evaluate the offer and choose one of three options to proceed:

• Reject the offer. Send a polite no to the buyer or the buyer’s agent if the offer is far from what you’re looking for. The buyer may come back with a better offer. Think hard about whether to accept an offer. Approximately 46% of sellers without a realtor rejected an offer that ended up being their highest.[2]
• Accept the offer. Say yes if the price and terms are what you were hoping for.
• Make a counteroffer. Almost everything’s up for negotiation in real estate. If you don’t like the offer but it’s in the ballpark, or if you have other offers, consider making a counteroffer. You can counter the price as well as the terms of the deal.

6. Allow the buyer to conduct due diligence

The time between accepting a buyer’s offer and the closing date is the due diligence period, during which the buyer can inspect the property and its history.

A buyer may take one or more of the following steps:

• Home appraisal
• Home inspection
• Mortgage underwriting
• Property title search
• Termite inspection
• Walk-through

If the buyer finds any issues, they may try to reopen negotiations. During the due diligence period, both the buyer and seller have the right to withdraw from the purchase agreement.

We recommend talking to an attorney before walking away from any deal to ensure you follow the law.

7. Close the sale

On closing day, after weeks or months of the sales process, you'll end your home-sale journey. Often, you'll meet at a title or escrow company office to finalize the details. In some cases, you can complete your tasks electronically.

To finalize the sale, you'll have the following responsibilities:

• Make sure you've packed. Confirm you've removed all of your belongings from the home.
• Prove your identity. You may need your driver's license, passport, or other identification.
• Review and sign the closing paperwork. The closing paperwork documents the final terms and closing costs, including proof of any repairs you agreed to make. Sellers without a realtor are typically responsible for drawing up the final sales contract.
• Hand over the house keys. Give them to the buyer’s agent or your attorney, if you're using one.
• Get paid. You’ll receive a statement detailing the proceeds from the sale and how much you can expect to take home after paying off your mortgage balance and closing costs. You should receive your payment via a wire transfer or check on closing day.
• Pay off your mortgage. You can pay your lender from the proceeds if you have a balance on your mortgage.
• Save your home sale documents. Keep the physical and digital documents in a safe place for future reference.

💸 30% of sellers say they had unexpected closing costs, so be diligent as you go through the final stages of your sale to see if you can head off any surprises.[2]

Real estate investor Richard Latimer suggests sellers without a realtor set aside more money than they think they'll need for expenses related to the home sale to cover unforeseen costs.

» MORE: Tips for selling without a realtor

Selling without a realtor vs. selling with a realtor: Who nets more?

You can usually net more selling with a real estate agent than you will selling without a realtor.

On the surface, sellers without a realtor appear to have an advantage. Because they don't have to pay a listing agent, sellers in California save the 2.61% commission.[3]

But homes sold without a realtor go for 13% less than homes sold by an agent.[1] On a home in California with a median value of $775,000, that's a difference of $100,750.[1]

Sellers without a realtor also have to pay a flat fee MLS company $95–$2,495 to list their property on the MLS for agents and their buyers to find.[9]

Use our calculator below to estimate how much selling without a realtor will likely cost you.

Common costs for sellers without a realtor in California

When you sell without a realtor, approximately 7.5% of the final home sale price goes toward closing costs, versus about 10% when selling with a real estate agent.

The prices below cover common services for those selling without a realtor in California.

• Flat fee MLS listing: $95–$2,495
• Home appraisal: $126–$436
• Professional home photography: $189 average
• Real estate attorney: $217–$384 per hour
• Staging: $2,666 average

Seller closing costs in California include:

• Concession to cover buyer’s agent fee: 2–3% of the sale price
• Recording fees: $244 average
• Title insurance: $1,958 average
• Title service fees (search and transfer): $2,471 average
• Transfer tax: $866

Paperwork for selling a house by owner in California

You'll need to fill out or obtain at least 14 documents, including the sales contract, closing statement, and any disclosures required by the federal government, California, and your city or county. If you're using an attorney, they'll likely help supply those and other documents you need to complete your sale.

Check our paperwork for selling without a realtor in California article for a full rundown of documents you'll need and links to free paperwork.

FAQ

Why you can trust us

Real Estate Witch’s mission is to provide accurate, actionable, and practical information you can use to make better decisions on your real estate journey.

We’ve built this article on a foundation of data from multiple reliable sources, including studies and surveys conducted by the Real Estate Witch team, U.S. government databases, the National Association of Realtors, and other independent groups.

We update the article at least every three months to keep up with market events, trends, and other developments that may impact those who want to sell their house without a realtor.

Related articles