How to Sell a House Without a Realtor in Kentucky

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  Written by Jon Stubbs

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  Edited by Lindsay Stefan

Should I sell without a realtor? | Cost of selling FSBO | How to sell without a realtor | FSBO paperwork | Best alternative: discount realtors | FAQs

Selling your home without a realtor means you won’t have to pay a listing commission, which in Kentucky averages 2.7% of the sale price. Considering a typical Kentucky house is worth about $188,000, that’s a savings of $5,114.

However, trying to sell a home For Sale by Owner (FSBO) can be tough. It will cost you a lot of time and energy.

In the end, selling a house without a real estate agent isn’t worth it for most homeowners in Kentucky. Especially considering there are low commission real estate companies that offer professional assistance for a lower cost. 

If you’re considering FSBO in Kentucky, read on to find out everything you need to know to do it successfully.

Should I sell my house without a realtor?

Selling a house for sale by owner in Kentucky comes with many pros and cons. While it’s not recommended for everyone, FSBO can help experienced home sellers save on commission—but only if they know what they’re doing. 

✅ Selling your home without a realtor might be right for you if…

• You want to save on commission
• You have plenty of time to take on the responsibilities of a real estate agent
• You already have a buyer lined up 
• You’re in a hot seller’s market and you have a desirable home

🚫 Selling without a realtor might not be right for you if…

• You don’t have a lot of free time
• You’ve never sold a home in Kentucky
• You want to sell for market value – or higher

If you’re still not sure, check out our thorough guide to selling FSBO to help you decide. If you’re open to other options, some low-commission real estate companies, like Clever Real Estate, allow you to work with a top local real estate agent at half the typical cost.

Cost of selling a house without a realtor in Kentucky

Below, you’ll find a list of prices for common services you might want to consider if you decide to sell without a realtor. However, know that if your home is in need of repairs or is in a buyer’s market, you might need to spend a lot more to prep and market your property.

💸 Common costs for FSBO sellers

Appraisal	$280 to $345	To price your home more accurately
Photography	$199	To compete with homes listed by agents
Staging	$955	To stand out to local buyers
Real estate attorney	$204 to $359 per hour	To assist with paperwork, contracts, and legal requirements
Flat fee MLS listing	$200 to $500	To get listed on the MLS
Buyer’s agent commission	2.7% of sale price	To compensate the agent that represents the buyer (it’s customary for the seller to pay)

Overall, on average, it costs 7.5% of the home price to sell by owner and about 10% of the home price to sell with a real estate agent. However, the amount you’ll actually save will depend on repairs you need to make, concessions, and other expenses.

Use our calculator to get an idea of how much you can expect to spend if you sell without a realtor.

If you’re considering selling without a realtor in Kentucky, check out our friends at Clever Real Estate. Clever eliminates all the hassles and headaches of FSBO while helping you pay less than you would for a traditional realtor.

In Kentucky, sellers pay an average of 2.7% to a listing agent. Considering the median home value in Kentucky is $188,000, that amounts to $5,114. But with Clever, you can sell with a top local agent for just 1.5%, letting you keep more of your home’s equity in your pocket.

7 steps to sell a home in Kentucky without a realtor

If you want to sell a house by owner in Kentucky, know that it involves many of the same steps as selling with a realtor – but more of the tasks and responsibilities will fall on you. To learn more about the basic steps to sell, read our simple, 12-step guide to selling a house. 

For Kentucky FSBO sellers, here’s what you need to know.

1. Get your home ready to sell

Before you list your home, make it as appealing as possible to potential buyers. Performing small repairs around the house, deep cleaning and decluttering, and painting are all easy, low-cost ways to make your home more sellable.

If your home requires large, expensive repairs—things like a new roof or HVAC system—it might be worth your time to take care of them now. Otherwise, consider them in your sale price so the buyer has room to address them. Big necessary repairs can be dealbreakers for a lot of buyers.

If your home needs too much work to sell to a typical buyer, you might consider selling to a cash buyer. You can quickly compare cash buyer offers against your home’s value on the open market with Clever Offers. Try it for free with no obligation.

Consider refreshing the landscaping to enhance your home’s curb appeal. Local experts suggest using plants that are well-adapted to Kentucky’s climate, like the Dixie wood fern or the Japanese tree lilac.

If you’re not confident about your home’s furniture and interiors, consider professional home staging for an average of $1,529 in Kentucky.

While your home is looking its best, hire a professional real estate photographer for an average of $140, or take the photos yourself.

2. Price your home accurately

Setting the right list price can make or break your sale. 

Set it too high, and buyers will assume you have unrealistic expectations. Price too low, and buyers may assume the home has hidden problems. 

Pricing is one of the main responsibilities of an agent, but you can do it yourself. For the fastest sale, experts recommend setting the list price at or slightly below the home’s value. 

How do you discover the home’s value? We recommend one of these options:

Get a comparative market analysis (CMA)

A comparative market analysis (CMA) looks at recent sales of properties similar to yours, and uses that data to produce an objective price for your home.

Get a CMA:

• From a realtor (who often offers them as a free service)
• From a flat fee MLS company
• Create your own CMA, using publicly available sale data. Just be careful to be objective!

Hire an appraiser 

Professional home appraisers are intimately familiar with the local market and can assess your home’s value with a high degree of accuracy. Bonus: the buyer’s lender will likely order a home appraisal, so having your own pre-listing appraisal done makes it much less likely that your sale will fall through down the line because of a discrepancy between the sale price and the appraised value.

In Kentucky, the average cost of a home appraisal is $300 to $435.

» LEARN: Should I get an appraisal before selling?

3. List and market your home

Start by listing your FSBO home on free FSBO sites, including:

• Craigslist
• Facebook Marketplace
• Zillow and Trulia (in the dedicated FSBO section)
• ForSaleByOwner.com

You can also utilize social media platforms, word of mouth, and a yard sign to bring more attention to your listing. 

Free methods will only get you so far, though. If you want maximum exposure, think about working with a Kentucky flat fee MLS company.

Kentucky flat fee MLS companies

A flat fee MLS company will get your listing on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) for a single flat fee. The MLS is where agents find properties for their clients, and MLS listings are auto-populated onto big real estate sites like Zillow, Redfin, and Realtor.com. Getting your home on the MLS will dramatically increase your visibility, and make your home sale a lot easier. 

Unfortunately, only agents and brokers have access to the MLS, which is where flat fee MLS companies come in. They’re a lot cheaper than paying full commission to a real estate agent, but all they do is get you onto the MLS; everything else, from open houses to closing, is up to you.

In Kentucky, this will cost you about $80 to $1,000. Our top picks for flat fee MLS companies in Kentucky are:

• Steve Long Realty & Auction, LLC: Best for sellers in need of support
• Mink Realty: Best for customizing your services
• Flat Fee Realty: Best for rock bottom pricing

Read our in-depth guide to Kentucky’s flat fee MLS companies to decide which one works best for you.

Required Kentucky seller disclosures 

In Kentucky, sellers are required to make certain disclosures before any offer on your home can be signed. These disclosures include:

• Seller’s Disclosure of Property Condition
• FEMA Flood Risk Disclosure (if applicable)
• Federal Lead-based Paint Disclosure (if applicable)

It’s easiest to fill these out and attach them to your listing. Also, provide completed copies at open houses and showings, and digital copies for interested buyers and buyers agents.

4. Manage showings on your own

Managing and conducting showings of your home can be tough. Not only are showings time-consuming and labor-intensive, but keeping track of all your showings can be challenging.

Set up a tracking system before you start scheduling showings. There are many free tools that help you manage your calendar and record contact information. If you decide to work with a flat fee MLS company, many of them include a scheduling tool called ShowingTime as part of their standard package.

Here are some tips for when it’s time to start hosting showings:

• Book your showings back to back. Not only is this the most efficient way to use your time, it also creates excitement and competition among prospective buyers.. 
• Resist the temptation to be in the house during showings. Buyers will feel awkward or pressured by your presence, and may not feel like they’re able to inspect the house freely. If you have to be in the house during a showing, give the buyer plenty of space.
• Use an electronic lockbox so buyers can access the home themselves. A smart doorbell or inexpensive security camera will allow you to monitor traffic at the house from your phone or laptop.
• Be prepared to answer buyers’ questions at the end of showings. Consider printing up an information sheet on the home that lists all the relevant information.

5. Review and negotiate offers

When offers come in, they’ll be in the form of a sale and purchase contract. Fully and carefully read the entire offer, so you fully understand it before you sign.

A few things to consider when reviewing offers:

• Consider where it’s a cash or financed offer. Many sellers prefer cash offers, since they’re faster, and they won’t fall through due to financing issues.
• Understand any buyer’s contingencies in the purchase agreement. For example, an inspection contingency states that the sale can only close if the home passes inspection; if it doesn’t, the buyer can back out without penalty. The seller can also add contingencies to the purchase agreement. 
• Note the closing date. Make sure it works for your timeline – if not, you can negotiate it. 

If you want to submit a counteroffer, you can do so by simply amending the purchase agreement and sending it back to the buyer. In today’s competitive market, most offers are heavily negotiated; here are some negotiation strategies that’ll help you come out on top. 

In Kentucky, sellers are typically on the hook to hire a real estate attorney to clear the title of the property, handle your mortgage payoff (if you have one), and complete the closing paperwork. But as a FSBO seller, you might want one earlier to review your purchase agreement, too. 

Not to mention, other local laws and regulations can impact the closing of a home sale, and an experienced real estate attorney is the best authority to help.

6. Allow the buyer to conduct due diligence

The due diligence period is the time between when the offer is accepted and when the sale is finally closed.

Various checkpoints can take place during this time depending on what’s specific in your purchase agreement, including:

• Property inspection
• Appraisal
• Mortgage underwriting
• Property title search
• Final walkthrough

Any of these steps can lead to more negotiations. An unmet contingency is also an opportunity for the buyer or seller to back out of the sale. If you want to back out of the sale without a contingency allowing, you should consult with a real estate attorney to learn about your options and potential consequences.

7. Close

The closing date is specified in the purchase agreement. 

Closing is usually facilitated by a third party; in Kentucky, it’s typically coordinated by the attorney, but it can also be done by the broker.

You’ll receive a closing statement shortly before closing day that lists all costs associated with the transaction. Each party can review the closing statement and, if they find mistakes, ask for a correction.

On closing day, all paperwork is signed, and the deed is officially transferred. The buyer gets the house keys, and the seller receives their earnings.

For sale by owner paperwork in Kentucky

Here’s a list of the Kentucky paperwork you’ll need to sell your home without a realtor.

• Kentucky Seller’s Disclosure of Property Form
• Offer, Acceptance, And Real Estate Sale And Purchase Contract 
• Flood Zone Disclosure
• Lead-Based Paint Disclosure

Not finding what you’re looking for? Check out our comprehensive list of paperwork for selling your house without a realtor.

Best alternative: work with a discount broker

For many people, trying to sell without an agent isn’t worth the hassle. If you think you’ll need some help along the way, a discount broker is a good alternative.

Discount brokers are full-service real estate agents who are willing to work for a reduced commission rate. Sellers can save thousands while still receiving assistance from an expert local agent.

» READ: The Best Discount Real Estate Brokers in Kentucky

For discount broker services, we highly recommend our friends at Clever! Clever pre-negotiates with top agents to offer you low commission rates without compromising on service quality.

Related links

If you’d like some more advice about selling your home, here are a few great resources to check out:

How realtor commissions work in Kentucky: Even if you decide to sell your house without an agent, it’s still a good idea to offer commission to the buyer’s agent. Learn how much realtors expect to earn and what you can do to make your listing more appealing to agents and their clients.

Top We Buy Houses Companies in Kentucky REVEALED: If you need to sell your home in a hurry, a We Buy Houses company may purchase your house as-is for a reduced rate. Find out if this option could be the best option for you here!

How Much Does it Cost to Sell a House? True Costs Revealed: Wondering how much you’ll have to pay to sell your house? Check out this article to calculate your repair budget, closing fees, marketing expenses, and more.