How to Sell a House Without a Realtor in Nebraska

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  Written by Lindsay Stefan

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  Edited by Jon Stubbs

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 Nebraska averages 3.0% of the sale price. Considering a typical Nebraska house is worth about $234,000, that’s a savings of $6,926.

However, trying to sell a home For Sale by Owner (FSBO) isn’t entirely free. 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 Nebraska. Especially considering there are low commission real estate companies that offer professional assistance for a lower cost. 

If you’re considering FSBO in Nebraska, 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 Nebraska 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 Nebraska
• 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 Nebraska

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	$315 to $420	To price your home more accurately
Photography	$156	To compete with homes listed by agents
Staging	$1,529	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	$100 to $1,000	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 Nebraska, 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 Nebraska, sellers pay an average of 3.0% to a listing agent. Considering the median home value in Nebraska is $234,000, that amounts to $6,926. 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 Nebraska without a realtor

Selling a home without a realtor involves many of the same steps as selling with one, except you’re on your own. To learn more about the basic steps to sell, read our simple, 12-step guide to selling a house. 

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

1. Get your home ready to sell

As a FSBO seller, you won’t have an agent by your side to point out the things in your home that might be dealbreakers for buyers. You’ll need to look at your home with new, objective eyes. Better yet, ask a trusted friend to walk through your home and point out any issues that might give buyers pause.

Inexpensive updates like new paint, patched holes or dents in drywall, and landscaping can go a long way. Decluttering your home is also helpful. With fewer personal belongings, your home will appear more spacious, making it easier for the buyer to imagine themselves and their things in it. 

You might also consider hiring a professional stager. While prices vary by location, the average in Nebraska is $1,529.

📸While your home is clean, take high-quality photos of your home. 

If you don’t have a decent camera (or an eye for flattering angles), consider hiring a professional photographer. In Nebraska, you can expect to pay around $156 for a session with a professional photographer. 

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.

2. Price your home accurately

Even when working with a real estate agent, 20% of Americans say that pricing their house correctly is the most difficult part of selling. Without a realtor, pricing your home accurately may be even harder. Your home’s sale price can make or break your sale; you could lose money by listing too low, or find your home sitting on the market for months by listing too high.

As a FSBO seller, use one or more of these recommendations to price your home confidently.

Get a comparative market analysis (CMA)

The best way to find an accurate list price for your home is to get a comparative market analysis (CMA). A CMA pulls comparable homes in your neighborhood that have sold recently, then adjusts for their differences in age, square footage, location, and other locally desirable traits. A CMA report will suggest a fair market value price based on this research. 

Often, real estate agents will provide you a CMA for free when you express interest in working with them. Take advantage of this free resource, or learn how to create your own. Additionally, some flat-fee MLS listing companies provide a CMA as part of their service package.

(Something to keep in mind: When you create a CMA on your own, it can be easy for personal bias to sneak in when describing the condition of your home. We recommend asking a friend or family member to do it for you.)

Hire an appraiser 

An appraiser will physically visit your home and provide a professional assessment of its value. Mortgage lenders typically require an appraisal before financing a home anyway, so getting an appraisal before you list can also help you avoid financing pitfalls before closing. 

In Nebraska, an appraisal costs $315 to $420.

» LEARN: Should I get an appraisal before selling?

3. List and market your home

Before you list your home anywhere, familiarize yourself with Nebraska’s regulations on advertising for real estate. Without a real estate agent, the responsibility falls on you to make sure your advertisements are compliant with state guidelines. 

At a minimum, FSBO sellers should list their homes on free FSBO listing websites like Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, Zillow/Trulia, and ForSaleByOwner.com. You can also place a for sale by owner sign in your yard, and spread the word through your personal social media accounts.

If you want maximum exposure, think about working with a Nebraska flat fee MLS company.

Nebraska flat fee MLS companies

Getting your home listed on your local MLS is the best way to reach the largest number of buyers. The biggest home search sites (Zillow, Realtor.com, Trulia) all pull their listings from the MLS. However, the only way to get your home on the MLS without a realtor is by purchasing a flat fee MLS package.

In Nebraska, this will cost you about $100 to $1,000. Our top picks for flat fee MLS companies in Nebraska are:

• Flat Fee Group: Best for inexperienced sellers
• MLS My Home: Best for rock-bottom pricing 
• ISoldMyHouse.com: Best for a stress-free process

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

Can I use a For Sale by Owner sign in Nebraska? 

Nebraska is one of a handful of states that restricts the use of For Sale By Owner signs if your home is on the MLS. If you want a sign in your yard, you’ll need to rent or purchase one from the flat fee MLS company you’re using. 

Nebraska law requires that you present this property disclosure form to all interested buyers before signing a purchase and sale agreement. You’ll also need to give buyers this form if your property is within a sanitary improvement district. We recommend attaching these to your listing or making copies available at showings or open houses.

4. Manage showings on your own

Organizing and hosting showings can be a lot of work (especially if you’re in a hot market). Create a system to track buyers’ and their agents’ contact information and keep a calendar of upcoming showings. For most people, free tools like Google Sheets and Google Calendar are all you need to keep your buyers’ information in order. If you work with a flat fee MLS company, some packages include an app to help you manage showing appointments.

💡Tip: Schedule showings one after the other. Not only will this limit the number of times you need to leave the house, it can also create buzz and competition among buyers when they see other buyers leaving or arriving to check it out.

Most buyers prefer to tour a home without the owner present, so we recommend providing a secure way for buyers and their agents to enter your home while you’re out. You can purchase a lockbox at most hardware stores and store a key inside. Change the combination after every visit to ensure no one has continued access. 

If you need to be present during showings, give as much space as possible.

Expect lots of questions about your property before, during, and after showings, and be ready to answer them in a timely manner. 

5. Review and negotiate offers

Buyers will send offers in the form of a purchase and sale agreement (sometimes called a buy-sell agreement). Here’s what the form typically looks like in Nebraska.

As a Nebraska FSBO seller, it’s important to read carefully and understand all implications of an offer before signing. 

Beyond the offered sale price, note whether the buyer is offering cash or a financed offer. Offers with a higher percentage of cash are typically preferred (though there are exceptions).

Also, make sure you have a strong understanding of the buyer’s contingencies. Typically, fewer contingencies make a stronger offer.

If you don’t love the offers you’re receiving, you can always counter them by amending the form. However, consider negotiations carefully depending on your goals. Sometimes, asking for too much can send buyers running.

For more ideas on negotiating, check out these 26 negotiation strategies.

You’re not required to hire a real estate attorney in Nebraska, but when selling without a realtor, hiring an attorney to review your agreement can give you peace of mind.

6. Allow the buyer to conduct due diligence

The “due diligence period” is the time between the seller accepting an offer and the closing date. During this period, the following steps may occur (according to your purchase agreement):

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

Along the way, there may be opportunities for further negotiation or for either party to back out of the sale, depending on what’s in your purchase agreement. If you do want to back out for any reason, we recommend talking with an attorney before you do so.

But if all steps are met without issue, you’ll be ready to close on your closing date.

7. Close

In Nebraska, closing appointments are typically facilitated by a title insurance company – however a real estate broker or attorney could also handle it. At this appointment, you’ll receive a closing statement that lists all of your closing costs and your final home sale earnings. You’ll be asked to sign several closing documents, including the deed transfer which officially gives ownership rights to the buyer.

In Nebraska, you’ll typically receive a check or bank transfer with your sale proceeds the day you close or the following day. 

After closing, the buyer will officially have access rights to the property. 

For sale by owner paperwork in Nebraska

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

• Nebraska Residential Purchase Agreement
• Nebraska Seller Property Condition Disclosure Statement
• Sanitary Improvement District Disclosure
• Disclosure of Information on Lead-Based Paint and/or Lead-Based Paint Hazards

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 Nebraska

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 Nebraska: 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 Nebraska 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!