How to Sell a House Without a Realtor in Nevada

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  Written by Alex Long

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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 Nevada averages 2.5% of the sale price. Considering a typical Nevada house is worth about $409,000, that’s a savings of $10,143.

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 Nevada. Especially considering there are low commission real estate companies that offer professional assistance for a lower cost. 

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

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	$300 to $370	To price your home more accurately
Photography	$129	To compete with homes listed by agents
Staging	$2,050	To stand out to local buyers
Real estate attorney	$200 per hour	To assist with paperwork, contracts, and legal requirements
Flat fee MLS listing	$300 to $4,000	To get listed on the MLS
Buyer’s agent commission	2.5% 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 Nevada, 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 Nevada, sellers pay an average of 2.5% to a listing agent. Considering the median home value in Nevada is $409,000, that amounts to $10,143. 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 Nevada 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 Nevada FSBO sellers, here’s what you need to know.

1. Get your home ready to sell

Before you can sell your house in Nevada without a realtor, you want to make sure you’re putting your best foot forward. This could include:

• Making small repairs
• Applying a new coat of paint
• Trimming hedges and mowing the lawn
• Removing clutter and deep cleaning

Avoid costly or time-consuming fixes unless you expect to get a good return on your investment. Eliminate issues that might be a deal breaker if possible.

During your prep, choose neutral colors and minimal decor that work well for photos and staging. In Nevada, you can hire a stager for about $1,529 and a photographer for $140, or you can stage and take photos yourself if you feel confident you can do a good job. 

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

Pricing your home correctly is probably the most important step when listing your home for sale by owner in Nevada. 

Research shows that most FSBO listings sell for about 5–26% less than a similar realtor-sold home. This equates to about $20,500 to $106,000 on the average-priced Nevada house!

Consider the approaches below to determine a good list price for your home.

Get a comparative market analysis (CMA)

A comparative market analysis involves researching recently sold homes in your area that are comparable to yours. Use three to five of these comparables to get a ballpark idea of how much your property might sell for, then set your list price accordingly.

A realtor usually conducts this analysis as part of their services, but you can do it yourself if you feel up to it. Proceed cautiously, though — selecting comparable properties and accounting for differences in the houses requires some guesswork. This could lead to biased results, which could cost you money in the long run by mispricing your home.

To avoid bias, you could get a CMA from a flat fee MLS company. Doing so gets you a professional analysis at a fraction of the cost of a traditional real estate agent.

Hire an appraiser 

Paying for a formal appraisal is another smart way to determine an appropriate list price for your home. An appraiser is an expert in assessing the value of homes in your area, so this is one of the best resources available for accurately pricing your home.

An appraiser conducts their own version of a CMA, but they will also tour your house, note its condition and amenities, and then adjust the value based on local real estate conditions.

In Nevada, an appraisal will cost you about $300 to $435.

» LEARN: Should I get an appraisal before selling?

Once you set your list price, determine if you’ll need to pay taxes on the anticipated profit from your home sale. It’s best to know this in advance so you’re not surprised by a tax bill later on.

3. List and market your home

Familiarize yourself with advertising restrictions for real estate in Nevada before you post your listing.

Once you’ve done that, you can start by publishing on free venues like the following:

• Zillow’s and Trulia’s FSBO section
• Facebook Marketplace
• Craigslist
• ForSaleByOwner.com

You could also post your listing on paid sites for FSBO properties if you think the additional exposure is worth the cost.

And don’t underestimate the value of traditional marketing approaches like yard signs and sharing with friends.

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

Nevada flat fee MLS companies

Your local multiple listing service (MLS) can only be accessed by licensed real estate agents. Flat fee MLS companies were created so non-realtors can get their listings on the local MLS. This is important because it’s the primary place realtors go to find listings for their clients.

In Nevada, expect to pay $80 to $1,000 for this service. Our top picks for flat fee MLS companies in Nevada are:

🥇 Congress Realty: Best for bang for your buck
🥈Resolution Realty: Best for inexperienced sellers
🥉 Vegas Flat Fee: Best for showcasing your home

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

Required Nevada seller disclosures

In Nevada, you must present the seller’s real property disclosure form to the buyer before signing an agreement. Otherwise, the buyer can back out and pursue legal action. Per federal law, you also must provide the following if applicable to your home:

• Lead-based paint disclosure
• Flood risk disclosure

Attach these forms to your listing, email them to interested buyers, or leave them out at open houses and showings. Just be sure the buyers see them before you sign a purchase agreement.

4. Manage showings on your own

It can be a hassle managing showings, so figure out your approach before you get started. At the very least, use a calendar for scheduling appointments and an email folder dedicated to communications with buyers and agents.

You can also use tools like Doodle or Square Appointments, but that’s not required.

Sometimes flat fee MLS companies offer packages with add-on options for managing showings.

There are many things you can do to help the showing process go smoothly:

• Schedule appointments consecutively.
• Leave small windows of time between showings.
• Let natural light in. 
• Set the thermostat to a comfortable temperature before buyers arrive.
• Be prepared to answer questions about the house, neighborhood, and utilities after showings.

Avoid being physically present at showings, as this can make buyers uncomfortable. Use a lockbox to keep your home secure and let realtors in when you’re not there.

If there is any documentation you want to make available to buyers, place it in a conspicuous place like the kitchen countertop.

5. Review and negotiate offers

When you receive an offer in the form of a purchase agreement for your Nevada for sale by owner home, read it over very carefully before deciding to accept, reject, or make a counteroffer.

If there is something you don’t understand, reach out to the buyer’s agent or a real estate attorney for clarity. Although real estate attorneys are not required to validate a Nevada real estate purchase contract by the owner, they can still help you navigate the sale process and avoid harmful pitfalls.

When evaluating an offer letter, you should pay special attention to the following:

• Purchase price
• Whether it’s a cash offer or conventionally financed
• How much the buyer is pre-approved for, if applicable
• Buyer contingencies
• Language regarding repairs
• Seller credits

A savvy seller will leverage some terms of the sale to negotiate a better sale price, or vice versa, depending on what your priorities are.

6. Allow the buyer to conduct due diligence

Once both parties have signed the purchase agreement, the due diligence period begins. This is when the buyer orders inspections, appraisals, and title research to finalize the purchase.

If your buyer is paying cash, they aren’t required to do any due diligence, but they’ll indicate their plans in the purchase contract.

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

For homes with conventional financing, the rules are much more strict about what is required, and steps usually involve the following:

You’ll need to go through a second round of negotiations if a contingency clause applies. For example, a roof leak found during inspection might require you to pay repairs or lower the sale price. The buyer could also agree to cover the additional cost themselves.

You may be entitled to the earnest money deposit if a buyer tries to walk away from a deal without proper cause as specified in the purchase agreement.

If you’re considering canceling a deal without adequate cause, discuss it with an attorney first.

If you are able to reach a compromise during renegotiations, or if they are unnecessary, you’ll be cleared to close.

7. Close

Closing will take place on the day specified in the purchase agreement. These appointments are typically held at the office of a third party like a title company or a real estate attorney.

During closing, you will likely appear in person and sign a series of documents — this includes signing the deed so that the buyer can take ownership of the property.

You will also be provided a closing statement that itemizes every transaction and expense during the sale process. This will provide a final amount the buyer must pay you to close the sale and take possession. 

Since Nevada is a dry-funding state, it will take a few days to receive the proceeds of the sale. You’ll receive this as either a physical check or a wire transfer.

For sale by owner paperwork in Nevada

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

• Seller’s Real Property Disclosure Form
• Lead-Based Paint Disclosure
• Flood Risk Disclosure
• Nevada Residential Purchase Agreement

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 Las Vegas

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 Nevada: 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 Nevada 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!

Cost to Sell a House in Nevada: Closing Costs and Realtor Fees: 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.

How to Sell Your House – The Ultimate Guide: Our guide breaks down the process of selling a house in 12 steps, to educate you on the process. We discuss how to find and choose a realtor, list your home for sale, review and negotiate offers, close, and calculate capital gains tax.