How to Sell a House Without a Realtor in Oklahoma

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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 Oklahoma averages 2.8% of the sale price. Considering a typical Oklahoma house is worth about $184,000, that’s a savings of $5,078.

However, trying to sell a home For Sale by Owner (FSBO) can be tough. You’ll be responsible for every step of the selling process, which can take up a lot of your time and energy. 

In the end, selling a house without a real estate agent isn’t worth it for most homeowners in Oklahoma. Many sellers don’t even realize that there are low commission real estate companies that offer professional assistance at reduced prices.

If you’re considering selling a house without a realtor in Oklahoma, 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 Oklahoma 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 Oklahoma
• 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 Oklahoma

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	$370 to $450	To price your home more accurately
Photography	$125	To compete with homes listed by agents
Staging	#DIV/0!	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 $1,500	To get listed on the MLS
Buyer’s agent commission	2.8% of sale price	To compensate the agent that represents the buyer (it’s customary for the seller to pay)
Transfer tax	$0.75 per $500 of sale price	To pay the county and the state of Oklahoma for the title transfer

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 Oklahoma, 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 Oklahoma, sellers pay an average of 2.8% to a listing agent. Considering the median home value in Oklahoma is $184,000, that amounts to $5,078. 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 Oklahoma 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 Oklahoma FSBO sellers, here’s what you need to know.

1. Get your home ready to sell

Before selling “For Sale by Owner” in Oklahoma, get your home in the best condition possible.

• Take care of small repairs around the house like leaky faucets or squeaky hinges. 
• Tackle big, expensive repairs like a new roof or boiler, since these can be deal-breakers for a lot of buyers.
• Apply a fresh coat of paint as a cost-effective way to make your home look almost as good as new. 
• Freshen up the landscaping with an emphasis on attractive, low-maintenance native plants like the Wild blue indigo and the Orange milkweed. 
• Deep-clean and declutter your home. 
• Remove at least half your furniture to make your space seem larger. 

If your FSBO Oklahoma home still needs a little help, consider a professional home staging service. In Oklahoma, the average cost of staging is $1,529.

Finally, take photos for your listing. If you don’t feel confident in your own photography skills, a professional photographer will cost an average of $140 in Oklahoma.

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

The right list price will get your home sale off to a hot start, while the wrong list price could derail it entirely. For example, pricing your home too low may lead some buyers to assume it has hidden flaws. And pricing it too high will drive off many buyers.

So how do you come up with an effective list price? We recommend these options:

Get a comparative market analysis (CMA)

A comparative market analysis uses data on recent sales of homes that are similar to yours to estimate the most accurate list price. 

You can get a CMA from a realtor (they often provide them to potential sellers for free), a flat fee MLS company (it may charge an additional fee), or by creating your own. If you go the DIY route, make sure your comps are accurate and that you’re being objective in your analysis.

Hire an appraiser 

A licensed, professional home appraiser will visit and inspect your home to produce an extremely accurate market value for it. Think of it as a more formal and involved version of a CMA.

In Oklahoma, the average home appraisal costs $300 to $435. 

» LEARN: Should I get an appraisal before selling?

3. List and market your home

Familiarize yourself with Oklahoma’s regulations on real estate advertising. Make sure your sale is fully compliant with the law.

Next, list your home on high-visibility free sites like:

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

Take advantage of social media platforms like Twitter, Nextdoor, and Facebook. They’re free, and can have amazing reach. And don’t underestimate the power of word of mouth; tell friends, family, and coworkers about your home sale.

Finally, use a FSBO yard sign to let neighbors and passersby know that your home’s on the market. 

If you want maximum exposure, think about working with an Oklahoma flat fee MLS company.

Oklahoma flat fee MLS companies

When researching how to sell a house by owner in Oklahoma, you’ll typically come across flat fee MLS companies pretty quickly. 

A flat fee MLS company can help make your home visible and discoverable by listing it on your local multiple listing service (MLS). The MLS is the main directory of homes for sale, and only agents can access it. Listings that appear on the MLS are also automatically shown on major sites like Zillow, Redfin, and Realtor.com.

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

• OK By Owner: Best for hard-to-sell homes
• Trinity Properties: Best for affordable support
• Houzeo: Best for customized services

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

Required Oklahoma seller disclosures

Oklahoma has a standard disclosure law requiring sellers to disclose defects with the home. However, if you’re an investor who has never inhabited the property, you can instead provide a disclaimer stating that you can’t testify to any defects. 

As in every U.S. state, Oklahoma sellers have to disclose the possibility of lead-based paint for homes built before 1978. 

Oklahoma sellers should use this standard Oklahoma seller’s disclosure form for general disclosures, as well as the federal lead-based paint disclosure form and the FEMA flood risk disclosure form.

Make your disclosure forms available by attaching them to the listing, providing hard copies at showings, and sending digital copies to buyers and their agents.

4. Manage showings on your own

Conducting showings and open houses is a lot of work, even for seasoned real estate agents. Streamline your workload by coming up with a system.

We suggest using a free calendar tool to track appointments and buyers. If you use a flat fee MLS company, ask them if they can provide or suggest one.

Keep the following in mind when you’re doing showings:

• Block appointments next to each other to cultivate competition between buyers
• Try not to be in the home during showings, as you could make buyers uncomfortable
• If you must be there, give them space
• Consider using a lockbox for independent showings

Compile an info packet for buyers containing your contact info, completed disclosure forms, and details about the home. Place these documents in a high-traffic area like the kitchen.

Many buyers will have questions after their showings, so be prepared to answer them.

5. Review and negotiate offers

Buyers will submit their offers in the form of a purchase and sale agreement, known in the industry as a “buy-sell.”

Fully and closely read the text of the offer, asking yourself the following:

• Are there any buyer’s contingencies? These could cancel the deal later. You can also include your own seller contingencies.
• Is it a cash offer or a financed offer? Many sellers prefer cash offers since they come with less risk.
• Is the buyer asking for repair credits? You can offer to do the repairs yourself or negotiate the amount.

Counteroffer by amending the purchase agreement and sending it back. Consider these negotiation strategies before you do to get a great deal.

You’re not required to hire an attorney when selling a home in Oklahoma, though it’s never a bad idea to have a lawyer review your paperwork, especially if you’re a FSBO seller.

6. Allow the buyer to conduct due diligence

The due diligence period is the time between your acceptance of the buyer’s offer and the final closing. 

During this time, the buyer or their lender conducts:

• The home inspection
• The home appraisal
• Mortgage underwriting
• The property title search
• The final walkthrough

Depending on the results of the above, the buyer may want to enter into negotiations. Alternatively, they might want to use a contingency to back out of the deal. If you want to back out of the sale, but don’t have a contingency giving you an out, talk to an attorney about your options.

Once negotiations are settled, you can proceed to closing.

7. Close

Your closing date will be specified in the purchase agreement.

A few days before closing, you’ll receive the closing statement. This document outlines all the charges associated with the transaction, and who’s responsible for paying them. Review it closely; if you find any mistakes, you’ll have a few days to get them corrected.

The closing appointment itself is usually facilitated by a third party— normally the title company, though it could also be done by a real estate broker or attorney. At closing, you’ll sign all necessary paperwork, and then transfer the deed to the buyer. In Oklahoma, you’ll typically receive the money from the sale on the same day as closing.

For sale by owner paperwork in Oklahoma

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

• Seller Disclosure Form
• Lead-Based Paint Disclosure
• Flood Risk Disclosure
• For Sale By Owner Contract Oklahoma

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 Oklahoma

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

Still wondering if selling without a realtor is the right move for you? Check out these resources for more information:

Average Real Estate Commission in Oklahoma: What’s Fair in 2022?: Even if you end up selling your home on your own, you should still offer commission to your buyer’s agent. Read on to learn what Oklahoma realtors expect to earn on an average sale in 2022.

Top We Buy Houses Companies in Oklahoma REVEALED: If you need to sell your property as quickly as possible, a We Buy Houses company could be a good option for you. Find out which companies in Oklahoma might want to buy your home!

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