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Edited by Ashley Simon
Written by Michael Yessis
Edited by Ashley Simon
How to sell FSBO | Paperwork | Costs | FAQ | Why trust us | Related articles
You can sell a house without a realtor in Wisconsin in a few ways, usually by selling:
- For sale by owner (FSBO), which in Wisconsin can potentially save you 2.74% of the sale price, or $8,559. That’s because you won’t have to pay a listing fee to a realtor.
- To a cash home buyer, who can purchase your property fast for cash.
» Pros and cons of selling FSBO
✅ Selling your home without a realtor might be right for you if…
- You want to potentially save on commission. FSBO sellers don’t pay a listing agent, though they should expect to cover 2-3% on average in buyer’s agent fees.
- You’re an experienced seller with plenty of time to handle the details of a sale.
- You already have a buyer lined up. 57% of FSBO sellers in 2022 and 2023 knew their buyer, which streamlined the selling process. FSBO sellers often sell to a family member.
- You’re in a hot seller’s market and you have a desirable home. In a hot market, you’re more likely to sell for list price or above when selling FSBO.
- You want to sell fast. You can sell to a Wisconsin cash home buyer within a few days.
🚫 Selling without a realtor might not be right for you if…
- You want to sell for market value — or higher. A Clever Real Estate survey of people who sold a home in 2022 and 2023 found that selling with a realtor resulted in around 33% more profit than a FSBO sale. A National Association of Realtors (NAR) survey found that FSBO sellers got around 23% less than sellers who used an agent.
- You don’t have a lot of free time. You’ll have to do almost everything an agent does when selling FSBO, without the efficiency and knowledge an experienced real estate agent brings to the deal.
- You’ve never sold a home in Wisconsin. Again, when you sell FSBO, you’ll have to learn to do everything an agent in the state can do.
- You want to limit your exposure to legal risks. 36% of FSBO sellers 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.
If you’re open to options besides selling without a realtor, some low-commission real estate companies, like Real Estate Witch, allow you to work with a top local real estate agent at half the typical cost.
» FSBO alternatives
- Wisconsin discount real estate brokers are full-service realtors willing to work for a reduced listing commission rate. Sellers can save thousands and receive all the traditional services from an expert local agent.
- Wisconsin cash home buyers purchase properties directly from home sellers for cash.
- Wisconsin flat fee MLS companies will post your listing on the local Multiple Listing Service (MLS) and usually offer additional help with your sale, usually for a low, upfront fee. The MLS is a database of homes for sale, regularly updated by realtors.
- iBuyers are real estate companies that make near-instant cash offers on homes, using technology to determine a price.
7 steps to sell a home in Wisconsin for sale by owner
1. Set a price
2. Ready your home
3. List your home
4. Manage your showings
5. Review offers
6. Perform due diligence
7. Close the sale
🔑 Key takeaways for Wisconsin FSBO sellers
- You don’t need to hire an attorney to sell FSBO in Wisconsin. But you may want to hire one to ensure you get things right. A real estate attorney costs $152–$343 per hour in Wisconsin.
- You’re required to make certain disclosures about your house. Wisconsin isn’t a buyer-beware state.
- You can use a For Sale by Owner sign in your yard to advertise your sale.
1. Set a price
One of the biggest challenges of selling FSBO 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 comparable, recently sold properties in your area.
Also, Wisconsin flat fee MLS companies sometimes provide a CMA with their service package.
You can do your own comparative market analysis to get a rough estimate of your home’s value. Use Zillow or another real estate website to compare your home to recently sold properties in your area.
🚨 Doing your own analysis won’t be as accurate as a CMA. Local real estate professionals can access more data from the MLS, 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 Wisconsin, you can hire an appraiser for $300–$568. Find an appraiser near you through the U.S. government’s Appraisal Subcommittee website.
As you consider your list price, determine if you’ll be liable for taxes on your sales profit next tax season. It may affect how you choose to price your home.
🧠 Expert insight: Beware of underpricing your home. National data suggests FSBO sellers get between 5% and 26% less for their homes than comparable homes sold by realtors.
2. Ready your home 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 return on investment will be worth it.
You’ll also have to base your repair decisions around what the market calls for — though as a FSBO seller, you might not have up-to-date knowledge. In a regular sale, your real estate agent would provide guidance on the market and the returns. As a FSBO seller, you’ll have to do some research to figure out what to do based on the particulars of your home and market.
If your home needs too much work to sell to a typical buyer, consider selling to a cash buyer in Wisconsin. You can use our free tool to compare cash offers against your home’s value on the open market — no obligation required.
Buf if 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 Wisconsin costs an average of $229.
- 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 upfront 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 digital database catalogs homes listed 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.
🚨 Here’s the catch with the MLS: Only licensed realtors can list homes on the MLS. However, FSBO sellers can still list their properties on the MLS with the help of a realtor via Wisconsin flat fee MLS companies.
List using a Wisconsin flat fee MLS company
Wisconsin flat fee MLS companies are run by brokers who will list your home on the MLS for a relatively small fee of $299–2,500.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 FSBO platforms
ForSaleByOwner.com, Zillow, and others are among our picks for the best FSBO real estate websites for Wisconsin FSBO sellers.
You can also promote your home sale on social media and use a yard sign to get the word out. Yard signs cost $2–75.
Before listing your home online or anywhere else, read Wisconsin‘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.
4. Manage your showings
Set up private appointments or open houses for potential buyers to visit your home.
Keep track of your appointments and contact information with tools like Google Calendar or scheduling apps like ShowingTime, Doodle, and Calendly.
FSBO tips for successful home showings
- Keep your home between 68° and 76°. Potential buyers should walk into a comfortable environment.
- Let in plenty of natural light. Studies show that natural light improves people’s moods. A happier potential buyer is better than an unhappy potential buyer.
- Use a neutral scent. Try subtle candles or air fresheners.
- Let buyers tour the home on their own. Your presence can be a distraction. If you’re around, 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 showing appointments back to back. Blocks of appointments fuel the impression multiple buyers are interested in your home. You’ll also reduce the number of times you’ll vacate your home while buyers tour it.
- Share disclosure forms and property fact sheets. Put them in a noticeable spot in the home, like on a kitchen counter.
- Promptly respond to buyer questions. Buyers typically evaluate many properties. If you’re not responsive, they may lose interest in your home and focus on other options.
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 within 30–60 days.
- The buyer’s pre-approval letter. If the buyer doesn’t have pre-approval from a bank signaling they’ll likely get a loan offer to buy the house, the sale may fall apart. A buyer with a cash offer doesn’t need a pre-approval letter.
- Contingencies. Any criteria that 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.
- Accept the offer. Say yes if the price and terms are what you were hoping for.
- Make a counteroffer. 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. Almost everything’s up for negotiation in real estate.
» LEARN: 26 negotiation strategies for home sellers
6. Allow the buyer to conduct due diligence
During the time frame between accepting a buyer’s offer and the closing date — the due diligence period — 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
- Walkthrough
If the buyer finds any issues, they may try to reopen negotiations.
During the due diligence period, the buyer and seller have the right to withdraw from the agreement. We recommend consulting a real estate attorney before walking away from any deal to ensure you follow the law.
7. Close the sale
Closing a home sale in Wisconsin usually involves hiring a third party, such as a title company or attorney.
The closing typically takes place at the title company or agent’s office. You’ll:
- Review and sign the closing disclosure. The disclosure documents the final terms and closing costs.
- Hand over the house keys. Give them to the buyer’s agent or your attorney.
- Get paid. You’ll receive a statement detailing the proceeds from the sale and how much you can expect to take home after paying for closing costs. You should receive your payment via a wire transfer or check on closing day.
Paperwork for selling a house by owner in Wisconsin
Our comprehensive list of the paperwork for selling a house without a realtor covers the general documents home sellers need, including where to find free paperwork.
Key paperwork and disclosures for FSBO sellers in Wisconsin include:
- Lead-based paint disclosure. If your home was built before 1978, you must provide the lead-based paint disclosure.
- Seller's disclosure form. Use the form to document known issues about your home.
Cost of selling a house without a realtor in Wisconsin
Sellers pay approximately 7.5% of the final home sale price to sell by owner vs. about 10% of the home price to sell with a real estate agent.
Use our calculator below to estimate how much selling FSBO will likely cost you. The amount you’ll save depends on many factors, including repairs you need to make and concessions you may make to a buyer.
💸 Common costs for FSBO sellers
The prices below cover common services for those selling without a realtor in Wisconsin.
- Flat fee MLS listing: $299–2,500
- Home appraisal: $300–$568
- Professional home photography: $229 avg.
- Real estate attorney: $152–$343 per hour
- Staging: $2,000 avg.
Seller closing costs in Wisconsin include:
- Concession to cover buyer’s agent fee: 2.46% of the sale price
- Recording fees: $30 avg.
- Title insurance: $1,506 avg.
- Title service fees (search and transfer): $422 avg.
- Transfer tax: $1,009 avg.
🚨 Why would I cover the buyer’s agent commission?
In August 2024, a lawsuit against the National Association of Realtors changed how real estate commissions were decided. Now buyers and sellers negotiate their fees directly with their agents.
However, most buyers will still expect sellers to cover the cost of their agent through a seller concession. Sellers that don't offer a concession increase the amount of cash that a buyer needs to bring to the closing table.
Not offering a concession also disincentivizes agents from showing your property because they know they know it will be more expensive for their buyers.
We recommend that you discuss the pros and cons of offering a concession with your listing agent.
Frequently asked questions
» Is selling a house without a realtor worth it in Wisconsin?
Selling a house without a real estate agent usually isn’t worth it for most homeowners in Wisconsin.
You’ll have to price your home accurately, or you can miss out on thousands of dollars. A Clever Real Estate survey of people who sold a home in 2022 and 2023 found that selling with a realtor resulted in around 33% more profit than a FSBO sale.
Selling without a realtor may be worth it, however, if you’re an experienced home seller or it’s a seller’s market.
» Do I need a lawyer to sell my house in Wisconsin?
No, home sellers in Wisconsin aren’t required to hire a real estate attorney. However, having a legal professional help you with contracts and paperwork can be worth it.
In Wisconsin, you’ll pay $152–$343 per hour for a real estate attorney.
» What paperwork do I need to sell a house without a realtor in Wisconsin?
You’ll need the same documents all FSBO sellers need, plus any Wisconsin-specific disclosures.
» Is selling without a realtor in Wisconsin the right choice for me?
Listing your Wisconsin home without a real estate agent might help you save on commission, but it’s not right for everyone.
If you’re unfamiliar with the real estate market or aren’t comfortable negotiating with prospective buyers, you might consider working with an agent instead.
Why you should 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 four times a year 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
Average Realtor Fees in Wisconsin: Realtors earn a commission when they help a client buy or sell a home. Learn how much Wisconsin agents expect to earn and what you can do to reduce commission rates.
How to Sell a House By Owner: Paperwork You Need: Check out all the forms you’ll need for the transaction.