Sell your house without an agent

Selling without a real estate agent

Most houses in New York are sold through a real estate agent. The agent lists the house on the MLS, markets it, schedules showings, negotiates offers, and helps guide the deal to closing. In exchange, the seller typically pays a commission at closing. For many sellers, that arrangement works well.

But it's not the only way to sell a house. You can sell without an agent in two main ways: by marketing the house yourself, often called "for sale by owner," or by selling directly to a buyer who's ready to purchase, like us. This page explains both, and when each one makes sense.

What you save, and what you give up

The biggest reason people sell without an agent is to avoid the commission. Commissions are negotiable, and practices have shifted in recent years, but on a Long Island house they're still a significant amount of money.

What you give up is everything the agent would have done: pricing the house, marketing it, screening buyers, handling showings, negotiating, and managing the process. If you sell for sale by owner, all of that becomes your job. If you sell directly to us, most of it simply isn't needed.

For sale by owner vs. selling directly

These two options are often lumped together, but they're very different.

For sale by owner

With FSBO, you're still selling on the open market. You set a price, list the house on websites that accept owner listings, put up a sign, take photos, write the description, answer calls, schedule and host showings, screen buyers, negotiate offers, and coordinate inspections and appraisals. Your buyer will usually still have a mortgage, an inspection contingency, and their own agent, who may expect to be paid.

FSBO can work well if your house is in great shape, priced right, and in high demand, and if you have the time and patience to manage the process yourself.

Selling directly to a buyer

When you sell directly to us, there's no marketing, no showings, and no open market at all. We visit once, make a written offer, and if you accept, we close on your schedule. There's no mortgage contingency, no appraisal, and no inspection renegotiation, because we price the condition up front.

This option makes the most sense when the house needs work, when you need a predictable timeline, when privacy matters, or when you simply don't want to manage a sale.

Selling privately and off-market

Some sellers don't want anyone to know they're selling. Maybe it's a divorce, a financial situation, a family matter, or just a desire for privacy. A traditional listing puts your house on the MLS, Zillow, and dozens of other sites, with photos of every room and a sign on the lawn.

An off-market sale keeps it quiet. There are no photos online, no sign, and no open houses. Your neighbors don't have to know until you're ready to tell them.

Selling your house online

Many sellers today want to handle as much as possible online. With us, you can start by filling out the form on this site with your address and a few details. Most of the back-and-forth can happen by phone, text, or email. You'll still need one visit so we can see the house in person, and you'll sign documents either at closing or with a notary. Your attorney can usually handle the closing without you needing to be there in person if your schedule or location makes that hard.

You still need an attorney

Whether you sell with an agent, without an agent, or directly to us, you should have your own real estate attorney in New York. In this state, attorneys typically draft and review the contract, coordinate title work, handle payoffs, and manage the closing. Your attorney works for you, not the buyer.

Selling without an agent doesn't mean selling without professional help. It means you're paying for the help you actually need.

Pricing without an agent

One of the hardest parts of selling FSBO is pricing. Price too high and the house sits. Price too low and you leave money on the table. Agents use recent comparable sales to recommend a price.

If you're selling directly to us, our written offer shows the comparable sales we used to estimate the house's value after repairs, plus our repair and cost estimates. You can see how we got to our number. You're also welcome to get an appraisal or an agent's opinion of value to compare.

Buying off-market homes: how we find houses

We buy houses directly from homeowners, without them ever being listed. Most come to us through this website, referrals, or homeowners who heard about us locally. We focus on Lindenhurst and the Town of Babylon because we know the area: the difference between canal homes and inland streets, the Village and Town permit offices, and what houses in different neighborhoods actually sell for.

Selling below market value: what to know

Some sellers worry that selling without an agent means selling for less than the house is worth. With FSBO, that depends on how well you price and market. With a direct sale to us, our offer will usually be below what a fully updated house would sell for, because we're paying for the repairs, the risk, and the time.

The fair comparison is between our offer and what you'd net after commission, repairs, carrying costs, and the risk of a deal falling through. Use the calculator on our cash vs. listing page to run your own numbers.

When you should use an agent

We'll be honest: there are plenty of situations where hiring a good local agent is the smarter choice.

• Your house is updated and in great condition
• There's strong buyer demand for houses like yours
• You have time to wait for the right buyer
• You're comfortable with showings and negotiations
• You want to maximize price above all else

If that describes your situation, we'll tell you.

When selling without an agent makes more sense

• The house needs significant repairs
• You need a specific closing date
• You want the sale to stay private
• There are tenants, permit problems, or title issues
• You don't want strangers walking through your home
• You'd rather not pay a commission on a house that needs work

How a direct sale works

1. Fill out the form or call us.
2. We schedule one visit.
3. We send a written offer.
4. Your attorney reviews the contract.
5. We close on the date you pick.

Common FSBO mistakes to avoid

If you decide to sell for sale by owner instead, a few tips:

• Get your pricing right from the start. Overpriced houses sit, and stale listings get lowball offers.
• Take good photos in daylight, and clear the clutter first.
• Disclose what you know about the house, and talk to your attorney about New York's disclosure rules.
• Ask buyers for a mortgage pre-approval letter before you take their offer seriously.
• Hire your attorney before you accept an offer, not after.

Commission changes and what they mean for you

In recent years, the way real estate commissions work has been changing nationally, including how buyer's agents are paid and how commissions are disclosed. The practical takeaway for sellers is that commissions are negotiable and should be discussed openly. If you're comparing an agent listing to a direct sale, ask any agent you interview exactly what you'll pay, including whether you're expected to cover the buyer's agent. Then plug that number into your comparison.

Do you need to fix anything before a private sale?

Not when you sell to us. We buy as-is. If you're selling FSBO to a buyer with a mortgage, though, their lender may require certain repairs before closing, and their inspection may lead to a request for credits. That's one of the biggest differences between the two paths.

Ready to skip the agent?

If you'd like to know what a direct sale would look like for your house, send us a few details. There's no cost, no obligation, and no pressure.

What a real estate attorney does in a sale without an agent

Without an agent, your attorney becomes even more important. In a typical New York sale, your attorney will review or draft the contract, explain your obligations and the buyer's contingencies, hold the buyer's deposit in escrow, review the title report, obtain payoff letters for your mortgage and any liens, prepare the deed and transfer tax forms, and represent you at closing. Attorney fees for a residential sale vary, so ask for a quote up front.

Disclosures when selling privately

Selling without an agent doesn't change your legal obligations. New York has a property condition disclosure requirement for many residential sales, and the rules have been updated in recent years. Your attorney can explain what applies to your sale and what form you'll need to provide. When selling to us, tell us everything you know about the house, whether or not a form is required.

Showing your own house safely

If you go the FSBO route, safety matters. Verify buyers' identities, ask for pre-approval letters before scheduling showings, avoid showing the house alone, put away valuables and medications, and be cautious with personal information. These precautions are one reason some sellers prefer a direct sale with a single, scheduled walkthrough.

Negotiating without an agent

Negotiation is where many FSBO sellers feel least comfortable. Buyers and their agents may push back on price, ask for repairs, request credits after inspection, or try to shorten or extend timelines. It helps to decide in advance what your lowest acceptable price is, what you're willing to fix, and what dates you need. With a direct sale to us, there's no back-and-forth over inspection items, because condition is priced in before the offer.

How the sale works

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