How to Sell a Home without a REALTOR® in California

Though selling a house in California should go off without a hitch—especially when you’re working with an experienced real estate agent—it’s also possible to hit an unexpected snag.

Maybe you’re caught in such a situation now if, for example, offers aren’t rolling in as they should.

Perhaps they are coming in, but at a very low price or with requests for concessions. 

Whenever delays happen and for whatever reason, it’s always surprising since California’s market is still a hot one. Sometimes, it has to do with the house itself—particularly when it’s a home in need of major repairs. But, at other times, it could be because of the particular agent. 

It’s possible they’re so overwhelmed with other clients that they’re not giving your property its due attention. The result is that few buyers know your house even exists. 

If you suspect that it is your agent who might be contributing to the ongoing hassle of offloading your house and so you’re curious about how to sell your home without a REALTOR, you came to the right place. We can guide you toward finding the right buyer on your own.

How to Sell a California Home without a REALTOR®

Of course, you don’t have to be ‘done’ dealing with agents to want to learn how to sell a home without a REALTOR. You may just need to sell your house fast and may worry that putting it on the market with an agent will only slow down the process. 

It could also be that you simply want to sell your property for the most amount of money, so the idea of paying someone a commission doesn’t seem like a very profitable one. Both of these reasons are as valid as any other. Without a real estate agent to help you, however, you may have to work harder to find the right buyer.

So, how do you attract the right buyer for your property easily and, in an ideal world, quickly? 

First, Perform a Renovation

Performing any repairs will cost you both time and money, but a rehabbed house will simply appeal to more buyers whether a market is hot, like California’s, or not. Issues with old and leaking pipes or damage done by invasive pests often turn buyers off. Selling a house with knob and tube wiring can be difficult, too, since it’s considered obsolete and potentially hazardous. Even outdated kitchen appliances and old carpeting won’t pass muster with some picky buyers.

When a potential buyer is interested in your fixer, it won’t make a difference if their bank doesn’t approve the loan. And, unfortunately, the older a house is and the more work that needs to be done, the less likely a buyer will actually get funding to purchase the home. Plus, move-in-ready houses that have gone through even a minimum amount of repairs are more likely to sell closer to the maximum market rate, especially when competing bank-backed buyers help to drive the price up. 

So, if you want top dollar for the sale of your house and to have the time and the money to get it move-in ready, first perform a renovation. 

Then, Act as Your Own Agent

Without a REALTOR to help sell your home, you will have to act as your own real estate agent. That means you’ll need to research comparable homes that have recently sold so you’ll know how to set the right price for your house.

You’ll have to market your home as well, either online with ‘For Sale By Owner’ websites, in the real estate section of your local newspaper, or by printing postcards and flyers—or a combination of all three. You’ll also want to get your home ready to be viewed by potential buyers by cleaning it top to bottom, removing any clutter, and possibly hiring a stager. 

Then, of course, you’ve got to make yourself available to show the home and review any offers that come through after. Ideally, you’ll want to do this last part with the help of a broker or a real estate attorney to ensure the offer you choose is the best one for you—and that all the terms of the contract are legally upheld.

You will have to pay these professionals if you want their help selling your house; but, if it saves you from signing something that hurts—instead of helping—your bottom line, it could be a worthy investment.

You should count on investing time and money, anyway, when you act as your own agent since you have to handle all the research and marketing as well as take time away from your job or family to respond to inquiries, hold open houses, and negotiate with buyers. You’ll have to pay the commission for the agent who brings you the buyer, too.  

Or, Sell As-Is Directly to a Buyer

If, instead, you want to maximize your cash flow by not paying fees when you sell your house to anyone for anything, consider selling your home as-is directly to a buyer who doesn’t need you to do any legwork. 

Plus, believe it or not, putting as little as possible into the sale of your home has the potential to put more money in your pocket. You just have to find a buyer who can handle everything themselves, from the cleaning and repairs to all the research and paperwork. 

You might think you’d at least have to do some advertising to find such a buyer, but you’d be wrong. The right buyer for your house is right here. 

Where to Find the Right Buyer Fast for Your California Home

It may sound like an oversimplified solution to the problem of how to sell your home without a REALTOR, but choosing a buyer who wants you to do little if anything to facilitate the sale can really be your best option.

Of course, though there are many as-is buyers out there, there aren’t too many who will pay all cash for your home and close in two weeks or less—without the need to attend an open house or perform an inspection before making an offer.

Few will also let you simply take what you want from the home and leave the rest for them to deal with, whether it’s a lot of clutter or major damage. Even fewer will do all of this without charging you commissions and fees or insisting you pay their real estate agent who does. 

One as-is cash buyer does all of this and more for California homeowners, however: your local real estate advisors at family-owned and operated Sell Your House Direct.