How to Sell a House By Owner in Massachusetts

When you’re moving, every penny counts. You want the highest proceeds from your home sale, which you’ll need for the new house. Some ambitious homeowners in Massachusetts decide to take the helm of their home sale and figure out how to sell a house by owner.

But the DIY home-sale path is not for everyone. Among the millions of homes sold each year, only a small portion of sellers — only about 6% — choose to list “For Sale By Owner,” or FSBO. Of those, 38% went with this route to sell to a relative, friend, or neighbor.

In this guide to selling FSBO in Massachusetts, we’ll cover all the aspects of selling by owner in the Bay State, including the steps that might be more challenging than they appear. We’ll also provide an overview of the process for preparing and marketing your home and closing the sale without the assistance of a real estate agent.

Unsure About Selling FSBO in Massachusetts?

If you don’t have the time or expertise to list your home FSBO, partner with a trusted, top agent in your Massachusetts market. We analyze over 27 million transactions and thousands of reviews to find you the best agent for your unique situation.

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Editor’s note: No matter how you choose to sell your home, if you’d like to consult with a real estate agent first, HomeLight can introduce you to top-rated professionals in your Massachusetts market. Based on sales data, the top 5% of agents sell homes for 10% or more than average agents.

How does selling by owner (FSBO) work in Massachusetts?

FSBO (pronounced fizz-bow) is a method of selling your home without the help of a hired listing agent. In a FSBO sale, the seller assumes the responsibilities that would normally fall to their agent, such as pricing the home, marketing it to potential buyers, arranging showings, and negotiating the purchase agreement.

In an agent-assisted sale, the seller typically pays a commission amounting to 3%-5.8% of the sale price, depending on who pays for the buyer’s agent commission. That amount is deducted from the seller’s proceeds at closing.

Commission rules and regulations changed after the National Association of Realtors (NAR) announced a landmark lawsuit settlement on March 15, 2024. These changes started in August 2024 and have “decoupled” seller and buyer agent compensation. Buyers are now responsible for paying their own Realtor fees. By selling FSBO, a seller can eliminate the cost of the listing agent commission (around 3%). However, in some markets, sellers are still offering to pay the buyer’s agent commissions.

Even with new commission rules in place, buyer’s agents in Massachusetts will expect compensation for the work they do to bring a buyer to a sale, such as arranging showings and helping to tee up and qualify the buyer. Plus, when a seller isn’t working with an agent, the buyer’s agent may end up carrying more of the weight to get the deal to the finish line.

Additional insights: For more details, see our guide on who pays closing costs when selling a house by owner.

Finally, a FSBO sale does not mean that a seller won’t need professional assistance. In Massachusetts, state law mandates that an attorney must be present at the real estate closing. Even if you find a service to get around this closing day requirement, FSBO sales typically warrant legal and professional oversight of some kind to avoid legal risk.

Most people who sell by owner in Massachusetts will hire an attorney to review and prepare their documents and ensure all the paperwork is completed properly, such as the seller’s disclosures. Later in this post, we’ll address what disclosures are required when selling a house in Massachusetts.

from HomeLight Blog https://www.homelight.com/blog/how-to-sell-a-house-by-owner-in-massachusetts/