A for sale by owner (FSBO) is a property sold by the owner without the assistance of a Realtor. Generally, homeowners save as much as 5 percent to 6 percent in real estate commissions and sometimes pass some savings onto the buyer. Buyers can find these listings on FSBO-specific sites as well as more traditional sites like Zillow. There are numerous options available as contenders for the best for sale by owner sites.
Top 11 Best For Sale by Owner Sites
| FSBO Site | Best For |
|---|---|
| For Sale by Owner | FSBO-specific listings on a leading FSBO website |
| FSBO.com | FSBO buyers and sellers looking for a FSBO-specific site similar to For Sale by Owner |
| Fizber | Smaller FSBO-specific site with a free basic listing package |
| Owners.com | FSBO-specific listings on a FSBO site comparable to Fizber |
| Zillow & Trulia | Best overall non-FSBO-specific website that also offers specific FSBO listings |
| Redfin | Those looking for a general real estate listing site similar to Zillow for their FSBO |
| HomeFinder.com | Another non-FSBO-specific listing site with a section for residential FSBO buyers and sellers |
| eBay | Best overall auction website that allows for the buying and selling of FSBOs |
| Craigslist | FSBO buyers and sellers who are looking for a stripped-down listing site with a large reach |
| LoopNet | Another general listing site option that allows for FSBO listings |
| Those looking to list their FSBO on a large social network with a marketplace and advertising |
How We Determined the Best FSBO Sites
To determine the best for sale by owner sites, we looked at a variety of factors including how much it costs to list your property on the site as well as what features the site has, such as easy search functionality and interior and exterior photos. We also looked at the general traffic on each site.
Although you may think that Zillow would be the top place to list and look for FSBOs since it has the widest network, we recommend that buyers and sellers first use an FSBO-specific site and then expand their reach to all other applicable sites, including Zillow. The rationale behind this is that investors who buy FSBOs often visit FSBO-specific sites since there’s less competition and they feel like they can get a better deal by negotiating directly with the homeowner. On the contrary, Zillow attracts more owner-occupant buyers who are working with their own Realtors.
We researched the best for sale by owner sites and determined the top ones by using the following criteria:
- Cost to use the site
- Site features
- Traffic on the site
- Types of properties the site lists
- Areas the sites serve (we only included nationwide or mostly nationwide sites)
After compiling a list of the best for sale by owner sites, we recommend listing your property on all of them to gain the most market exposure. Since you’re saving money on real estate commissions, you might as well spend the money to list your property on every site including non-FSBO sites like Zillow. Some of the sites are free and some offer listing packages that range from $99 to more than $495, which is significantly cheaper than a 5 to 6 percent real estate commission.
By the same token, buyers of FSBOs should also leverage all available sites. The reason for this is that if sellers are trying to leverage the widest network by listing on multiple sites, you can increase your chances of finding the right FSBO for your situation. Therefore, both buyers and sellers should use an FSBO-specific site if money or time is an issue and all of the sites if not.
For more information on how to find, finance and purchase FSBOs check out our in-depth FSBO guide.
Top FSBO Sites
Out of the 11 sites on our list, four sites are exclusively for FSBO properties, like FSBO.com. The remaining sites on our list are used for FSBOs as well as properties listed with a Realtor, rentals, auction items and foreclosures. For example, Zillow is one of the top real estate sites that list Realtor’s listings, rentals and FSBOs.
The 11 best for sale by owner sites are:
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can I List My Property on the MLS Without Using a Realtor?
You can’t list your house yourself on the MLS. However, you can either hire a Realtor or a company that charges a fee to list your property on the MLS for you. Some of these companies refer to themselves as “flat-fee brokerages.”
Can You List Your Property for Sale on Trulia Without Using a Realtor?
Yes, you can and you will be directed to Zillow’s site since Zillow acquired Trulia. Then, you should go to the “For Sale by Owner” section, which is free for buyers and sellers.
What is the Best Website to Sell Your House?
If you’re not using a Realtor, it’s best to list your house on as many of the best for sale by owner sites as your budget and time allow. I recommend listing on each of the sites on our list. Even by paying to list your home on multiple sites, you’re still saving money since you’re not paying a Realtor’s commission. Generally, the more exposure your property gets, the more likely it is that you will receive an offer.
Bottom Line
Selling your house as an FSBO can be a long, time-consuming process but, if accomplished, can save you thousands of dollars in real estate commissions. We recommend listing your property on as many FSBO sites as your time and budget allows. If you’re buying an investment property, we recommend checking out the properties on the best for sale by owner sites like FSBO.com first since you can usually negotiate more with an FSBO than with a property listed with a Realtor.
Jim
I would also recommend joining a platform (I have used something called eBuyHouse.com myself) to help you process the paper work and other things when buying a home from a private seller. Right now eBuyHouse is free to use
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Jim,
Thanks for sharing that free resource with our readers.
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John Hensley
Surprised to not find 4salebyowner.com or xome.com on this list.
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Hi John:
Thanks for your comments. It sounds like you know about for sale by owner sites, so we will review your suggestions and consider adding them when we update our article. Keep checking out our site for fresh real estate investing and other small business content.
All the best,
Allison
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