How to Sell a House By Owner in Virginia: Your VA FSBO Guide

Their perception is they’re saving six percent. But really what they’re talking about is the listing agent commission (around 3%). And often the amount that they would make with a listing agent is dramatically more than what they save on the listing agent commission.

Steps to sell a house by owner

Next, let’s review the FSBO process step by step.

1. Prepare your house for sale

Whether you’re selling with an agent or FSBO, you’ll want to get your Virginia home into respectable shape before any showings to increase your chances of receiving a fair price.

Here are a few standard tasks to add to the list.

Indoors

• Declutter floors, shelves, and surfaces throughout the home
• Remove any personal items, such as family photos and school announcements.
• Make small fixes and repairs, like a leaky faucet or broken door handle.
• Lightly update with new light fixtures, faucets, or cabinet hardware.
• Refinish hardwood floors and remove any scatter rugs that are covering them up.
• Repaint bold walls (or those that look dingy) in a neutral color.
• Reduce furniture in crowded rooms — consider a temporary storage unit. Don’t block doors with furniture.
• Stage the home with final touches like fresh-cut flowers or a basket of fresh produce.
• Use rugs to define spaces and place them strategically.
• Deep clean until the house is sparkling.
• Open blinds or drapes to show off a great view and add natural lighting. Replace any dim, blown, or missing bulbs with bright bulbs.

“Closets in Arlington tend to be smaller than what the buyer is looking for. So, I teach my clients to remove half of their clothing because it looks like there’s all this space. Small tricks like this help to put buyers at ease subconsciously,” says Shull.

Outdoors

• Mow the lawn and pull weeds. Green up the grass with winter rye.
• Add seasonal flowers and a nice door wreath.
• Apply fresh mulch liberally. According to Cahoon, red mulch is popular in the Virginia area and looks striking against a light-colored home.
• Upgrade your landscaping. Consider a new walkway, flowerbed, or shrubs.
• Add a fresh coat of exterior paint.
• Install a new garage door if yours is looking old or not working properly.

2. Set a competitive price

You’ve arrived at a critical moment in your FSBO process: setting a listing price. You don’t want to leave money on the table, yet you want to encourage activity on your listing.

Before listing a home, an agent usually conducts a comparative market analysis (CMA). This is a highly-detailed study of “comps” — similar homes nearby that have sold recently, are pending, on the market, or were previously listed but taken off the market. Some may have even been pulled off the market without a sale. Unfortunately, sellers have a hard time pricing their own properties objectively.

“Overpricing is a catastrophic mistake in today’s market because it’s your one chance to make a good first impression. If buyers see that a property has been reduced and reduced again, they think something’s wrong with it. Ultimately, the seller has to reduce to an even lower price. It’s best to price correctly the first time. But houses in the Arlington and northern Virginia area aren’t cookie-cutter. This makes pricing problematic,” warns Shull.

Cahoon agrees and explains that pricing correctly is part of her strategy to getting the best sale price:

“Pricing is a critical reason to hire a real estate agent. For example, what I’m doing is pricing a little bit below the market because the market is changing every single day. And then I list houses on a Thursday, which is the best day. We hold an open house and end up with multiple offers and sell above the list price. For sale by owners are missing the experience necessary to price their home, create that auction effect, and get 110 percent of the list-to-sale value.”

Without an agent, you’ll miss out on the complexity of a full CMA, the know-how to interpret it, and the expert strategy to get top dollar on your property sale.

However, with a little time and money, you can set a competitive price yourself.

Conduct your own “CMA Lite”

It’s time to roll up your sleeves and research.

Start with an online home value estimate

As a starting point, look at several online estimators for your home’s value. HomeLight’s Home Value Estimator aggregates publicly available data such as tax records and assessments, your home’s last sale price, and recent sales records for other properties in the same neighborhood.

We also add a new layer of information to our estimates using a short questionnaire. Tell us a few details about your Virginia home, such as:

• How much work does it need?
• What type of home is it (single-family, condo, townhouse, or other)?
• Roughly when was your house built?
• Are you planning to sell soon?

Using these insights, we’ll provide you with a preliminary estimate of home value in under two minutes.

Whether you use Zillow, Chase, Realtor, or Redfin to get a home value estimate, think of any online home price tool as a first step (not your only source of truth) — and recognize that the data used may be limited.

Narrowly filter your search for comps

When you’re ready to find comps, you can choose from sites like Zillow, Trulia, Redfin, or Realtor.

You’ll want to filter your searches to the area very near your house (within blocks if possible) and with similar characteristics. If you’re not finding any comps, expand your search map.

You’ll also want to filter results by details like:

• Listing status (look at recently sold, pending, and active)
• Number of bedrooms
• Number of bathrooms
• Square footage
• Home type (single-family, condo, etc.)

Beyond the above criteria, the more houses you find with floor plans and an age similar to yours, the better.

Use a site like Zillow to collect your data

As an example, let’s take a look at how to filter your search for comps on Zillow.

• Navigate to Zillow.
• Type in your Virginia address. If a pop-up with your home’s specs appears, close it with the “X” on the top right (or sometimes you must click “Back to search” on the top left).
• Filter by “sold.” Yellow dots should appear on the map surrounding your house, and you will see all the recently sold homes on the right.

• Now, filter by the number of bedrooms and bathrooms and check the box “Use exact match.”

• Next, filter by home type.

• Next, select the “More” box. Here, you can specify square footage, lot size, and year built.
• While still in the “More” filter box, scroll down and select to view houses that sold in the last 30 days. If you find there are not many results in your area, try expanding to 90 days. However, the further back you go, the less relevant the comps.

• If necessary, click the plus or minus buttons to widen the search area.
• Once you’ve collected data for sold houses, revise or restart the search to view active and pending listings, as well.

Invest in an appraisal

If you want to reduce guesswork further, top agents recommend paying an appraiser to provide a professional opinion of value for your home. An appraiser will combine recent property data, research of the surrounding market, and information collected from a walkthrough of your home to determine an appraised value. For a single-family home, an appraisal will likely cost $300 to $550 — well worth it to avoid possibly over- or underpricing your house by thousands.

Make sense of the research

Compare your home’s features against the nearby comps you collected. Hopefully, the houses you studied give an indication of an appropriate price range for your home. From there, you can make dollar adjustments based on characteristics that add value (patios, curb appeal, an extra bedroom) versus detracting from it (a busy street, deferred maintenance, less square footage).

Consider the differences and similarities of comps with the appraised value of your home to choose a price that will encourage activity (too high and it may seem out of reach to many buyers) but will also maximize your profit.

3. Photograph your home

Listing photos are powerful, either pulling in buyers for showings or keeping them away.

To give your listing an edge, consider hiring an experienced real estate photographer. While they may charge as much as $100 to $200 an hour, this could be one of the most important things you do to sell your home.

But if you do go the DIY route, make sure to:

• Use a good camera with a wide-angle lens.
• Pay attention to lighting.
• Include a photo of every room.
• Take multiple pictures of living areas, kitchens, and bathrooms.
• Try shooting different angles.

Review our guide on how to take quality real estate photos for further guidance.

4. Create a detailed, compelling listing

Along with stellar photos, you’ll want to craft an informative and compelling listing. Leverage both the listing description (a paragraph or two highlighting key features) and the property details to show potential buyers all about your home and what makes it desirable.

Tell a story with your description

Draw in potential buyers with a powerful listing description that tells a story about your Virginia house, including details like:

• Your home’s most unique and desirable features, like a breakfast nook or sunroom
• Recent upgrades like a kitchen or bathroom remodel or new roof or HVAC system
• High-end appliances, materials, or finishes
• Outdoor features like a pool or patio
• Neighborhood features and amenities
• Nearby parks, walking trails, restaurants, and attractions

If your home has features buyers are looking for, it’s a good idea to play those up. Virginia buyers lean toward an open kitchen, a lot of sunlight, a sizable master bedroom suite, and a huge backyard.

Don’t skimp on the property details

Aside from writing the description, you may be prompted to enter information like:

• Age of the home
• Square footage
• Architectural style (i.e. split-level, rancher, craftsman)
• Appliances included
• Exterior building materials
• Flooring types
• HOA fees
• School zone information
• Lot size

Many real estate agents and potential buyers really do read this “fine print” on your listing — so include accurate details, and plenty of them.

5. List your home online

It’s finally time to post your Virginia home online. While you can create FSBO listings for free on popular search sites, you’d have to painstakingly post site by site, and your listing wouldn’t reach the majority of buyers and agents

To give your home the most exposure, pay to have your home put on your local MLS (multiple listing service) — a platform agents use to share properties with one another and major real estate sites. Posting there will feed your listing to buyers’ agent databases and to common sites buyers use.

Only licensed real estate agents and brokers who are MLS members can post to the MLS. However, you have two options to gain access: paying an agent to post for you or using a FSBO platform online.

Pay an agent to list your home on the MLS

A local agent may be willing to list your house on the MLS for a flat fee, without any other involvement in your real estate transaction. If you decide to go this route, ask whether the fee includes updating your listing if necessary.

Use a FSBO platform with an MLS option

You can use various paid websites to list your Virginia house online as “for sale by owner.” These sites offer packages ranging from about $100 to $400 for just a listing, or a larger flat fee of $3,000 to $5,000 that includes any number of additional professional marketing services.

Some of these companies display their rates on their websites, but others won’t quote a fee until you input your address or select an area of the country. A few examples include:

• ISoldMyHouse.com
• FSBO.com
• Houwzer
• Clever Real Estate
• Homie Real Estate
• Assist-2-Sell
• Help-U-Sell

It’s important to note that most of these companies serve FSBO sellers nationwide, which can cause challenges if the assisting representatives don’t understand the local market trends in your Virginia neighborhood.

Whatever you choose, read the fine print carefully: some sites may have hidden fees or even take a percentage off your sale — a detour you’d rather avoid on the FSBO route.

Not willing to pay for the MLS?

If you’re determined to save money by forgoing the MLS, creating a free FSBO listing on Zillow might be your top option. You can post a video and unlimited photos, and get fairly wide exposure via Zillow and the Zillow-owned Trulia.

6. Market your home

Now it’s time to spread the word about your Virginia home.

Experienced agents like Shull and Cahoon know that posting a home on the MLS is just the beginning of the marketing phase. A successful home sale requires a deliberate and targeted marketing plan to reach the right buyers and attract the best offers.

Sellers get valuable marketing exposure from a real estate agent, explains Cahoon. FSBOs must market their property to compete with homes that are selling with the benefit of the “door knocking, the calling, the open houses, the international listings on broker sites, the door hangers, and the mailers.”  These are critical marketing tactics agents use to maximize exposure.

Here are some of the steps you can take to market your home:

Place a nice FSBO sign by the road

Consider getting a custom yard sign rather than purchasing a generic one you write on with Sharpie. You can order a custom sign on a site like Vistaprint with your contact information, plus a stand, for as little as $25 plus shipping. Note that some MLS providers may have rules about whether you can post a FSBO yard sign while your home is on the MLS.

Share on social media

Share your home across social media — and ask your friends to share, too.

Hold an open house

Try these strategies for a successful open house event:

• Share details on Facebook and Nextdoor.
• Update your MLS listing with the open house details (if you’re able to as part of paying the flat fee), or update your DIY FSBO listing.
• Place open house signs at nearby intersections.
• Tidy up the house before potential buyers come through.
• Pass out info sheets with the address, bullet points about the house, your contact info, and perhaps one photo.
• If you can, collect visitors’ info — then follow up later to ask if they have any questions.

Find more expert tips for how to hold an open house at this link.

7. Manage showings

If your marketing is successful, your next step will be to show the home to prospective buyers. Welcome to the busiest phase of the home sale process. Some FSBO sellers switch to an agent because they underestimate the time, energy, and expertise needed to manage this crucial step.

To manage the logistics of showings:

• Respond to inquiries ASAP.
• Set end times if you need to fit many showings in one day. This will also create a sense of demand and urgency for buyers to place offers.
• Remove or secure valuables.
• Make sure the home is clean and tidy for showings.
• Follow up with buyers’ agents after showings to get their feedback.

Should you be present for showings?

If you’d rather not be present for every showing, consider using a lockbox with a code to let buyers’ agents enter the house. This is standard industry practice among agents. To ensure you’re working with someone legitimate, use Google or sites like arello.com to check their real estate license number.

With unrepresented buyers, plan to be on the property for the showing. During a showing, we recommend you:

• Point out a few highlights of the house.
• Let buyers look without hovering.
• Be prepared to answer questions.
• Avoid the temptation to tell all — let the house and listing do the talking.

8. Evaluate offers, negotiate a deal, and make disclosures

You’ve got your first offer — congratulations! Before signing anything, know that a written offer becomes a purchase agreement – a binding contract –  the moment you sign it.

Here are key considerations when considering an offer on your Virginia home:

• Vet potential buyers by requiring a mortgage pre-approval letter or proof of funds.
• Require everything in writing.
• Remember, you can counter-offer and negotiate.
• Look for a good real estate attorney. (See the next step!)

Property condition disclosure

According to Cahoon, the state of Virginia is a “buyer beware” state that employs the “Caveat Emptor” rule. This rule states that it is the buyer’s responsibility to discover if there are any issues with the home.

The Caveat Emptor rule doesn’t protect the seller from liability if issues with the home are discovered after the sale. When legal disputes come up, courts tend to side with the buyer who has less knowledge of the property condition than the seller.

The Caveat Emptor rule also does not protect the seller if the seller deliberately provides false information about anything important that has happened in the home. This includes when crucial information is held back, or if the seller misrepresents the facts about any significant defects within the home or property.

According to the Virginia Residential Property Disclosure Act (§ 55.1-700), the owner of a residential home must furnish to a purchaser a residential property disclosure statement for the buyer to beware of certain matters that may affect the buyer’s decision to purchase the property.

The disclosure statement is provided by the Virginia Real Estate Board and includes a list of declarations that start with: “The owner makes no representations with respect to…” The statement advises the purchaser to exercise whatever due diligence the buyer deems necessary to vet out any issues in 17 categories that include:

1. The condition of the real property
2. Lot lines or the ability to expand, improve, or add structures
3. Matters that pertain to adjacent parcels, including zoning and uses
4. Provisions of any historic district ordinances that may apply
5. Whether the property contains any resource protection areas
6. Information about registered sexual offenders
7. Whether the property is within a dam break inundation zone
8. Presence and condition of the wastewater system
9. Rights to install or use solar energy collection devices
10. If the property is in a flood hazard area or requires flood insurance
11. If the property is subject to one or more conservation or other easements
12. Whether the property is subject to a community development authority
13. Whether the property is located on or near deposits of marine clays
14. Whether the property is located in Radon Zones as defined by the EPA
15. Whether the property is fitted with plumbing that may contain lead
16. The existence of defective drywall on the property
17. The condition or status of any impounding structure or dam on the property

The Virginia law also governs what information owners must disclose to prospective buyers in the form of affirmative written disclosures. This includes statements about properties with:

• Proximity to a military air installation
• Pending building code or zoning ordinance violations
• Lis Pendens filed (suit pending)
• History of previous methamphetamine manufacture activities
• Privately owned stormwater management facilities
• Repetitive risk loss
• Septic systems, and must show the validity of operating permits

Home sellers must provide the signed disclosure to the buyer before accepting the purchase offer and signing a purchase agreement.

To set buyers at ease, Cahoon gives her sellers a homework sheet.

“It’s an opportunity to list any upgrades, to let buyers know you replaced the roof, updated the HVAC or the water heater, put in new hardwood floors. The more information you can provide about the home, the better. Maybe the crawl space has been encapsulated. Maybe you have a termite contract. Or you’ve recently painted, put down new carpeting, and upgraded the padding. It’s important to let the buyer know that the house has been well taken care of.“

Whether required by law or not, some sellers may prefer to provide disclosures before an offer has even been presented so that a prospective buyer is more informed beforehand and less likely to withdraw from a deal later on.

If in doubt about a problem with the home’s condition, most top real estate agents would recommend you disclose it. If you know of an issue and choose not to disclose a major problem, and that defect is later discovered, you could be liable for damage or subsequent costs.

9. Close the sale — with professional help

Time to button up that deal.

While some states require that FSBO sellers hire a real estate lawyer to help close their sale, Virginia does not.

However, it’s still a good idea to invest in the services of an experienced attorney as you close one of the biggest and most complex deals of your life. By doing so, you’ll minimize your legal and financial risk, simplify the process for yourself, and help secure the success of your sale.

Real estate attorney fees can vary depending on location and how much help you want or need. In Virginia, they generally range from $203 to $464 and average $351 per hour — well worth it for professional guidance in closing one of life’s largest legal transactions.