Paperwork for selling a house by owner in Atlanta, Georgia
When selling a house FSBO (for sale by owner) in Atlanta, also known as a “direct sale,” the seller doesn’t hire a real estate agent. Instead, the owner takes on all the work and responsibilities of an agent. The work can be considerable.
Among the extensive responsibilities involved are: researching to determine the listing price, marketing the house, finding and hiring a good photographer for property photos, house staging, conducting open houses and showings, and negotiations.
Knowing, understanding, finding, and filling out the legal documents required to sell a house are essential steps throughout all of these stages. Missing or faulty documents could be disastrous while selling and afterward. The Atlanta house seller is liable and held accountable by law.
Which real estate documents and forms are needed to sell FSBO in Atlanta?
Paperwork for selling a house by owner in Atlanta can be extensive, depending on your situation and the condition and history of your property. Legal documents required to sell a house can include a property survey, permits from previous work done on the house, loan documents, property tax bills, HOA agreements and laws, a property title, termite letter, disclosure letter, lead-paint disclosure letter (if the house was built before 1978), certificate of title, earnest money form, closing documents, deed, and any appropriate warranties, etc.
In Georgia, an attorney must handle the closing of a house sale.
Some real estate documents can be downloaded from the internet, printed, and filled out by the house seller. If you join an FSBO organization, they can send you free paperwork for selling a house by owner.
For sale by owner in Atlanta: expenses
Most people in Atlanta who decide to sell a house for sale by owner do so to avoid paying a real estate agent commission, which is usually 5%–6%. However, keep in mind that any buyer’s agent needs to be paid commission, which is typically 2%–3% of the sale price of the house. Real estate agents who are working with a potential buyer won’t show your house if you don’t agree to pay them commissions.
For sale by owner Atlanta sellers who want their houses listed on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) will need to pay for that listing service as well. Other expenses include preparing your house for sale, paying a photographer for pictures of your property, marketing, staging your house, and more.
Avoid paying real estate agent commissions and prepping your house for market.
An increasingly popular way to sell a house in Atlanta is to sell off-market to the reputable cash home buyer HomeVestors®. The benefits of selling this way include a fast sale, fair cash offer, no need to prep your house for market (we buy “as is”), no commissions or hidden fees, and no marketing or intrusive house showings. We’ll take care of the paperwork and ensure you have a smooth transaction. HomeVestors pays all typical closing costs, as well.
Selling to HomeVestors® is stress-free. Simply contact us to book a consultation with one of our friendly, local Atlanta area property specialists for a free, no-obligation consultation. We’ll meet at your house, take a tour, and answer all your questions. We can often give you a fair cash offer immediately. If you accept our offer, you can look forward to closing in as little as 3 weeks, or take longer if it’s more convenient for you.
We enjoy making our sellers happy, and it shows in our amazing and our 95%* satisfaction rate. In business since 1996, we’ve bought more than 140,000 houses, and in each purchase, the satisfaction of our sellers has been our #1 priority. We value the homeowners who entrust us with their houses and understand that each situation and each house is unique, and we tailor the process to suit.
Give us a call at 866-200-6475 or use our online form to learn more about why selling your house directly to us may be a better choice for you than going the route of for sale by owner in Atlanta.