If you’re wondering how to sell without a REALTOR® in Fredericton, you’re not alone. Some homeowners are tempted by the idea of saving on commission fees by going the “For Sale By Owner” (FSBO) route.
While it can be done, selling privately comes with its own set of responsibilities, challenges, and risks. Before making your decision, it’s important to understand what’s involved.
Step 1: Pricing Your Home Accurately
Setting the right price is one of the most critical parts of selling your home. If you’re going to sell without the expertise of a REALTOR® in Fredericton, you’ll need to do your own market research, analyze comparable sales, and determine a fair asking price. It’s a delicate balance: price too high, and your home may sit on the market; price too low, and you could leave money behind.
Step 2: Marketing and Exposure
When selling privately, you’ll be responsible for getting the word out. This may include yard signs, online classifieds, paid social media ads, and reaching out to your personal network. While some FSBO services offer to list your property on MLS for a fee, remember—the marketing and presentation of your home will be up to you.
Step 3: Showings and Negotiations
You’ll need to schedule and host all showings yourself—answering questions, highlighting your home’s features, and managing feedback. If an interested buyer is working with a REALTOR® (which many are), you’ll be negotiating directly with a professional negotiator.
It’s also important to understand purchase agreements, conditional offers, and clauses—areas that require a strong grasp of contracts and legal language.
Step 4: Managing the Paperwork and Deadlines
Selling a home involves more than just signing a sales agreement. You’ll need to handle disclosures, inspections, amendment requests, and closing documents—each with strict timelines and legal obligations.
Step 5: Legal Compliance and Risk
Disclosure laws, contract laws, and real estate regulations exist to protect both buyers and sellers. When selling privately, you’re responsible for understanding and meeting these requirements. Missteps—even unintentional ones—could lead to disputes or legal challenges.
About FSBO Listing Services
There are companies that offer MLS posting services—for a fee (often $2,000 or more)—to get your home listed without full REALTOR® representation. While this increases exposure, it’s important to understand that:
- You’re still responsible for all showings, negotiations, and transaction management.
- You’ll likely still pay a buyer’s agent commission if the buyer is represented.
- You’ll need to coordinate with your lawyer, who can help with paperwork—but not with staging, pricing advice, marketing strategy, negotiation tactics, or buyer management.
Many sellers find that by the time they pay for listing services, legal support, marketing expenses, and potential buyer commissions, the cost savings aren’t as significant as expected—especially when factoring in the added stress and time commitment.
A Note About Working with a REALTOR®
If all of the above sounds like a lot to manage, you’re right—it is. That’s where working with a trusted REALTOR® can make a world of difference. A REALTOR® brings:
- Expert pricing strategies based on local market trends
- Staging and sale preparation advice
- Professional marketing and MLS exposure
- Skilled negotiation to protect your interests
- Full transaction management and compliance support
- A network of trusted professionals to help ensure a smooth closing
For many homeowners, the experience, protection, and peace of mind a REALTOR® provides far outweigh the potential savings of going it alone. Plus, the right REALTOR® can often get you more for your home and offset the cost of hiring a professional.
Final Thoughts
You now have some idea of what it takes to sell without a REALTOR® in Fredericton, but you’ve also learned that it requires significant effort, organization, and risk management.
Whether you choose to sell privately or work with a professional, the most important thing is making an informed decision that aligns with your goals—and your peace of mind.
If you’d like to talk through your options or simply have questions about the Fredericton real estate market, I’m always here to help.
Tim Clancy, REALTOR®
Serving Fredericton and surrounding areas, as well as Washademoak Lake, Grand Lake and beyond.
timclancy.ca
Giving back with every sale through Keys 4 Kindness
