Updated November 2026. What to do when a buyer is already at the table and no agent is involved, using federal rules from HUD, the EPA, the CFPB and the IRS, all read November 9, 2026. General information, not legal advice.
If you already have a buyer for your house, you don’t need a realtor; it’s your choice. As of November 2026, the job comes down to 6 steps: agree a price, sign a written contract, give disclosures, open escrow, clear title and close. About 36% of Beycome sales in 2026 had a buyer with no agent.
Jump to: 📋 The 6 steps · 💲 Fair price · ⚖️ Rules that still apply · 🔎 Still list it? · 🤝 Getting help · ❓ FAQ
Key takeaways
- A handshake isn’t a sale. Real estate deals need a signed, written contract.
- Let a title or escrow company hold the deposit, even when you trust the buyer.
- Most federal and state seller duties apply no matter how you found the buyer.
- If no agent is involved, there’s no buyer’s agent to pay.
It happens more than people think. The neighbor who always loved the yard. A tenant who wants to stay. A cousin with a preapproval letter. You’ve skipped the hardest part of selling, which is finding someone, and now you’ve got a pile of paperwork and a nagging sense you’re missing something. Here’s the path. If your buyer is a family member or friend, read our guide on selling property privately too.
What do you do if you already have a buyer?
Work through these six steps in order. Each one protects you from a problem that usually shows up later.
- Agree on price and terms. Put down the price, deposit, closing date, what stays in the home and how long the inspection period runs.
- Sign a written contract. Use your state’s standard form if there is one. Our paperwork checklist lists the documents, and a Nolo legal guide can explain unfamiliar terms.
- Hand over your disclosures. Your state’s form, plus the federal lead paint notice for most homes built before 1978.
- Open escrow. A title company or closing attorney holds the deposit. See what escrow does after an offer is signed.
- Clear the title. The search finds liens and old claims. Everyone on the deed needs to be ready to sign.
- Close. The closing office prepares the numbers, records the deed and pays off your mortgage.
Who picks the closing company? You and the buyer, in the contract. Don’t skip title just because you know each other. As the CFPB explains, owner’s title insurance protects the buyer if someone later claims a right to the home from before they bought it. Most lenders require a lender’s policy as well.
Some states expect an attorney at closing. Georgia and South Carolina are two. Our attorney vs title company guide shows who does what.
How do you set a fair price with a buyer you already know?
Use recent sales nearby, not a number that feels friendly. The price still has to hold up if a lender appraises the home. It’s easy to leave money behind when nobody’s competing, and it’s just as easy to overcharge a friend without meaning to.
Start with what your home is worth, then look at three to five sales from the last 90 days. The Federal Housing Finance Agency’s price index is a helpful resource for the wider trend, and industry research from NAR adds the national picture. For a relative or a close friend, consider paying for an independent appraisal that both of you accept. It settles the argument before it starts.
A sale well below market to a family member can have gift tax effects, so ask a tax professional first. On your side, IRS Topic 701 says you may be able to exclude up to $250,000 of gain, or $500,000 on a joint return, if you meet the ownership and use tests. If you get a Form 1099-S, you have to report the sale even when the gain is excludable.
Which legal rules still apply with no realtor involved?
Nearly all of them. No agent means no one else is checking your work. Here’s a quick map:
| Rule | Who it applies to | What you do |
|---|---|---|
| Written contract | Every home sale | Signed by everyone on title and every buyer |
| Known defects | Most sellers, under state law | Fill in your state’s form honestly |
| Lead paint disclosure | Most homes built before 1978 | Share what you know before the contract is signed |
| Fair Housing Act | Owners too, with limited exemptions | Keep ads and terms free of discrimination |
| Closing Disclosure | Buyers with most mortgages | Allow 3 business days before closing |
| Tax reporting | Sellers | Keep the closing statement, and ask about Form 1099-S |
Fair housing surprises people. Under 42 U.S.C. § 3603, some single-family homes sold by an owner are exempt from parts of the law, on conditions. But 42 U.S.C. § 3604(c) still covers discriminatory ads and statements. Choosing a buyer you already know isn’t the issue. Turning people down for a protected reason is. For the disclosure side, see what happens if you don’t disclose something.
If your buyer is getting a mortgage, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has plain guides for them. Tell them to apply now, because the lender’s timeline will run your closing date.
Should you still list the home if you have a buyer?
You don’t have to, and for a clean deal at a fair price you may not need to. A listing makes sense when you aren’t sure about the price or want to see if the market will pay more. It’s also a useful backstop if your buyer’s financing looks shaky.
Sell smarter
List your home on the MLS from $99
A flat fee instead of a percentage, and $0 to Beycome at closing. You stay in control of your sale.
Sell your home →Buy smarter
Get up to 2% back at closing
On homes listed by other agents, Beycome credits you up to 2% of the price at closing (1% kept, $1,499 minimum; not on FSBO homes or homes listed by Beycome sellers).
Buy a home →Being on the major home search sites and the MLS tests your price against real demand. Beycome Basic is from $99 in most states ($129 in California and Illinois). Our fee is earned when the listing is published, so you owe Beycome nothing more at closing, even if the buyer turns out to be the neighbor. Before you list, tell your buyer. It’s a relationship as well as a sale.
NAR’s 2025 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers tracks how sellers and buyers find each other. Beycome’s own number is striking: about 36% of our sales closed in 2026 so far had a buyer with no agent (Beycome internal data, 2026).
What if your buyer wants an agent, or you need help?
If there’s no buyer’s agent, nobody needs paying on that side. Our guide on who pays when the buyer has no agent covers it. If your buyer brings one in later, you decide whether to offer any pay. NAR’s settlement FAQs explain that those offers haven’t appeared on the MLS since August 17, 2024. A free “Compensation Agreement – Seller to Buyer’s Broker” form is in the Legal Forms area of the Beycome dashboard.
Help comes in layers, so take what you need. A lawyer can look at your contract for an hour. Beycome Title can handle the closing in Florida, Texas, Michigan, Ohio, Illinois and Indiana. With a Beycome listing, you get state forms, e-signatures and Artur AI in your dashboard, and on Concierge, an expert works with you whenever you need it, while every decision stays yours. A traditional agent is a fair option too, and we work alongside them every day. So far, 22,000+ have used Beycome, with over $225 million saved (Beycome internal data, October 2026).
Buyer in hand? Get a closing quote from Beycome Title, or see flat fee listing packages if you’d like to test your price first.
Already have a buyer: questions
Can I sell my house without a realtor if I already have a buyer?
Yes. No realtor is required; it’s your choice. You’ll need a written contract, disclosures and a title company or closing attorney to finish the sale.
What paperwork do I need if I already have a buyer?
A purchase contract, state disclosure forms, a lead paint notice for most pre-1978 homes, a deed and a closing statement. Your closing company prepares the last two.
Who should hold the earnest money?
A title company, escrow company or closing attorney. Don’t hold it yourself, since a dispute over it can get messy fast.
Do I need a lawyer to sell to someone I know?
Not in most states. Georgia and South Carolina require an attorney at closing. A short paid review is still sensible for family sales or any unusual terms.
Do I have to pay the buyer’s agent?
No. Offering compensation is your choice, and if your buyer has no agent, there’s no one on that side to pay.
What happens if I don’t disclose a known problem?
The buyer may have a claim against you after closing, depending on state law. Knowing the buyer personally doesn’t change your duty.
Does the Fair Housing Act apply if I sell my own home?
Yes, in part. Some owner sales are exempt from parts of the law under conditions, but discriminatory ads and statements are still barred under 42 U.S.C. § 3604(c).
Prices as of November 2026. Commissions are not set by law or NAR rules and are negotiable. Sellers choose whether to offer buyer-agent compensation, and those offers have not been shown on the MLS since August 17, 2024. The 36% share counts Beycome sales closed in 2026 so far with an unrepresented buyer. Beycome Title operates in Florida, Texas, Michigan, Ohio, Illinois and Indiana. General information, not legal or tax advice; rules vary by state and county.
Sources
- 42 U.S. Code § 3603, Legal Information Institute, read November 9, 2026.
- 42 U.S. Code § 3604, Legal Information Institute, read November 9, 2026.
- HUD, Housing discrimination under the Fair Housing Act, kept from the earlier version of this page.
- EPA, Real estate disclosures about potential lead hazards, read November 9, 2026.
- CFPB, What is owner’s title insurance?, read November 9, 2026.
- IRS, Topic no. 701, Sale of your home, read November 9, 2026.
- NAR, 2025 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers release, read November 9, 2026.
- NAR, Settlement FAQs, read November 9, 2026.
- Beycome internal data, 2026 (share of sales with an unrepresented buyer).
Disclosure & Disclaimer
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