Updated November 2026. For Savannah and Chatham County owners selling without a listing agent. Tax and closing rules were read on the Georgia Department of Revenue site and the Supreme Court of Georgia’s 2003 opinion on October 26, 2026.
Yes, you can sell your Savannah home without a realtor. It’s legal, and it’s your choice. As of October 2026, the typical Savannah-area home is worth $340,200, down 2.7% in a year (Zillow ZHVI, September 2026). Georgia’s transfer tax on that price is about $340, and a Georgia attorney must handle the closing.
To reach buyers’ agents, list your Savannah home with Beycome for $99 on Savannah MLS and Georgia MLS, with $0 to Beycome at closing. The 8 steps are below.
Jump to: 💲 Savannah costs · 🤝 Attorney closing · 📍 Savannah rules · 🪜 Steps · ❓ FAQ
Key takeaways
- Georgia’s transfer tax is $1 for the first $1,000 and 10 cents per $100 after that; the seller is liable unless the contract shifts it.
- The Supreme Court of Georgia held in 2003 that only a Georgia attorney may close a real estate sale or prepare the deed and oversee its signing.
- In the Savannah Historic District, any exterior change visible from the street or lane needs a Certificate of Appropriateness.
- Beycome lists Savannah homes on Savannah MLS and Georgia MLS (Beycome internal data, October 2026).
What does it cost to sell a Savannah home without an agent?
Without a listing agent, there’s no listing commission. Georgia’s transfer tax stays. The Georgia Department of Revenue sets it at $1 for the first $1,000 of the price and 10 cents for each extra $100. The seller is liable for it, though the department notes that parties often agree in the contract that the buyer pays. The tax is paid to the clerk of superior court with the PT-61 form when the deed is recorded.
| Sale price | Georgia transfer tax | Example 3% buyer-agent offer |
|---|---|---|
| $250,000 | $250 | $7,500 |
| $329,100 (typical Georgia home) | $329.10 | $9,873 |
| $340,200 (typical Savannah-area home) | $340.20 | $10,206 |
| $500,000 | $500 | $15,000 |
The 3% column is an example only. Commissions are not set by law or NAR rules and are fully negotiable. Sellers choose whether to offer any buyer-agent compensation, and how much. Since August 17, 2024, those offers can’t be shown on the MLS, per NAR.
Budget for the closing attorney’s fee as well, plus your share of prorated property taxes and any payoff costs on your loan. Ask for the attorney’s fee in writing before you sign.
Who closes a home sale in Georgia?
A Georgia attorney. In its 2003 decision approving UPL Advisory Opinion 2003-2, the Supreme Court of Georgia agreed that only a licensed Georgia attorney may prepare a deed of conveyance or oversee its signing. The court said a lawyer can’t hand off responsibility for a closing to a non-lawyer and must be physically present for the deed signing.
In practice, the closing attorney usually holds the earnest money, runs the title search, prepares the deed and settlement statement, and records the sale. The contract can name the closing attorney, so agree on one early. If your buyer is financing, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau explains the loan and closing papers they’ll see.
Beycome Title doesn’t close in Georgia. Beycome Title closes in Florida, Texas, Michigan, Ohio, Illinois and Indiana.
What Savannah rules should sellers know?
Historic district permits
Downtown Savannah is a protected historic district, and that comes with rules. The Metropolitan Planning Commission’s instructions say all exterior changes visible from the public right-of-way, including lanes, within the Savannah Historic District need a Certificate of Appropriateness. If you plan pre-sale work on a downtown home, like new windows, a fence or paint on brick, check first. Buyers will ask whether past work was approved.
Older homes and lead paint
Check your year built. For homes built before 1978, federal law requires a lead-based paint disclosure and the EPA pamphlet before the buyer signs. Buyers also get a 10-day window to test for lead, unless both sides agree in writing to change it.
Disclosures and the contract
Put what you know about the home in writing on a seller’s property disclosure statement, and answer buyer questions honestly. A standard Georgia purchase and sale agreement, reviewed by your attorney, keeps deadlines clear. Our guide to drafting a FSBO contract in Georgia explains each clause, and our statewide guide to selling a Georgia home without a realtor covers the rest of the state.
How do you sell a house without a realtor in Savannah?
- Price it from recent sold homes in your neighborhood, whether that’s the Historic District, Ardsley Park or the islands. Our home value tool is a quick start.
- Check permits and approvals for past work, especially downtown.
- Fix what an inspector will flag, clean, and take bright, wide photos.
- List it where buyers’ agents search: Savannah MLS and Georgia MLS.
- Book showings and ask for a pre-approval letter or proof of funds.
- Compare offers on price, earnest money, due diligence period, financing and closing date.
- Sign the contract and send it to the closing attorney.
- Close at the attorney’s office: sign the deed, pay the transfer tax and hand over the keys.
How do you get on the Savannah MLS without a realtor?
Only licensed brokers can enter MLS listings, and it matters: NAR’s 2025 profile found 92% of buyers of existing homes used an agent, and agents put homes on the MLS first (85%). A flat fee broker lists you while you keep running the sale.
Listing a home on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) in Savannah, GA with Beycome starts at $99, with $0 to Beycome at closing, the most photos the MLS allows and the longest term the state and MLS allow. You get e-signature, unlimited listing changes and ShowingTime where the MLS offers it. Cancel free, except Georgia MLS’s mandatory $25 fee; listings under contract can’t be canceled. About 36% of Beycome sales closed in 2026 had a buyer with no agent (Beycome internal data, 2026).
Read our step-by-step guide to listing your Savannah home on the MLS by owner, and compare options in our Savannah flat fee MLS rankings. All plans are on our Flat Fee MLS page, and the full FSBO toolkit is in our For Sale by Owner guide.
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 →Want experts to negotiate with you, always on your side, while you stay in control of every decision? Beycome Concierge is $1,399. Support is 7 days a week, Artur AI 24/7.
Do you need a realtor to sell in Savannah?
No, it’s not required; it’s your choice. An agent handles pricing, marketing, showings and negotiation for a fee. Selling yourself means you take on those jobs and keep the fee. If you’d like to see the agent route laid out, our guide to selling your home with a realtor explains it step by step. For the by-owner route, see our Savannah FSBO guide. Moving up the coast or inland? Compare selling FSBO in Atlanta and listing an Atlanta home on the MLS.
Buying your next home?
Beycome’s buyer program in Savannah is open to every buyer on homes listed by other agents, with no upfront fee. We keep 1% of the price (minimum $1,499) and credit the rest of the buyer-agent commission at closing, with lender approval. The credit can’t apply where no buyer-agent commission is offered, like most FSBO homes, or on homes listed by Beycome sellers.
Frequently asked questions about selling a home without a realtor in Savannah, GA
Can I sell my house without a realtor in Savannah, GA?
Yes. It’s legal and it’s your choice. You price, list and show the home, and a Georgia attorney closes the sale. The transfer tax is about $1 per $1,000 of the price.
How do I price my home accurately?
Use recent sold prices of similar homes in your Savannah neighborhood, not list prices. The typical Savannah-area home was worth $340,200 in September 2026, but streets and districts vary a lot.
Is listing on the MLS necessary?
No, it’s optional. But most buyers use an agent, and agents search Savannah MLS and Georgia MLS first, so a listing there reaches the most buyers.
What are some effective marketing strategies?
An MLS listing that feeds the big portals Savannah buyers search, strong photos, a clear price, quick replies to showing requests, and a sign. Downtown homes sell on character, so show the details.
Can I still get professional help if needed?
Yes. You can hire a closing attorney, a photographer or a flat fee broker, or choose Beycome Concierge, where experts negotiate with you, always on your side, and you keep every decision.
How do I handle negotiations directly with buyers?
Answer offers in writing with a counter and recent sales that back your number. Look at the whole offer: earnest money, due diligence period and closing date, not just price.
What paperwork is required for a sale?
A written purchase and sale agreement, a seller’s disclosure statement, the lead paint form for most pre-1978 homes, and the deed and PT-61 form the closing attorney prepares.
Are there closing costs involved?
Yes. Expect the Georgia transfer tax (about $340 on a $340,200 sale) unless the buyer agrees to pay it, the attorney’s fee, prorated taxes and your loan payoff.
Transfer tax rate from the Georgia Department of Revenue (O.C.G.A. 48-6-1 to 48-6-10). Attorney closing rule from In re UPL Advisory Opinion 2003-2 (Supreme Court of Georgia, 2003). Historic district rule from the Savannah MPC’s Certificate of Appropriateness instructions. Home values are Zillow’s ZHVI for September 2026; sale prices in the table are examples.
Commissions are not set by law or by NAR rules and are fully negotiable. Sellers choose whether to offer any compensation to a buyer’s agent, and how much; since August 17, 2024, those offers can’t be shown on the MLS.
Beycome prices as of November 2026: Basic $99 in Georgia; Concierge $1,399. “$0 at closing” means no Beycome fee at closing; transfer tax, attorney fees and any agreed buyer-agent compensation still apply. Listing term: the maximum the state and MLS allow. ShowingTime where the MLS offers it. Cancel free, except Georgia MLS’s mandatory $25 fee; listings under contract can’t be canceled; no refund once live.
Buyer program: no upfront fee; Beycome keeps 1% of the price, minimum $1,499, and credits the rest at closing, subject to the compensation offered and lender approval. Not available on FSBO homes or homes listed by Beycome sellers. Beycome Title: Florida, Texas, Michigan, Ohio, Illinois and Indiana. General information, not legal advice.
Sources
- Georgia Department of Revenue, real estate transfer tax, read October 26, 2026.
- Supreme Court of Georgia, In re UPL Advisory Opinion 2003-2 (2003), read October 26, 2026.
- Savannah MPC, Historic District Board of Review application instructions, read October 26, 2026.
- EPA, real estate lead disclosures, read October 26, 2026.
- Zillow Research, Zillow Home Value Index, September 2026, snapshot read October 26, 2026.
- NAR, 2025 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, read October 26, 2026.
- NAR, what the settlement means for buyers and sellers, read October 26, 2026.
- Beycome, listing package features, October 2026.
Disclosure & Disclaimer
Beycome provides real estate services through affiliated licensed brokerages and has a commercial interest in the services and business models discussed on this blog. Content reflects Beycome’s perspective and may promote our services; it should not be treated as independent or neutral reporting.
Articles are provided for general informational and educational purposes only, not as financial, tax, legal, or investment advice or a recommendation for your particular situation. Reading this blog does not create a brokerage, advisory, or other professional relationship.
Information, opinions, pricing, service descriptions, and comparisons reflect the sources and information available when an article was published or last updated and may change. Although we aim for accuracy, we do not guarantee that all content is complete, current, or applicable to your circumstances. Laws, market conditions, and service availability vary by location. Examples and estimated savings are illustrative, depend on stated assumptions, and do not guarantee individual results.
Verify relevant information directly and consult qualified professionals before making decisions. Beycome services are subject to applicable agreements, eligibility requirements, and state-specific terms.
