How to Sell Your House in Washington, DC Without a Realtor (2026)

Updated October 2026. D.C. Code sections, DOEE and DHCD forms and OTR tax dates checked on October 23, 2026.

Yes, you can sell your house in Washington, DC without a realtor. As of October 2026, you give the buyer the seller’s disclosure statement by the time they sign, check whether tenant purchase rules apply, and pay the DC transfer tax: 1.45% on homes of $400,000 or more, or $8,225.85 on a $567,300 home. A flat fee broker can still list you on Bright MLS: Beycome Basic is $99, with $0 at closing.

Jump to: 🪜 Steps · 📍 DC rules · 🏠 Tenants · 💲 Costs · ❓ FAQ

How do you sell a house by owner in DC?

DC works like a small state with city rules on top. The basic path is the same as anywhere. What’s different is a set of District forms, a tenant step if the home is rented, and two deed taxes. Here’s how we’d line it up.

1. Fill out the DC seller’s disclosure statement on the District’s approved form, including the lead water line questions.
2. For a home built before 1978, complete the federal lead form and DOEE’s own DC lead-based paint disclosure.
3. For a single-family house, fill out DOEE’s underground storage tank (UST) disclosure.
4. If a tenant lives there, sort out the TOPA notice before you take offers.
5. Price from recent nearby sales. Our home value calculator gives you a starting range.
6. List on Bright MLS, so buyers’ agents and the big portals see the home.
7. Hand the disclosures to buyers before they sign, then negotiate price, deposit and settlement date.
8. Close with the settlement agent, who records the deed and collects the taxes.

If you’re just starting, read our hub on how to sell a house by owner. Then keep our paperwork checklist and FSBO contract guide close by.

Which MLS do you need in DC?

One: Bright MLS. It covers the District along with Maryland, Northern Virginia and parts of Pennsylvania, so a DC listing reaches agents working the whole region. Beycome lists DC homes on Bright MLS (Beycome internal data, October 2026).

That regional reach matters here. Plenty of DC buyers are also looking across the line. In September 2026, Zillow put the typical value at $567,300 in DC, $536,300 in Silver Spring and $801,800 in Arlington. Our guide to listing on the MLS without a realtor walks through how a flat fee listing works.

What does DC law require from a seller?

The seller’s disclosure statement

Under D.C. Code § 42-1302, you deliver a signed disclosure statement on the form the Mayor approves. It’s due before or at the time the buyer signs the purchase agreement. The law covers homes with one to four units, and only when the buyer says in writing they plan to live there (§ 42-1301).

The form asks about defects you actually know of. Under § 42-1305 that includes water and sewer, insulation, structure and roof, plumbing, electrical and HVAC, pests, appliances and fixtures. DC goes further on water: you report any lead tests on the water supply, lead plumbing, whether the lead service line was replaced and when, and whether DC Water lists the property as having a lead line.

What if you deliver it late?

If the buyer gets the statement after signing, § 42-1302 lets them cancel by written notice within 5 calendar days and get their deposit back. That right ends early at a loan application (if the lender warns them in writing), at settlement or at occupancy. You aren’t liable for things outside your actual personal knowledge (§ 42-1303). If something is unknown, you can say so (§ 42-1304).

Lead paint: two forms, not one

For homes built before 1978, federal rules require the lead-based paint disclosure and the EPA pamphlet, and buyers get a 10-day window to test unless they waive it. DC adds its own DOEE “Lead-Based Paint Disclosure Form for DC Real Estate Sales,” used together with the federal one. DOEE’s form tells owners to keep the signed original for at least 6 years.

Underground storage tanks

DOEE’s UST Real Estate Transfer Disclosure Form says sellers must tell buyers in writing, before the contract, about any tank they know of or know was removed. Sellers of single-family homes fill it out unless the contract has a similar clause with the buyer’s signature. Condo and co-op unit sellers are exempt.

What if your DC home has a tenant?

This is the step most out-of-town sellers miss. DC’s Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA, D.C. Code § 42-3404.02) says an owner must give tenants a chance to buy before selling a rental housing accommodation.

Since July 3, 2018, single-family homes are exempt, according to DHCD’s summary of the TOPA Single-Family Home Exemption Amendment Act. So are single-family homes with an accessory unit, and a single rental unit in a condo, co-op or HOA. There’s a carve-out for some elderly or disabled tenants. Even exempt owners must give tenants notice within three calendar days of soliciting or receiving an offer, and DHCD says that notice is valid for one year.

If your property has two or more rental units, or an elderly or disabled tenant, talk to a DC real estate attorney before you list.

How much does it cost to sell a house in DC?

Here’s the math on $567,300, the typical DC home value in September 2026 (Zillow Home Value Index). Tax rates come from D.C. Code §§ 47-903 and 42-1103, read October 23, 2026.

Under § 47-903(c), the seller is responsible for the transfer tax, and the buyer is liable only if the seller doesn’t pay. For the recordation tax, § 42-1103(c) makes both parties jointly liable, so your contract decides who pays it. Ask your settlement agent how they’ll show it.

The $400,000 line matters. Below it, each tax is 1.1%, so a $399,000 home carries $4,389 in transfer tax. At $567,300, the two taxes together come to $16,451.70. Some first-time DC buyers qualify for a lower 0.725% recordation rate under § 42-1103. That benefit goes to the buyer, not the seller. For a wider look at selling costs, see our 2026 commission guide by state.

Who handles the closing in DC?

A settlement agent: a title company or an attorney acting as settlement agent. They order the title search, pay off your loan, collect the transfer and recordation taxes and send the deed to the Recorder of Deeds. Agree on who chooses the settlement company in your contract. If you want legal advice on the contract or TOPA, hire your own DC attorney.

Do you need a realtor to sell in DC?

No, it’s not required; it’s your choice. Both paths are fair. A listing agent handles pricing, showings, negotiation and the DC paperwork, and you pay for that. Selling yourself, you take those on and keep the fee. The forms and taxes above apply either way.

With Beycome Basic, Artur, our AI assistant, helps you read and answer offers, and you get e-signature, unlimited listing changes and ShowingTime where Bright MLS offers it. Your listing stays up for the maximum the MLS allows**, and you can cancel free* before you’re under contract. Want a person to negotiate while you make every call? Beycome Concierge is $999 through October 31, 2026 (list price $1,399); from November 1, 2026, it’s $1,399. It’s $0 at closing either way.

Buying next? Our buyer program is open to every buyer on homes listed by other agents. Beycome keeps 1% (minimum $1,499) and credits the rest of the buyer-agent commission to you at closing (the commission credit can’t apply where no buyer-agent commission is offered, like most FSBO homes, or on homes listed by Beycome sellers). To get started, visit our Washington, DC flat fee MLS page.

Washington, DC FSBO questions

Reviewed by Beycome Brokerage Realty LLC, licensed real estate brokerage (DC #REO40000533). Licenses: beycome.com/faq/how-to/are-you-a-licensed-broker/.