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Posted on 12/21/2025 11:59:37 PM PST by where's_the_Outrage?
Getting The Brush-Off
You’re searching for a home, scanning listings, barely able to contain your excitement; but your realtor seems to brush off every inquiry you make about a For Sale By Owner (FSBO) property. He keeps insisting that they’re “not worth the time,” but you somehow can’t shake the feeling he’s protecting his commission, not your interests. Here’s how FSBOs actually work and what options you have when an agent ignores them.
What FSBO Listings Really Are
FSBO homes are properties sold directly by the homeowners without the involvement of a listing agent. Sellers skip the listing commission but are usually willing to pay a buyer’s agent commission. This means your agent still gets paid. Understanding this part of the equation matters because it undermines the notion that FSBOs are somehow problematic or unworkable for buyers.
Why Some Realtors Dislike FSBO Homes
FSBO sellers sometimes lack experience with all the necessary paperwork, disclosures, and timelines, which can slow down transactions. Realtors know from experience that they’ll need to do more legwork getting the seller through the process. Still, the extra work alone is not a good reason to keep you from seeing a home. A professional agent should be presenting you all the available options, not filtering out homes based on convenience.
Commission Concerns
Some FSBO sellers offer lower buyer-agent commissions than traditional listings. While a lot of these still pay a standard rate, others reduce it to save money. An agent who works strictly on commission might want to steer clear of these listings to maximize earnings. The problem with that is that it’s a financial conflict of interest, one that directly impacts your ability to examine every viable home on the market.
Your Agent’s Fiduciary Duty
If you signed a buyer-agency agreement, your realtor has a legal duty to work in your best interest. Ignoring FSBO listings without giving you a clear explanation may violate that duty. An agent has to present you with all the homes that meet your criteria, no matter who listed them, and realtors absolutely cannot prioritize personal financial gain over your goals.
FSBO Doesn’t Mean “Bad Seller”
Many FSBO sellers are experienced, well organized, and motivated. Some of them may have used a realtor in the past and have now chosen to sell independently to keep a bigger share of the profit. Others hire real estate attorneys or transaction coordinators to handle the paperwork. Your agent’s blanket refusal to show FSBO properties shows a lack of awareness of the wide range of seller professionalism that exists out there.
Negotiation Can Be Easier Than Agents Claim
Agents sometimes like to claim that FSBO sellers don’t negotiate fairly, but that’s often exaggerated. Without an agent taking a commission, a seller could offer more flexibility on price. They might also be highly motivated if their home has been sitting for a while unsold. An experienced buyer’s agent should guide you, not shield themselves from more involved negotiations.
Legal Protections Apply
Just because a home is FSBO doesn’t mean you lose legal protections. Standard contracts, state disclosures, inspection contingencies, and attorney reviews all still apply. You aren’t flying blind. Your inspector, lender, attorney, and even your agent can all help ensure the transaction goes through the required legal steps, whether or not a listing agent is involved.
If You Request A Showing
If you directly ask your agent to arrange a showing for you, they have to make a reasonable attempt to contact the seller. Refusing outright is unprofessional. Some agents fall back on “policy” or “company rules” as an excuse, but you have every right to request a written explanation. That request alone can get to the bottom of whether the issue is genuine or not.
When An Agent’s Bias Limits Your Search
If an agent filters the market based on their own personal preferences instead of your criteria, you risk missing out on the best home. FSBO properties sometimes sell below market value because buyers overlook them. An agent determined to ignore FSBOs could cost you opportunities, especially in competitive markets where the inventory is already tight.
Ask Your Agent Directly
In this case, the simple approach works best: “I’m interested in seeing this FSBO property. Can you contact the seller and schedule a showing?” If your agent starts some song and dance about how it can’t be done, just ask point blank, “Is there a commission issue? If so, can we negotiate terms or address it in writing?” This shifts the conversation toward transparency and protects your interests.
Understand Commission Adjustment Options
If an FSBO seller offers a lower buyer-agent commission, there are three possible options you can use to negotiate a solution: the seller increases it; you pay the difference; or your agent agrees to accept the offered rate. Agents tend not to mention option three (for obvious reasons), but it does exist. It’s perfectly reasonable to ask whether they’ll work with you on a reduced commission.
Buyer Agency Agreements Affect You
If you signed an exclusive buyer agreement, it may require you to pay your agent’s commission if the seller doesn’t. Read the contract again carefully. Understanding the terms helps you push back if your agent tries to use the agreement as a way to avoid FSBO listings. Contracts should never be used as ways to go against legitimate buyer requests.
Consider Working With A Different Agent
If your realtor stonewalls, natters at you to drop FSBOs, or refuses to communicate transparently, it may be that the time has come to switch agents. Many buyers don’t realize they can terminate an agreement early. Sometimes this requires notice, other times a small fee. No property search should be held in limbo by an agent’s personal preferences.
Benefits Of Seeing FSBO Homes
Viewing FSBO homes gives you more data points for comparison on price, condition, and neighborhood trends. Even if you don’t end up buying one, the comparisons give you more negotiating power on listed properties. Broadening your search also lowers your chances of overspending just because agents funneled you toward commission-friendly listings.
Red Flags: When Agents Push Back
An agent who refuses to schedule showings, criticizes FSBO sellers without being specific, or claims the properties are “time-waster” could be signaling a conflict of interest. Professional agents should be giving you clear, factual reasons, not across-the-board dismissals. Vague statements are often a smokescreen for financial motivations that have nothing to do with looking out for your interests.
When FSBO May Not Be A Good Fit
Some FSBO homes actually can be a challenge: there are sellers who overvalue their home, refuse inspections, or won’t follow through with the required legal steps. A good agent will explain these risks using concrete details. If your agent lays out their specific concerns about a particular FSBO listing, that’s legitimate feedback, not a blanket refusal based on commissions.
Use A Real Estate Attorney For FSBO Deals
In many FSBO transactions, a real estate attorney can be brought in to handle contracts and ensure legal compliance. This reduces risk and gives you professional support even if your agent is not too keen, or is inexperienced with FSBOs. An attorney’s involvement also can put your agent’s mind at ease that the deal will follow proper procedure.
Protect Yourself During The Buying Process
Ask for disclosures in writing, insist on inspections, and make sure deadlines are clearly documented and adhered to. If the seller is inexperienced, clarify responsibilities at each step in the process. Keeping your communications professional and documented minimizes misunderstandings. A buyer’s agent should help guide you through this, but if they refuse, other professionals can fill the gaps.
You Have Options
A realtor who refuses to show FSBO homes could be motivated by convenience, commission concerns, or bias, none of which are in your best interests. You have the right to request showings, ask for transparency, and work with an agent willing to access the full market. FSBOs aren’t inherently risky; they’re just a different type of opportunity. And you deserve access to all of them.
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Buying. Had a buyer's agent but no contract. I found an FSBO home in the area I specified and contacted the seller directly. He asked if I was going to use an agent, I said no as I already had arranged financing and insurance. So he lowered the price $15K. The agent was pissed but they had not found the house for me.
Selling. I had an agent call me saying they had a buyer and would I give a commission. I said 3%, he said no he wanted 6%. I said no and we never connected.
Bought my last one through an agent. FSBO, agent talked him down quite a bit.
Poor baby might have to work for his money for a change.
Too bad.
My wife had a very successful career as an agent. Helped many buyers with fsbo’s. It isn’t that much extra work. Noone ever accused her of not measuring up, in fact she was top producer in her office 2 years just before retiring.
In a somewhat tangent situation, I am trying to sell a piece of property in Florida, though I don’t live there, and any agents I find tend to represent both me, the seller, and the buyer, so I am don’t consider that as having my best interests in mind. This is new to me but seems to be the way things roll in the Sunshine state. Is there such a thing as having a contract in which I am solely represented by the agent?
He’s likely not protecting his commission, because he gets paid if you buy a house. He is protecting the selling side, because he sells houses as well.
You can use Redfin or Zillow or any number of other sites that will show you what's on the MLS.
If you like a house for sale by the owner, ask your realtor to arrange a showing. If he won't, let him know he's not entitled to a commission if you chose to buy that house.
We spent MONTHS trying to sell a property without a realtor (FSBO)
The real estate industry EFFECTIVELY SHUTS YOU OUT!
When we finally gave up and listed with an agent, we sold the property within 2 weeks for $35,000 more dollars than what we were trying to sell it for by owner.
Even on Zillo, you CANNOT say “no realtors”... or “no agents”... and to top it all off, regardless of what information you provide on your Zillo listing of who to contact for a showing, the App dangles a “Contact Agent” action bar, overriding the seller’s contact information...
And no... you cannot get the listing to replace that floating action prompt to direct buyers to your number.
ZILLO is a REAL ESTATE INDUSTRY tool that the industry uses to shut out FSBO sellers!
YES!!!... Real estate agents ACTIVELY dissuade buyers from contacting FSBO sellers. They best do this by getting buyers to sign an exclusive buyer’s contract with them (which they say can be revoked in writing), obligating them in a non binding way (but still effective) to only buy THROUGH them.
They are also very good at avoiding unfair business practice laws in their “buyer contracts”, but only in a “Legal” sense. Buyers who sign these contracts will typically abide by them, even though they are not legally bound to do so.
No wonder we are in such a housing price bubble!
DH told me last week that Google is branching out into real estate, basically competing with Zillow.
All you need is a good lawyer to buy or sell a house and you’re going to need one regardless... The Realtor is just a middleman who sucks up money from you the seller, and from you the buyer.
I listed my home at the end of April 2020 (during the covid shutdown) on Zillow FSBO. Almost had it sold mid May until the Mom (that was providing the downpayment) messed up the deal. Basically had it sold in June, closed in July. I had bought the home in Sep 2018 for $200K and sold it 21 months later for $225K. So Zillow worked me.
However, the buyers paid for an agent to help them with financing and paperwork, didn’t affect me.
As a result of the dual agency prohibition, many real estate agents in Florida act as transaction brokers who provide neutral advice to both sides without representing either side as a fiduciary. That works best with experienced sellers and buyers who can haggle and make their own judgments about price and terms.
You can still get a listing broker though to represent you exclusively if you pay them a commission and make clear that they will not be a transaction broker. You will probably also want to get an experienced real estate attorney.
In Michigan you don’t need a lawyer, a title company does the paperwork. As opposed to Alabama where you almost have to have one, but I did buy property once without a lawyer there.
Of the two I prefer the Michigan method, I had a lawyer in Alabama really mess things up but got off scott free because there’s a law that limits their liability to 2 years while the seller’s liability is 10 years.
Interesting advice. Thank you.
Buy the house, not the agent.
Agreed. We’ve purchased two properties using only a lawyer. The process was fast and reasonably priced compared to all the financial bloat a realtor gives.
We had two bad experiences with realtors. One home we tried to sell was not being advertised. So we ran an add in the local paper and it sold in a couple weeks. The realtor still got her commission for doing nothing.
The other sale was a home on a 3 acre property with out buildings and a two story finished garage. The price the realtor fixed for the property was based only on the home, not the lot size or the finished garage. The guy that bought it did so because of the huge garage. We felt screwed.
I really dislike realtors. They are the primary cause for home prices going up, up, up, up.
Our current home is on a 36 acre wooded property with a 2100 foot lake front. The property is solid gold in terms of sale price. I’m considering demolishing the home in order to get more money for just the property.
The whole realitor profession is a scam.
If you want to look at a FSBO you look. You don’t have to ask anyone except the person selling the house.
I bought my home many years ago. I guess it was a FSBO deal as we used only a lawyer. The whole thing was agreeable to both of us I think. The seller sold it to me fairly reasonable with only a lawyer to pay. I don’t remember if the home was ever listed by a realtor or not. If it was, the contract had ran out for some reason.
I just Googled a zip code and For Sale By Owner and found Byowner com.
I bought a piece of land from the owner and offered a higher interest rate for a lower down payment.
She carried the loan so I could get a loan to build the house.
Three years later when I refinanced, she was upset I was paying off the loan.
She didn’t need it and it messed up her tax year.
I built another house and sold it without a realtor.
They paid us monthly.
They fixed up the house, landscaped it, put porches in and then got divorced.
They called us and told us they were going to just walk away.
The economy had gotten better and we sold it again, turning a better profit.
I have bought a few houses at auction from HUD. That was easy.
I have not ever and will not ever use a real estate agent to buy or sell property.
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