FSBO Savings Calculator
See how much you'd save selling for-sale-by-owner instead of paying a listing agent.
Selling for-sale-by-owner skips the listing agent, but not necessarily the buyer's agent. Most FSBO sellers still choose to offer buyer-agent compensation separately to keep their listing attractive to agents bringing buyers, which is why that's a separate field here rather than assumed away. Your entries save in this browser.
What FSBO actually saves you
Selling for-sale-by-owner (FSBO) means skipping a listing agent, so you avoid the listing side of the commission, typically around 2.88% of the sale price nationally. It does not automatically mean you skip the buyer's agent's fee too. Many FSBO sellers still choose to offer buyer-agent compensation separately, since agents are often less willing to show a home to their buyer clients if there's no compensation on the table.
Worked example
Selling a $400,000 home FSBO instead of paying a 2.88% listing commission, with no flat fee and no buyer-agent compensation offered:
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Listing commission avoided | $11,520 |
| Net FSBO savings | $11,520 |
If you still offer 2.82% to a buyer's agent to keep the listing competitive, your net savings drops to about $240 on the same sale (you're saving the listing side but still paying the buyer side, and those two rates are close).
Frequently asked questions
- How much do you save selling FSBO?
- You save whatever listing-side commission you’d otherwise pay, nationally averaging about 2.88% of the sale price. If you still offer buyer-agent compensation separately (common, since it keeps your listing attractive to agents with buyers), your net savings is smaller: the difference between what you’d have paid a listing agent and what you’re still offering a buyer’s agent.
- Do FSBO sellers still pay a buyer’s agent?
- Often yes. Even without a listing agent, most FSBO sellers choose to offer some compensation to a buyer’s agent, since many buyer’s agents are reluctant to show a home (or write an offer) with no compensation arranged. This is a separate, negotiated cost from the listing side you’re saving.
- Is FSBO worth it?
- It depends on how much of the marketing, pricing, negotiation, and paperwork you’re prepared to do yourself, and how much you’re actually saving once you account for any buyer-agent compensation and flat listing fees. This calculator shows the actual net number so you can compare it to what a full-service listing agent would cost.