“For Sale By Owner” sales hit a record low (nationally)

Would you ever consider selling your home without my help? I mean…without a real estate agent’s help? 😅

It turns out that fewer and fewer people are doing that. For the second straight year, for-sale-by-owner (FSBO) transactions hit a record low this year. Only 5% of sales this year have been FSBO sales, down from the previous low of 7% last year.

In my article earlier this year, Do I Need a Realtor® to Sell My House?, I said that not everyone needs to use a Realtor to sell their home — there are some situations where FSBO makes sense:

1. When you already know the buyer and don’t plan to negotiate price, repairs, etc.
2. When it’s an exceptionally strong seller’s market.
3. When you have a unique home with limited appeal and know how to reach potential buyers.

But for the vast majority of Tri-Cities homeowners, hiring a Realtor is the right choice. And people across the country know that. As the graphic above shows, 91% of homeowners hired an agent to help sell their home in 2025 — which is also a new record.

BTW, all of these stats come from the National Assn. of Realtors’ 2025 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers report.