Here’s How You Can Make an Offer On a House Without a Realtor® in 9 Steps

Making an offer on a house without a Realtor® or a real estate agent is kind of like trying to represent yourself in a court of law — it’s possible, but it’s not a good idea. There’s more that goes into making an offer than landing on a purchase price.

“Even as an agent with over 400 homes under my belt and 11 years of experience, I would never buy in a market in which I’m not licensed without a real estate agent,” says Jessica Arledge, a top agent who works with over 76% more single-family homes than the average Savannah, Georgia, agent.

However, if you’re dead set on making an offer on a house without a Realtor, we have a step-by-step guide with some tips from the professionals on how to buy a house without an agent.

What’s a Realtor, and what’s an agent?

A real estate agent is licensed to help people buy, sell, or rent different housing or real estate property types. To obtain this license, individuals must take prelicensing education, which varies by state. Some states require only 40 hours of pre-licensing classes, while others may require more than 200 hours, for example.

Once classes are completed, aspiring real estate agents must take the licensing exam, which will test their knowledge of federal real estate laws, general real estate principles, and state-specific laws. When the exam is passed, the real estate agent can find a sponsoring broker or a brokerage firm where they can begin working.

A Realtor is a real estate agent or broker who is a member of the National Association of Realtors (NAR). To become a member, agents or brokers must join a local real estate association, agree to conduct themselves and their business according to the NAR’s Code of Ethics, and pay annual dues to their association.

“The National Association of Realtors really plays a large role in the decision-making process for rules governing Realtors and monitoring Realtors,” Arledge says. “We’re bound by a certain code of ethics that really governs everything that we do and is designed to protect our clients and to put our clients first.”

By becoming a Realtor, agents and brokers have access to special discounts and educational resources to help improve their practices.