Selling your Arizona house without a realtor

We are not going to tell you that listing with an agent is a mistake. For plenty of houses it is the right answer, and a good agent earns their commission. What we will do is lay out the real trade-off so you can decide which side of it you are on.

What listing actually costs

The headline number on a listing is not what you keep. Coming off the top:

• Commissions — typically 5 to 6 percent of the sale price, split between the agents.
• Pre-listing repairs — paint, flooring, a roof certification, whatever the agent says is needed for photos. Paid up front, by you.
• Buyer repair requests — after inspection, buyers usually come back asking for credits or fixes.
• Carrying costs — mortgage, taxes, insurance and utilities for every month it sits.
• Closing costs — title, escrow and transfer fees.

A house that lists at $400,000 and sells at $385,000 after a month of showings can net well under $350,000 once all of that comes out.

The part nobody warns you about: financing risk

The most common way an Arizona sale collapses is not price. It is the buyer's loan. An appraisal comes in low, underwriting finds a problem, the buyer changes jobs — and after five weeks in escrow you are back at the start, with the listing now carrying the stigma of having fallen out.

We pay cash from our own funds. There is no lender in the transaction who can change their mind.

When listing is the better choice

Be honest with yourself here. Listing usually wins if your house is in good condition, you are not in a hurry, you can afford to carry it for a few months, and you are comfortable with showings and strangers walking through.

When selling direct is the better choice

• The house needs work you cannot or do not want to pay for.
• You are on a fixed timeline — a job move, a divorce, a probate deadline.
• You are behind on payments and the clock is running.
• The property is tenant-occupied and showings are impractical.
• You have inherited it, you live out of state, and it is full of belongings.
• You simply want it finished, on a known date, with no conditions.

You can do both

Get our offer first. It is free, it takes 48 hours, and it puts a firm floor under your decision. Then talk to an agent and see what they think they can net you after costs. Compare the two real numbers rather than a real number against a hopeful one.

One thing worth knowing: once your house is under a listing agreement we cannot buy it directly, because it is contracted to that agent. So if you want both figures, get ours before you sign anything.