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How to sell your house by owner in Georgia

For sale by owner (FSBO) in Georgia, without a realtor · rules checked · sources

Attorney at closing
Required
Seller disclosure
Not required (buyer beware)
State transfer tax
0.1%

Georgia requires a licensed attorney at closing, so you'll pay for one even without an agent. Georgia has no mandatory seller disclosure form (it follows caveat emptor, "buyer beware"), but you still can't hide or lie about known defects. Georgia's state transfer tax is 0.1%, about $400 on a $400,000 sale, usually paid by the seller.

General information, not legal advice. Rules change and counties add their own; check with a Georgia real estate attorney or title company before you sign anything. Last checked October 20, 2026.

Georgia transfer tax and savings calculator

State transfer tax (0.1%)
$400
Commission you don't pay (5–6%)
$20,000–$24,000
Saved if you still pay the buyer's agent (2.5–3%)
$10,000–$12,000

Example for a $400,000 sale. Uses the base state rate of 0.1%. Full rule: $1.00 for the first $1,000 plus $0.10 per additional $100 (0.1%). State tax only; county or city taxes may add to it. Commissions are negotiable and vary; these are typical ranges, not quotes.

Steps to sell a house without a realtor in Georgia

  1. Hire a Georgia real estate attorney first. The state requires one at closing, and it's cheaper to have them draft or review the purchase contract than to fix it later. Ask for a flat fee for an FSBO sale.
  2. Price it from sold homes, not asking prices. Pull recent sales of similar homes nearby from the county records or the "sold" filter on the big portals, or pay a licensed appraiser for a pre-listing appraisal.
  3. Write down what you know about the house. Georgia doesn't require a disclosure form, but a voluntary one in writing protects you if a buyer later says you hid a defect.
  4. Make a listing buyers can judge from home. Bright photos of every room, an honest description, a floor plan and a 360° virtual tour filter out people who were never going to buy, so fewer, better showings.
  5. List it where buyers look. A flat-fee MLS listing (a broker puts you on the MLS for a fixed fee) gets you onto Zillow, Realtor.com and Redfin; add FSBO sites, social media and a yard sign with a QR code to the tour.
  6. Show it, then get offers in writing. Ask for a mortgage pre-approval or proof of funds before a showing, and decide up front whether you'll pay a buyer's agent. Accept with a written purchase agreement; the earnest money goes to your attorney, not to you.
  7. Close. You sign the deed, your attorney pays off your mortgage and records the deed with the county. The state transfer tax is paid when the deed is recorded and is usually paid by the seller.

Georgia seller disclosure

Georgia is a "buyer beware" (caveat emptor) state: there's no mandatory form. That doesn't protect you if you actively hide a defect or answer a buyer's question falsely, so disclose what you know in writing.

Georgia has no mandatory seller disclosure statute. Sellers must not conceal or misrepresent known latent defects; many use the Georgia Association of Realtors disclosure form voluntarily.

Whatever the state rule, a home built before 1978 needs the federal lead-based paint disclosure and the EPA pamphlet, and the buyer gets 10 days to test unless they waive it.

Georgia transfer tax

Georgia charges a real estate transfer tax when the deed is recorded: a base rate of 0.1% of the price, $400 on a $400,000 sale. The full rule: $1.00 for the first $1,000 plus $0.10 per additional $100 (0.1%). By custom it's usually paid by the seller, but the purchase contract can split it differently.

Local taxes: State tax only; Georgia DOR states the seller is liable (contract may shift it).

Official transfer tax source

Paperwork for selling a house without a realtor in Georgia

The closing agent drafts the deed. Your attorney prepares it and the other closing documents.

Also expect:

  • Georgia Supreme Court holds only a licensed Georgia attorney may close a real estate transaction (FAO 86-5; UPL Advisory Opinion 2003-2)
  • Form PT-61 transfer tax return filed with the deed

Georgia is a true attorney-closing state: even an FSBO deal needs a Georgia attorney to run closing. Seller owes the transfer tax unless the contract says otherwise.

The rest of the work is marketing: a clear listing, honest photos and a virtual tour. Tips in how to write a property listing and how to make a virtual tour with your phone.

Frequently asked questions

Can you sell a house without a realtor in Georgia?

Yes. No state requires a real estate agent to sell your own home. Georgia requires a licensed attorney at closing, so you'll pay for one even without an agent. The steps are on this page.

Do I need a lawyer to sell my house in Georgia?

Yes. Georgia requires a licensed attorney at closing, so you'll pay for one even without an agent. Many attorneys offer a flat fee for FSBO sales that covers the contract and the closing.

Are seller's disclosures required in Georgia?

No statewide form. Georgia has no mandatory seller disclosure form (it follows caveat emptor, "buyer beware"), but you still can't hide or lie about known defects. Georgia has no mandatory seller disclosure statute. Sellers must not conceal or misrepresent known latent defects; many use the Georgia Association of Realtors disclosure form voluntarily. Homes built before 1978 also need the federal lead-based paint disclosure.

How much is the transfer tax in Georgia?

Georgia's state transfer tax is 0.1%, about $400 on a $400,000 sale, usually paid by the seller. State tax only; Georgia DOR states the seller is liable (contract may shift it). Official source.

Who pays the transfer tax in Georgia?

In Georgia it's usually paid by the seller. Custom isn't law: the purchase contract can say who pays.

What paperwork do I need to sell my house without a realtor in Georgia?

Usually a written purchase agreement; the deed; the lead-based paint disclosure if the home was built before 1978; Georgia Supreme Court holds only a licensed Georgia attorney may close a real estate transaction (FAO 86-5; UPL Advisory Opinion 2003-2); Form PT-61 transfer tax return filed with the deed. Your attorney prepares the closing documents and records the deed.

How much do you save selling a house without a realtor in Georgia?

On a $400,000 sale, a 5–6% commission is $20,000–$24,000. If you still pay the buyer's agent, you save the listing side, about $10,000–$12,000. The $400 state transfer tax is due either way.

Sources

General information, not legal advice. Rules change and counties add their own; check with a Georgia real estate attorney or title company before you sign anything. Last checked October 20, 2026.

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