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How to sell your house by owner in Hawaii

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

Attorney at closing
Not required
Seller disclosure
Required
State transfer tax
0.1%

Hawaii doesn't require an attorney: an escrow company usually handles the closing. Hawaii sellers must give buyers the Seller's Real Property Disclosure Statement (HRS chapter 508D). Hawaii'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 Hawaii real estate attorney or title company before you sign anything. Last checked October 20, 2026.

Hawaii 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: Tiered by price, applied to full price: owner-occupant buyers 0.10% under $600,000, 0.20% to $1M, 0.30% to $2M, up to 1.00%; others 0.15% under $600,000 up to 1.25%. 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 Hawaii

  1. 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.
  2. Fill in the Seller's Real Property Disclosure Statement now. Hawaii requires it (HRS chapter 508D); buyers should get it before they sign. Get the official form.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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 the escrow company, not to you.
  6. Open escrow as soon as you accept. In Hawaii an escrow company usually holds the deposit, collects the documents and pays everyone at closing; the buyer's lender will work with it.
  7. Close. You sign the deed, the escrow company 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.

Hawaii seller disclosure

Hawaii requires sellers to disclose the home's known condition in writing on the Seller's Real Property Disclosure Statement (HRS chapter 508D). Give it to the buyer before they sign the purchase agreement: a late or missing disclosure can let the buyer cancel or sue.

Sellers of residential real property must disclose all material facts, defects and conditions they know of in a written disclosure statement, plus certain document disclosures for condos/planned communities. The statement is not a warranty.

Seller's Real Property Disclosure Statement (official source)

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.

Hawaii transfer tax

Hawaii 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: Tiered by price, applied to full price: owner-occupant buyers 0.10% under $600,000, 0.20% to $1M, 0.30% to $2M, up to 1.00%; others 0.15% under $600,000 up to 1.25%. By custom it's usually paid by the seller, but the purchase contract can split it differently.

Local taxes: State tax only; the grantor/seller is the person subject to the tax. Minimum $1.

Official transfer tax source

Paperwork for selling a house without a realtor in Hawaii

The closing agent drafts the deed. The title company, escrow officer or attorney prepares it with the other closing documents.

Also expect:

  • Nonresident sellers: buyer must withhold 7.25% of price (HARPTA, HRS 235-68) unless an exemption or reduced rate is obtained from the state
  • Condo and planned community document disclosures within a set window after title report (HRS 508D-3.5)

Escrow companies close; an attorney is not required. If the seller lives outside Hawaii, plan for HARPTA withholding at closing. The 508D disclosure is mandatory even without an agent.

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 Hawaii?

Yes. No state requires a real estate agent to sell your own home. Hawaii doesn't require an attorney: an escrow company usually handles the closing. The steps are on this page.

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

No. Hawaii doesn't require an attorney: an escrow company usually handles the closing. An attorney is still worth it if the contract or the title is unusual.

Are seller's disclosures required in Hawaii?

Yes. Hawaii sellers must give buyers the Seller's Real Property Disclosure Statement (HRS chapter 508D). Sellers of residential real property must disclose all material facts, defects and conditions they know of in a written disclosure statement, plus certain document disclosures for condos/planned communities. The statement is not a warranty. Official form or statute. Homes built before 1978 also need the federal lead-based paint disclosure.

How much is the transfer tax in Hawaii?

Hawaii's state transfer tax is 0.1%, about $400 on a $400,000 sale, usually paid by the seller. State tax only; the grantor/seller is the person subject to the tax. Minimum $1. Official source.

Who pays the transfer tax in Hawaii?

In Hawaii 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 Hawaii?

Usually the Seller's Real Property Disclosure Statement; a written purchase agreement; the deed; the lead-based paint disclosure if the home was built before 1978; Nonresident sellers: buyer must withhold 7.25% of price (HARPTA, HRS 235-68) unless an exemption or reduced rate is obtained from the state; Condo and planned community document disclosures within a set window after title report (HRS 508D-3.5). The escrow company prepares the closing documents and records the deed.

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

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 Hawaii real estate attorney or title company before you sign anything. Last checked October 20, 2026.

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