Ohio FSBO Seller Guide

1. Pricing Your Home

Setting the right price is the single most important decision in selling your home. Price too high and buyers won't visit. Price too low and you leave money on the table.

How to price accurately:

• Run Comparable Sales (Comps) — Search Zillow, Realtor.com, and Redfin for homes sold in your neighborhood in the last 90 days. Look at similar square footage, bed/bath count, and condition.
• Hire an Appraiser — A licensed Ohio appraiser costs $300–$500 and gives you a defensible market value number.
• Price Slightly Below Market — Pricing 1–2% below market can trigger competition and multiple offers.

2. Creating Your Listing

Your listing is your 24/7 salesperson. Make it count.

Photos — Your Most Important Asset

• Shoot on a sunny day with all lights on and blinds open
• Declutter every room before shooting
• Shoot wide-angle horizontal shots from corners to show room size
• Lead with curb appeal: front exterior first
• Consider a $150–$200 professional photographer — it pays off

3. Marketing Your Home

• Share your Buckeye Home Exchange listing URL everywhere — Facebook, Nextdoor, neighborhood groups, text messages
• Put a yard sign up — "For Sale By Owner" signs with your phone number drive local traffic
• Post on Facebook Marketplace — free and high-traffic for local buyers
• Tell your neighbors — they often know someone who wants to live near them

4. Managing Showings

You control the showings. Here's how to handle them professionally:

• Respond to buyer inquiries within 2 hours when possible
• Clean and declutter before every showing
• Leave the home during showings — buyers are more candid without the seller present
• Ask buyers to provide ID or a pre-approval letter before showing
• Keep a showing log with names, dates, and contact info

5. Reviewing Offers

Look beyond just the price when evaluating offers:

• Financing contingency — Is the buyer pre-approved? Cash offers are strongest.
• Inspection contingency — Standard, but negotiate repair caps if possible.
• Closing timeline — Does it work with your move-out schedule?
• Earnest money deposit — Larger deposits signal serious buyers.

6. Home Inspection

Buyers will typically hire a licensed inspector within 7–10 days of an accepted offer.

• Consider a pre-listing inspection ($300–$400) to find issues before buyers do
• Inspectors check: roof, HVAC, plumbing, electrical, foundation, windows
• Buyers may request repairs or a price reduction based on findings
• You can accept, negotiate, or reject repair requests — you're not obligated to fix everything

7. Ohio Disclosure Requirements

You must disclose known material defects including:

• Roof leaks or damage
• Foundation issues
• Water intrusion/flooding
• HVAC system issues
• Lead paint (pre-1978 homes)
• Pest infestations
• Underground storage tanks
• Zoning violations

Download the official Ohio disclosure form at com.ohio.gov/real-estate

8. Title & Closing

All Ohio real estate transactions close through a licensed title company or real estate attorney.

9. Buyer's Agent Commission (BAC)

You can optionally offer a commission to buyer's agents on your listing. This is 100% your choice.

• Offering BAC (2–3%) makes your listing visible to agents who are actively showing homes to clients
• Offering 0% BAC means you save more, but buyers without agents may negotiate harder
• You can set your BAC on your listing dashboard at any time