![Image of a front lawn with a "For Sale By Owner" sign](https://www.bankrate.com/2022/05/12113748/Homes_What-is-FSBO_.jpg?auto=webp&fit=crop&width=230&height=150)
FSBO meaning: For sale by owner, explained
Depending on whom you ask, the FSBO model can either save money or cost you even more.
Hire a real estate attorney for any home sale or purchase, even if your state doesn’t require you to. The contracts are complex, and the stakes are high — it’s worth the extra cost to make sure everything is legally buttoned-down.
— Michele Petry
About the author
Michele Petry is a senior editor for Bankrate, leading the site’s real estate content since January 2022. Before joining Bankrate she was a writer and editor for StreetEasy, Zillow’s New York City real estate site. Before that, she amassed 20 years of experience on staff at national magazines, honing her skills editing home-based content at House Beautiful, Elle Decor and Veranda (among other titles). Michele earned her journalism degree from Syracuse University’s Newhouse School of Public Communications and is a member of the Society for Advancing Business Editing and Writing (SABEW). She lives in Manhattan.
Hire a real estate attorney for any home sale or purchase, even if your state doesn’t require you to. The contracts are complex, and the stakes are high — it’s worth the extra cost to make sure everything is legally buttoned-down.
— Michele Petry
Depending on whom you ask, the FSBO model can either save money or cost you even more.
When a home is for sale, an open house can bring in as many potential buyers as possible.
Counter-offers are a key part of the real estate negotiation process.
Should you buy a home? Or keep renting? We weigh the pros and cons of each.
Selling a home is complicated enough without having to worry about a lien. Here’s what to know.
Selling a home is complicated enough without having to worry about a lien. Here’s what to know.
Buying land is different than buying a house.
Buying land is different than buying a house.
Whether you’re buying or selling, here are the five most common problems that hold up home closings.
From the hipster appeal of Portland to the coastal charm of Cannon Beach, Oregon has something for everyone.
Mineral rights determine who owns what’s underground: oil, gas, coal or even gold.
Easements, which grant an outside party the legal right to use private property, can be complicated.
This method of ownership allows both spouses in a married couple to own their home together, equally.
Dream of planting your own garden in the Garden State? Use this as your homebuying guide.
Dream of living in an endless vacation? Here’s everything you need to know to say aloha to a new Hawaiian home.
Real estate brokers can do everything agents can do, and then some.