For sale by owner, or FSBO, is a generic term that simply means a homeowner is selling their home without the help of a Realtor. The main reason for doing FSBO is to save the seller the 6-7% commission that is usually paid to a listing agent. In this situation, the seller is responsible for marketing their own home. This includes all advertising, open houses, and negotiations with potential buyers.

     In a FSBO sale it is still possible that the seller may be asked to pay a 2-3% commission to a Realtor on the buyer’s side. Before the seller shows his or her home to a buyer's Realtor, they should decide if they are willing to pay this commission.

However, it is not necessary to have a Realtor on either the buyer or the seller side of a real estate transaction.