How to Sell Your Home Without a Realtor in Texas (2026)

Texas is one of the most FSBO-friendly states in the country — and Dallas-Fort Worth is one of the strongest markets to do it in. The Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC) publishes every standard contract and disclosure form as a free public document. No attorney is required at closing. There's no statewide real estate transfer tax. And on a median DFW home priced around $430,000, skipping the listing agent saves you roughly $12,900 in commission.

Here's the complete step-by-step process for selling FSBO in Texas.

Step 1: Price Your DFW Home Accurately

Overpricing is the number one reason FSBO sales stall. DFW buyers and their agents have instant access to NTREIS (North Texas Real Estate Information Systems) data, so your pricing needs to be defensible.

Pull comps from Zillow, Redfin, and HAR (for Houston crossover reference). Look for homes sold within the last 60–90 days in your ZIP code, similar square footage (within 15%), same school district, similar lot size. Pay attention to price-per-square-foot rather than just list price.

In DFW's current market (2026), days on market have normalized to 25–40 days. Price within 2–3% of comparable sales, not aspirationally above them.

Step 2: Complete the TREC Seller's Disclosure Notice (OP-H)

Texas Property Code §5.008 requires sellers of most 1–4 unit residential properties to complete a Seller's Disclosure Notice before or at contract execution. The form is TREC Form OP-H and it's available free at trec.texas.gov.

The six sections cover:

Foundation disclosure is especially important in DFW. Clay soil and dramatic temperature swings make foundation movement common. If your home has had any pier-and-beam work or slab leveling, disclose it fully — along with any engineering reports or warranties.

Step 3: Handle the T-47 Affidavit (If No New Survey)

If a buyer's lender requires a survey and your existing survey is more than a few years old, the buyer will typically order a new one ($400–$600). However, some transactions use a T-47 Affidavit (Residential Real Property Affidavit) instead — a notarized statement by the seller confirming that no improvements have been made to the property since the existing survey was completed.

You don't need to proactively file this, but be prepared for the buyer to request it. The TREC form is available at trec.texas.gov.

Step 4: List on NTREIS via a Flat Fee MLS Service

NTREIS covers Dallas, Fort Worth, Collin, Denton, Tarrant, and Ellis counties. Listing on NTREIS is what puts your home on Zillow, Realtor.com, Redfin, and hundreds of broker websites simultaneously.

Flat fee MLS services list you on NTREIS for $149–$399 — compared to the 3% listing commission a traditional agent charges. Shop for services that include:

Post-NAR settlement, buyer agent compensation is negotiable. In DFW, offering 2–2.5% to buyer's agents is still common and will maximize your pool of represented buyers, but it's no longer mandatory.

Step 5: Prepare Your Home and Schedule Showings

DFW's showing season peaks March through June and again August through October. List during these windows if possible.

For showings, use a digital lockbox (SentriLock or Supra) — your flat fee service may provide or rent one. Respond to showing requests within 2 hours. Homes in DFW that get shown in the first 72 hours typically sell faster and at closer to list price.

Stage with purpose: declutter, neutralize paint colors, and professionally photograph. In DFW's market, professional photos are table stakes — buyers filter out listings with phone photos.

Step 6: Understand the Option Period (Unique to Texas)

Texas contracts include an Option Period — typically 7–10 days — during which the buyer pays a small Option Fee ($150–$500 is typical in DFW) for the unrestricted right to terminate for any reason. During option period, the buyer conducts inspections.

You are not obligated to make repairs, but buyers can negotiate repairs or a price reduction based on inspection findings. If they can't reach agreement, the buyer can terminate and get their earnest money back (but not the Option Fee, which you keep).

This is one of the things that makes Texas contracts buyer-friendly. Budget for inspection-driven negotiations.

Step 7: Contract and Closing

Use TREC's One to Four Family Residential Contract (Resale) — Form 20-15 — available free at trec.texas.gov. This is the standard contract used by virtually all Texas agents and is what buyers' agents will submit.

Closing happens at a title company, not an attorney's office (Texas doesn't require attorneys). Budget for:

Your net proceeds on a $430,000 DFW home, selling FSBO versus with a listing agent, typically come out $12,000–$15,000 higher.

Common Texas FSBO Mistakes to Avoid

Not completing OP-H before contract: Buyers can rescind a contract if the disclosure isn't provided at or before signing. Don't wait until closing.

Underpricing to generate multiple offers: This strategy works in a hot seller's market. In DFW's current normalized market, it often just gets you a lower sale price.

Missing the HOA addendum: If your property is in an HOA (very common in DFW suburbs like Frisco, McKinney, Allen), you need to provide the buyer with HOA documents and use the HOA Addendum (TREC Form 36-9). The buyer typically has 3 days to review.

Accepting the first offer too quickly: DFW buyers expect to negotiate. Let offers come in for at least the first weekend before making decisions.