FSBO vs. Listing With an Agent in Montgomery County MD: The Real Cost Comparison
FSBO vs. Listing With an Agent in Montgomery County MD: The Real Cost Comparison
By Saad Jamil & Arslan Jamil · The Jamil Brothers Realty Group · Updated April 2026
Quick Answer: In Montgomery County MD, FSBO sellers typically net $50,000–$80,000 less than agent-listed sellers on a median-priced home — after factoring in lower sale prices, missed MLS exposure, and buyer-agent commissions you still end up paying. A 1.5% full-service listing in MoCo keeps your costs closer to FSBO math while preserving the marketing, pricing, and negotiation leverage that drives higher offers.
Key Takeaways
- The National Association of Realtors reports FSBO homes sell for roughly $50,000–$95,000 less than agent-assisted sales nationally — and that gap widens in higher-priced markets like Montgomery County.
- You don't avoid paying a buyer's agent by going FSBO — most MoCo buyers still come with representation, and you'll typically need to offer 2–2.5% to stay competitive.
- Maryland's state transfer tax (0.5%), Montgomery County transfer tax (1%), and state recordation tax ($6.90 per $500) apply whether you FSBO or list — and are commonly split with the buyer unless negotiated.
- FSBO sellers in Maryland must still complete the MD Residential Property Disclosure and Disclaimer Statement, lead paint disclosures, HOA resale packages, and buyer-requested addenda — the liability doesn't go away.
- A 1.5% full-service listing typically saves $7,500–$15,000 on a MoCo home versus a traditional 3% agent, without sacrificing MLS syndication, professional photography, 3D tours, or negotiation support.
- FSBO can make sense when the buyer is already identified (family, neighbor, tenant) and price isn't being tested against the open market — otherwise, the math rarely works.
In This Guide
- The FSBO Price Gap — What the Data Actually Shows
- Why Montgomery County Isn't an Average Market
- Full Cost Breakdown: FSBO vs. Agent-Listed in MoCo
- Seller Savings Calculator
- The Hidden Costs Most FSBO Sellers Miss
- Marketing Reality Check: What You Lose Without MLS
- Legal Exposure & Maryland Disclosure Liability
- When FSBO Actually Works in Montgomery County
- The 1.5% Alternative
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Glossary
Every year, a small share of Montgomery County sellers look at the commission line on a traditional closing statement and decide they can do better on their own. On a $750,000 home in Bethesda, a 3% listing commission is $22,500 — real money, and a reasonable thing to question. The problem is that the commission number, taken in isolation, is the wrong number to focus on.
What actually matters is the net proceeds number at the bottom of the closing statement: what you walk away with after every fee, every tax, and — most importantly — after the sale price you actually achieved. National data from the National Association of Realtors shows FSBO sellers consistently land lower sale prices than agent-assisted sellers, and that gap is wider than most commission savings. In a market like Montgomery County, where the median home price runs well above the national average, the dollar gap is larger still.
This guide walks through the real math for MoCo sellers. We'll compare the true all-in cost of selling For Sale By Owner against listing with a traditional 3% agent and against a 1.5% full-service listing. We'll cover Maryland-specific transfer and recordation taxes, the hidden costs most FSBO sellers don't anticipate, the legal liability that doesn't go away when you remove the agent, and the specific scenarios where FSBO can actually pencil out in Bethesda, Rockville, Silver Spring, or Gaithersburg.
The FSBO Price Gap — What the Data Actually Shows
The National Association of Realtors publishes the Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers every year, and the same pattern shows up in every edition: FSBO sales close at substantially lower prices than agent-assisted sales. The most recent data puts the national median FSBO sale price tens of thousands of dollars below the median agent-assisted sale price. Depending on which year you cite, the gap lands somewhere between $50,000 and $95,000.
Two important caveats make that national number even less favorable to FSBO in a high-priced market:
1. The gap is percentage-based, and percentages hurt more at higher prices
FSBO homes tend to sell for roughly 10–15% less than comparable agent-listed homes. On a $380,000 home (the national median), that's $38,000–$57,000. On a $750,000 Rockville townhouse, that same 10–15% gap is $75,000–$112,500. Montgomery County's price point magnifies every percentage disadvantage.
2. A large share of "FSBO" sales are to people the seller already knew
NAR data consistently shows that more than half of FSBO sellers already knew the buyer — a family member, friend, neighbor, or existing tenant. Those transactions aren't really market transactions. When you strip out the pre-arranged deals and look only at FSBO sellers who had to find a stranger buyer on the open market, the gap versus agent-assisted sales gets even wider.
ℹ️ What the MoCo market looks like right now
Montgomery County home prices run well above both the Maryland state median and the national median, anchored by Bethesda, Chevy Chase, and Potomac at the top end. BrightMLS data shows MoCo inventory remains tighter than historical norms, which actually helps agent-listed sellers capture premium pricing through competitive offer strategies — the exact leverage FSBO sellers typically can't execute alone.
Relative sale-price outcomes (national, agent vs. FSBO)
Directional figures based on NAR Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers. Individual results vary by market, property, and transaction type.
Why Montgomery County Isn't an Average Market
National averages hide an enormous amount of local variation. Montgomery County has specific characteristics that change the FSBO calculus in ways generic "should I FSBO?" articles don't address.
MoCo buyers are overwhelmingly represented
In Montgomery County, the typical buyer is working with a buyer's agent — federal employees relocating, scientists moving for NIH or Walter Reed, attorneys and lobbyists, and dual-income professionals commuting into DC. These buyers don't randomly drive around looking at yard signs; they work through agents who run targeted MLS searches. If your home isn't in the MLS, most of the qualified buyer pool never sees it.
Neighborhood price bands vary by 3× inside the county
Pricing a Silver Spring Cape Cod is a very different exercise than pricing a Potomac estate. MoCo is not one market — it's at least four distinct price tiers, each with its own buyer pool, inventory dynamics, and comp logic.
| Area | Typical Price Band | FSBO Risk Profile |
|---|---|---|
| Bethesda, Chevy Chase, Potomac | $900K – $3M+ | High — luxury buyers expect pro media, 3D tours, and agent access |
| Rockville, Kensington, Takoma Park | $600K – $1M | Moderate-high — heavy buyer-agent representation; pricing strategy critical |
| Silver Spring, Wheaton, Aspen Hill | $450K – $750K | Moderate — investor and relocation traffic requires MLS exposure |
| Gaithersburg, Germantown, Damascus | $400K – $650K | Moderate — first-time buyer heavy, contract complexity common |
HOA and condo documents are non-trivial
Large swaths of Montgomery County sit inside HOAs or condo associations — particularly newer construction in Gaithersburg, Germantown, Clarksburg, and most of the Bethesda/Rockville condo stock. Maryland requires sellers to provide buyers with an HOA or condo resale package within a specified window, and the buyer has a statutory rescission right after receipt. Ordering the package, delivering it correctly, and managing the rescission period is tedious paperwork that FSBO sellers regularly mishandle.
Before you decide FSBO vs. agent vs. 1.5%, you need a real price anchor. Get a personalized valuation from The Jamil Brothers — street-level comps pulled specifically for Bethesda, Rockville, Silver Spring, Gaithersburg, and surrounding Montgomery County submarkets. Response within 24 hours.
Full Cost Breakdown: FSBO vs. Agent-Listed in Montgomery County
The honest comparison requires looking at every line item — not just the commission. Let's walk through a $600,000 Montgomery County sale three ways: FSBO, traditional 3% listing, and a 1.5% full-service listing.
| Line Item | FSBO | Traditional 3% | JB 1.5% |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sale price (assumed) | $540,000 – $570,000 | $600,000 | $600,000 |
| Listing commission | $0 | −$18,000 | −$9,000 |
| Buyer's agent commission (if offered) | −$13,500 – $15,000 | −$15,000 | −$15,000 |
| Seller closing costs (title, recordation, misc) | −$6,000 | −$6,000 | −$6,000 |
| MD state transfer tax (0.5%) | −$1,500 | −$1,500 | −$1,500 |
| MoCo county transfer tax (1%, often split) | −$3,000 | −$3,000 | −$3,000 |
| FSBO-only costs (flat-fee MLS, attorney, marketing) | −$1,500 – $3,000 | $0 | $0 |
| Est. Net Proceeds | $512,000 – $543,000 | $556,500 | $565,500 |
The numbers are directional and depend on what price you actually achieve — but they illustrate the central problem with FSBO in Montgomery County: you save the listing-side commission, but you likely give up more than that in sale price, and you still pay most of the other costs. The 1.5% full-service option lands above both alternatives by doing what FSBO tries to accomplish (keeping more equity) without surrendering the pricing and negotiation leverage that drives higher offers.
⚠️ Maryland tax note
In Maryland, the state recordation tax ($6.90 per $500 of sale price), state transfer tax (0.5%), and Montgomery County transfer tax (1%) are typically split 50/50 between buyer and seller per local custom — but these splits are fully negotiable in the contract. FSBO sellers frequently agree to cover more than the custom split simply because they don't know the local convention. That alone can erase thousands in "savings."
Seller Savings Calculator: 1.5% vs. 3% in MoCo
Pick your Montgomery County home's estimated value below and see how much more you keep with our 1.5% full-service listing. Estimates include standard seller closing costs; actual Maryland transfer and recordation taxes will appear on your full net sheet.
Seller Savings Calculator
How much more do you keep with our 1.5% listing fee?
Select your home's estimated value to see your real net proceeds — side by side.
Traditional Agent — 3%
Our Fee — Only 1.5%
Extra in your pocket
$6,000
vs. a traditional 3% listing agent — with zero reduction in service or marketing.
Traditional Agent — 3%
Our Fee — Only 1.5%
Extra in your pocket
$7,500
vs. a traditional 3% listing agent — with zero reduction in service or marketing.
Traditional Agent — 3%
Our Fee — Only 1.5%
Extra in your pocket
$9,000
vs. a traditional 3% listing agent — with zero reduction in service or marketing.
Traditional Agent — 3%
Our Fee — Only 1.5%
Extra in your pocket
$11,250
vs. a traditional 3% listing agent — with zero reduction in service or marketing.
Traditional Agent — 3%
Our Fee — Only 1.5%
Extra in your pocket
$15,000
vs. a traditional 3% listing agent — with zero reduction in service or marketing.
Estimates only. Closing costs vary. Buyer's agent commission is negotiable post-NAR settlement.
The Hidden Costs Most FSBO Sellers Don't See Coming
The commission line is visible. The real drag on FSBO net proceeds is everything that doesn't show up until after you've already committed.
1. Underpricing by 3–8%
Most FSBO sellers price off Zillow, Redfin, or a recent neighbor's sale — none of which reflect true current market value the way a licensed agent's comparative market analysis does. Automated valuation models don't account for your specific kitchen, your roof age, the finished basement square footage, or the quiet side of the cul-de-sac vs. the busy one. A 4% pricing miss on a $700K Rockville home is $28,000 — more than the entire commission you were trying to avoid.
2. Days on market inflation
FSBO listings typically sit longer, and carrying costs stack fast. On a MoCo mortgage, each extra month of carrying costs — mortgage interest, property taxes, homeowners insurance, and utilities — can run $3,500–$7,000 for a mid-range property. Three extra months = $10,500–$21,000 in pure carry cost you'll never recover.
3. Concession creep in negotiation
Buyer agents representing buyers on FSBO homes know the seller doesn't have professional representation. They ask for more at every stage: higher inspection concessions, broader repair requests, tighter rent-back terms, seller-paid closing costs. Without an agent pushing back on those asks from a place of practiced negotiation, FSBO sellers routinely give up another 1–2% of sale price in closing-table concessions.
4. Flat-fee MLS service costs
To get into the MLS, most FSBO sellers pay a flat-fee listing service $300–$1,500. That's an unavoidable line item if you want your home to be searchable by the buyer-agent pool — and paying for it still leaves you handling every showing, every offer, every contingency, and every closing detail yourself.
5. Attorney fees
Many FSBO sellers in Maryland hire a real estate attorney to review contracts, draft addenda, and manage escrow mechanics. Attorney fees of $500–$2,500 eat further into the commission "savings" — and an attorney is retained to protect your legal interests, not to market the property or negotiate on price.
Our seller net sheet calculator breaks down every cost — commission, Maryland transfer taxes, recordation tax, HOA fees, settlement costs — so you know your real bottom line in Montgomery County before you list.
Marketing Reality Check: What You Actually Lose Without MLS & Pro Media
Marketing a Montgomery County home well in 2026 is more than a yard sign and a Zillow listing. The buyer pool for a $700K Kensington home includes relocating federal employees, life-science professionals from Rockville Pike corridor employers, and dual-income commuters who've never physically driven through your neighborhood. Those buyers see homes almost exclusively through MLS-syndicated channels and agent-curated matches.
| Marketing Channel | FSBO | Full-Service Listing (incl. 1.5%) |
|---|---|---|
| BrightMLS syndication (Zillow, Redfin, Realtor.com) | Flat-fee service required ($300–$1,500) | Included |
| Professional photography | $400–$800 out of pocket | Included (4K, drone if applicable) |
| 3D tour (Matterport or equivalent) | $350–$700 out of pocket | Included |
| Drone video (exterior + lot) | Usually skipped | Included when applicable |
| Buyer-agent outreach to qualified pool | None — agents avoid FSBO deals | Active agent-to-agent marketing |
| Open house coordination | DIY | Hosted and screened |
| Social / paid distribution | DIY if at all | Included on qualifying listings |
The underlying issue is simple: real estate isn't a product category where buyers just need to "find out the home exists." They need to be moved from awareness to an offer through sequenced exposure, pricing signals, and social proof. That sequence is what professional marketing actually does, and FSBO sellers consistently underweight how much it's worth.
Legal Exposure & Maryland Disclosure Liability
Removing the agent from a sale does not remove the legal obligations that come with selling residential property in Maryland. The paperwork is identical — you just do it yourself.
Every Maryland seller (FSBO or agent-listed) must handle:
- Maryland Residential Property Disclosure and Disclaimer Statement — state-mandated form covering known material defects
- Federal Lead-Based Paint Disclosure — required for any home built before 1978 (applies to most of Bethesda, Chevy Chase, Silver Spring, and Takoma Park inventory)
- HOA or condo resale package — ordered from the association, delivered within statutory window, buyer's rescission right begins on delivery
- Maryland Smoke Alarm Certification — required disclosure that current-code smoke alarms are installed
- Contract of Sale and addenda — financing, inspection, appraisal, home sale, rent-back, FHA/VA amendatory where applicable
- 1099-S reporting — issued by the settlement agent; sellers handle capital-gains reporting on their own return
The risk isn't that a FSBO seller can't fill out these forms — they can. The risk is that a missed disclosure, an incomplete lead paint addendum, or a mishandled HOA delivery creates post-closing liability that dwarfs any commission savings. Litigation around failure to disclose known defects is one of the most common post-sale disputes in Maryland, and FSBO sellers carry 100% of that exposure personally.
| ✓ Going FSBO — Pros | ✗ Going FSBO — Cons |
|---|---|
| No listing-side commission (save ~3%) | Sell for 8–15% less on average (offsets savings) |
| Full control over showings and timing | All showings, screening, and coordination fall on you |
| Works well for pre-arranged buyers (family, tenant) | Open-market FSBO almost always trails on price |
| Direct conversation with buyer on repair requests | Direct negotiation against a trained buyer's agent |
| Suitable for simple transactions | Full disclosure liability with no errors-and-omissions backstop |
When FSBO Actually Works in Montgomery County
We talk to sellers every week who assume FSBO is the cheapest path, and the honest answer is: sometimes it is. Here are the specific scenarios where the FSBO math in MoCo genuinely holds up.
You already have the buyer — no marketing needed
A family member, long-term tenant, neighbor, or pre-identified buyer where price and terms are already effectively agreed. A real estate attorney handles the contract and settlement for a few hundred dollars, and you skip the commission entirely. This is the cleanest FSBO scenario.
Simple, well-priced property in a hot segment
If you have a clean Gaithersburg townhouse priced right in a hot sub-market where inventory clears fast and buyer-agent competition is fierce, FSBO can work — provided you've accurately comp'd the property and you're prepared to manage offer escalation yourself.
You have genuine real estate experience
If you're a real estate attorney, active investor, or former agent, you already understand the mechanics — disclosures, contingencies, title defects, lender timelines — and the cost of professional representation may be harder to justify.
Time-insensitive, price-insensitive situation
You don't need the maximum price, and you don't need a fast close. An inheritance property being sold to split among heirs where everyone's already aligned on the number can close FSBO without market pressure.
Outside these scenarios — which cover a small minority of MoCo transactions — the expected value of professional representation is almost always higher than the commission it costs.
The 1.5% Alternative: Full Service Without the Full-Service Markup
Most Montgomery County sellers considering FSBO aren't trying to avoid representation in principle. They're trying to avoid paying a 3% commission they don't feel is justified by the service they'd get. That's a reasonable concern — and it has a cleaner solution than FSBO.
The Jamil Brothers' 1.5% full-service listing program is designed specifically for sellers who've done the math on FSBO and concluded the commission savings don't cover the pricing risk. You get:
What's Included at 1.5%
- 4K professional photography with twilight shots where applicable
- Drone video and aerial lot photography on qualifying properties
- 3D virtual tour (Matterport or equivalent) for every listing
- Full BrightMLS syndication to Zillow, Redfin, Realtor.com, and the full buyer-agent pool
- Comparative market analysis pulled for your specific MoCo submarket
- Partner-led negotiation on every offer (Saad or Arslan personally)
- Full contract management, inspection negotiation, and closing coordination
- All Maryland-specific disclosures and HOA package coordination handled
On a $600K Montgomery County home, 1.5% saves roughly $9,000 vs. a 3% agent. On a $1M Potomac property, it's $15,000. And critically: it keeps the pricing, marketing, and negotiation leverage that drives higher sale prices — the thing FSBO consistently gives up.
4K photography, drone video, 3D tours, expert negotiation, and full MLS marketing — all included at 1.5%. No hidden fees, no service reductions, no surprises.
If speed or certainty matters more to you than maximum price — common in inherited-property, divorce, or out-of-state-owner scenarios — a cash offer option may also make sense. We walk through all three paths (FSBO, traditional listing, 1.5% full-service, cash) in every seller consultation so you can see the math before committing.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do I actually save by going FSBO in Montgomery County MD?
On a $600,000 MoCo home, avoiding a 3% listing commission saves you $18,000 on the commission line — but national data shows FSBO sellers typically net $30,000–$90,000 less overall because they sell for 8–15% below comparable agent-listed properties, still pay the buyer's agent, and cover flat-fee MLS and attorney costs out of pocket. Net-net, the "savings" often disappear. A 1.5% full-service listing typically captures most of the commission savings without the pricing drag.
Do I still have to pay the buyer's agent commission if I sell FSBO in Maryland?
Not legally, but practically, yes — most of the time. Post-NAR settlement, buyer-agent compensation is negotiated separately and can be paid by buyer or seller. In Montgomery County, the majority of qualified buyers still come with representation, and offers typically request seller-paid buyer-agent compensation (commonly 2–2.5%). If you refuse to pay any buyer-agent compensation, you eliminate a large share of your buyer pool and generally land a lower final sale price. Most FSBO sellers in MoCo end up offering 2–2.5% anyway.
How long does a FSBO home take to sell in Montgomery County?
FSBO listings in MoCo typically sit on the market longer than agent-listed homes. Agent-listed homes priced correctly often go under contract within 10–30 days depending on price band and submarket. FSBO listings frequently extend beyond 60–90 days, during which you're paying mortgage interest, property taxes, HOA dues, and insurance — the added carrying cost erodes any commission savings further.
How do I choose a listing agent in Montgomery County if I decide not to FSBO?
Focus on objective criteria: local track record (homes sold in your specific submarket in the past 12–24 months), list-to-sale price ratio, average days on market for their listings, clear marketing deliverables in writing (photography, video, 3D tour, paid promotion), and pricing methodology. Ask for written disclosure of all fees and for references from recent clients with similar properties. The Jamil Brothers Realty Group — Saad and Arslan Jamil, both NVAR Lifetime Top Producers, licensed in VA, MD, DC, and WV — offers 1.5% full-service listings across Montgomery County and the wider DMV with 840+ homes sold and 500+ five-star reviews.
What changed with the NAR settlement, and does it affect FSBO sellers in MD?
The 2024 NAR settlement formally unbundled buyer-agent compensation from listing commissions. In practice, this means buyer-agent compensation is now negotiated directly between the buyer and their agent, and may be paid by the buyer, the seller, or split — depending on the offer. For FSBO sellers, it means you can no longer assume buyers will bring unrepresented offers; many buyers sign written buyer-agency agreements upfront, and they'll either need the seller to cover their agent's fee or they'll build that cost into their offered price. The commission doesn't disappear — it just moves around.
What are the Maryland transfer and recordation taxes on a Montgomery County sale?
Maryland imposes a state transfer tax of 0.5% of the sale price, a state recordation tax of $6.90 per $500 of sale price (roughly 1.38%), and Montgomery County adds a 1% county transfer tax. By local custom, these taxes are typically split 50/50 between buyer and seller, though the split is negotiable in the contract. First-time Maryland homebuyers receive a 0.25% reduction on the state transfer tax, paid by the seller under state law. On a $600K MoCo sale, the total transfer and recordation tax bill runs roughly $17,280 — usually $8,640 of which falls on the seller side under standard splits.
What are the biggest mistakes FSBO sellers make in Maryland?
Five recurring errors: (1) pricing off Zillow rather than a true comparative market analysis, (2) skipping professional photography and ending up with phone photos in MLS, (3) agreeing to buyer-requested concessions without negotiating back because they don't know what's reasonable, (4) mishandling the HOA or condo resale package delivery and opening a buyer rescission window, and (5) missing items on the Maryland Residential Property Disclosure and creating post-closing liability. Each of these mistakes can cost more than the entire commission the seller was trying to avoid.
How does selling FSBO work if my home is in an HOA or condo association?
You must order the HOA or condo resale package from the association (which typically charges $150–$500 and takes 10–21 days to produce), deliver it to the buyer within the statutory window, and manage the buyer's rescission period. In Maryland, the buyer has a statutory right to rescind the contract after receiving the resale package — and improper delivery or missing documents can extend that window indefinitely. This is one of the single most error-prone parts of FSBO in Montgomery County, where HOA and condo properties dominate newer construction inventory.
Can I FSBO and still list on MLS in Maryland?
Yes — through a flat-fee MLS listing service. These services charge $300–$1,500 to enter your listing into BrightMLS and syndicate it to Zillow, Redfin, and Realtor.com. You remain responsible for all showings, negotiation, contract management, disclosures, and closing coordination. Flat-fee MLS is better than yard-sign-only FSBO because it gets you in front of buyer agents, but it still doesn't give you pricing strategy, professional photography, negotiation support, or transaction management. It's a partial solution.
Is 1.5% really a full-service listing, or is it a discount brokerage?
The Jamil Brothers' 1.5% listing is full-service — not a discount or limited-service model. It includes 4K professional photography, drone video where applicable, 3D Matterport tours, full BrightMLS syndication, comparative market analysis, partner-led negotiation (Saad or Arslan personally), Maryland-specific disclosure handling, HOA package coordination, and complete transaction management through closing. The lower fee comes from running a high-volume team with efficient operations, not from cutting marketing or service.
Do I need a real estate attorney if I sell FSBO in Maryland?
Maryland doesn't legally require sellers to use an attorney, but for FSBO transactions it's strongly recommended. An attorney can draft the contract of sale, review buyer-submitted contracts and addenda, verify disclosures are complete, handle the Maryland-specific HOA/condo resale package timeline, and coordinate with the title company. Typical attorney fees run $500–$2,500. An attorney protects you legally but does not market the property or negotiate on price — those responsibilities still fall entirely on you.
Know your equity, understand your Maryland-specific costs, and see exactly what you'll walk away with — before you decide between FSBO, a traditional agent, or our 1.5% full-service listing. The Jamil Brothers provide a full seller consultation at no cost or obligation.
Glossary
FSBO (For Sale By Owner)
A home sale managed directly by the owner without a listing agent. The owner handles pricing, marketing, showings, negotiation, and paperwork personally.
BrightMLS
The multiple listing service covering Maryland, Virginia, DC, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and West Virginia. Primary source of listings distributed to Zillow, Redfin, and Realtor.com.
Flat-Fee MLS
A limited-service listing option where a broker places a FSBO home on MLS for a flat fee ($300–$1,500), without providing additional agent services.
MD Transfer Tax
Maryland state transfer tax of 0.5% of the sale price, plus county transfer tax (1% in Montgomery County). Typically split 50/50 between buyer and seller.
Recordation Tax
Maryland state tax of $6.90 per $500 of sale price (roughly 1.38%) charged when the deed is recorded. Usually split between buyer and seller per local custom.
HOA Resale Package
The bundle of governing documents and financial statements that an HOA or condo association must provide to a buyer before closing. Triggers a statutory rescission period in Maryland.
MD Property Disclosure
Maryland Residential Property Disclosure and Disclaimer Statement — state-mandated form where sellers either disclose known defects or formally disclaim any representations about property condition.
Net Proceeds
The dollar amount a seller actually walks away with after all commissions, taxes, closing costs, and loan payoffs — the only number that really matters when comparing FSBO to listing options.
Explore More DMV Seller Guides
1.5% Listing Program Seller Net Sheet Free Home Valuation Cash Offers Homes for Sale Fairfax Ashburn AlexandriaThe Bottom Line for Montgomery County Sellers
FSBO isn't a bad idea everywhere — but in Montgomery County, where the median price runs high, buyer-agent representation is near-universal, and the legal paperwork is non-trivial, the math rarely pencils out. You save on the listing commission and give back more in sale price, concessions, carrying costs, and flat-fee services. The gap can easily hit five figures.
The Jamil Brothers Realty Group — Saad Jamil and Arslan Jamil, associate brokers at Samson Properties — built the 1.5% full-service program for exactly this situation: sellers who've done the FSBO math honestly and want to keep more of their equity without surrendering the pricing and negotiation leverage that drives a better sale price. 840+ homes sold. $500M+ in closed volume. 500+ five-star reviews across Google, Zillow, and Realtor.com. Licensed in VA, MD, DC, and WV.
Before you make a FSBO decision, run the real numbers for your specific Montgomery County home. Get a free valuation, a personalized net sheet, and a side-by-side comparison of FSBO, traditional listing, and the 1.5% program — all with zero obligation. Call (703) 782-4830 or schedule your free consultation online.
Explore More
Browse Every Corner of the DMV Market
Whether you're searching by budget, neighborhood, or buying situation — find exactly what you need below.
Virginia Homes by Budget
Washington DC Homes by Budget
Maryland Homes
Explore Northern Virginia Communities
Loudoun County
Fairfax County & Surrounding
Ready to Make a Move?
Full-Service · No Tradeoffs
List for 1.5% & Keep More Equity
Professional photography, drone video, 3D tours, and expert negotiation — all included. On an $800K home, that's $12,000 more in your pocket vs. a 3% agent.
See the 1.5% Program →Need Speed or Certainty?
Get a No-Obligation Cash Offer
Skip the showings, skip the contingencies. If timing or condition matters more than top dollar, a cash offer may be the right fit. We'll walk you through every option.
Explore Cash Offers →
Categories
Recent Posts
Let's Connect
