How many homes sell by owner?

Five percent of U.S. home sales in NAR's 2025 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers were sold by owner — a record low — and 91% of sellers used an agent.

Do homes sold by owner sell for less?

In NAR's 2025 Profile, the median sale price was $360,000 for homes sold by owner and $425,000 for agent-assisted sales. NAR notes that homes sold by owner are more often lower-cost or rural, so the gap isn't only the agent.

Do I need a disclosure statement if I sell my South Carolina home myself?

Yes, unless the sale is exempt. South Carolina Code Section 27-50-40 requires the owner — with or without an agent — to give the buyer a written disclosure statement on the state's form for a home with one to four dwelling units. Exemptions in Section 27-50-30 include a first sale of a never-occupied home and a sale where both parties agree in writing not to complete one.

Do I need an attorney to close in South Carolina?

Yes. The Supreme Court of South Carolina has held since State v. Buyers Service (1987) that real estate closings be conducted under the supervision of a South Carolina-licensed attorney, whether or not an agent is involved.

Is the real estate commission set?

No. Commission is negotiated between you and the brokerage. Under CHS MLS rules, offers of compensation to buyers' agents are no longer published in the MLS.

For homeowners · selling

Sell it yourself, or list it with a pro?

What each path involves on the islands, what South Carolina law asks of every seller either way, and what the first asking price has done to Kiawah and Seabrook sales. Every number sourced; the choice is yours.

Last verified October 19, 2026

Photo: chucka_nc, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (resized)

The short answer

You can sell a South Carolina home yourself. Either way, the law asks two things of you: a written disclosure statement to the buyer (S.C. Code §27-50-40, unless the sale is exempt) and a closing run under a South Carolina attorney. What a listing agent adds is pricing from the MLS, the MLS’s reach to every agent with a buyer, and a negotiator on your side. Nationally, 5% of homes sold by owner in NAR’s 2025 Profile — a record low.

On the islands, the number that decides most sales is the first price. Over the last 24 months, Kiawah homes that never cut their price sold in a median 20 days at 97% of the first asking price; homes that cut it took 138 days and got 89.2%. On Seabrook: 17 days at 97%, against 146 days at 88.7%.

Based on information from CHS Regional MLS for the period 01/01/2021 through 10/14/2026. Medians of homes listed in the MLS for at least a day; days are cumulative on the market. MLS figures are aggregates of listings as entered by agents, deemed reliable but not guaranteed. No single listing is shown in these figures.

Side by side

The jobBy ownerWith a listing agent

Setting the priceYou research recent closed sales yourself (county records, online estimates).A comparative market analysis from the MLS's closed, pending and active sales, including the ones the public sites lag on.

Getting it seenYard sign, for-sale-by-owner sites, your own social posts.The MLS — every member agent sees it the day it's entered — and the brokers' websites that display MLS listings.

ShowingsYou schedule them, let strangers in and screen who's qualified.Scheduled through the MLS's showing system; buyers' agents usually bring pre-qualified buyers.

Offers and negotiationYou negotiate price, repairs and terms directly with the buyer or their agent.Your agent negotiates for you and walks you through counteroffers, inspection requests and appraisal gaps.

PaperworkYou and your closing attorney handle the contract and the disclosure statement.The listing agent prepares the contract and disclosure paperwork with you; the closing attorney handles the closing.

CostNo listing commission. You may still pay a buyer's agent if you agree to, plus your closing costs.A listing commission you negotiate — it's set by agreement, never fixed by law or by the MLS.

The national numbers, with the fine print

5% of home sales were sold by owner — a record low, down from 7% the year before. 91% of sellers used an agent.
The median sale price was $360,000 sold by owner and $425,000 agent-assisted.
NAR’s own caveat: homes sold by owner are more often lower-cost or rural, so part of that gap is the kind of home, not only the agent.

Source: National Association of REALTORS®, 2025 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers (transactions July 2024–June 2025). NAR is the agents’ trade association.

If you sell it yourself

Price from closed sales, not asking prices. The island numbers above are why: the first price shapes the whole sale.
Fill out the state’s disclosure statement before you sign a contract (S.C. Code §27-50-40). Knowingly false or misleading disclosure carries civil liability (§27-50-65).
Hire a South Carolina closing attorney early — the closing runs under one either way.
Decide up front whether you’ll pay a buyer’s agent; most buyers on the islands come with one.
Know your HOA and island rules — the transfer fees and approvals on Kiawah and Seabrook are on the fee pages.

Weighing it? The Islander Home Team will run the closed sales for your home and street at no cost, and tell you straight what we’d list it for — whatever you decide.

What’s my home worth?Selling on the islands

Questions owners ask

How many homes sell by owner?: Five percent of U.S. home sales in NAR's 2025 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers were sold by owner — a record low — and 91% of sellers used an agent.
Do homes sold by owner sell for less?: In NAR's 2025 Profile, the median sale price was $360,000 for homes sold by owner and $425,000 for agent-assisted sales. NAR notes that homes sold by owner are more often lower-cost or rural, so the gap isn't only the agent.
Do I need a disclosure statement if I sell my South Carolina home myself?: Yes, unless the sale is exempt. South Carolina Code Section 27-50-40 requires the owner — with or without an agent — to give the buyer a written disclosure statement on the state's form for a home with one to four dwelling units. Exemptions in Section 27-50-30 include a first sale of a never-occupied home and a sale where both parties agree in writing not to complete one.
Do I need an attorney to close in South Carolina?: Yes. The Supreme Court of South Carolina has held since State v. Buyers Service (1987) that real estate closings be conducted under the supervision of a South Carolina-licensed attorney, whether or not an agent is involved.
Is the real estate commission set?: No. Commission is negotiated between you and the brokerage. Under CHS MLS rules, offers of compensation to buyers' agents are no longer published in the MLS.

Sources: South Carolina Code, Title 27, Chapter 50; State v. Buyers Service (S.C. 1987); CHS MLS Rules & Regulations §5; NAR’s 2025 Profile. Checked 2026-10-19. General information, not legal advice — your closing attorney is the authority on your sale.

Keep going

Sunrise over wet sand at low tide on Seabrook Island

Seabrook at sunrise

Photo: See1,Do1,Teach1, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (resized)

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