For-sale-by-owner (FSBO) transactions are common across Ohio, especially for family transfers, investment properties, and sellers who already have a buyer. Skipping a real estate agent’s commission can make financial sense. Skipping legal review often does not.
A house purchase is still a contract, a title problem waiting to be discovered, and a closing that has to transfer ownership cleanly.
What FSBO Does Not Eliminate
Whether or not an agent is involved, someone still needs to address:
- The purchase contract and contingencies
- Disclosures and known property defects
- Earnest money and default remedies
- Title examination and clearing liens
- Deed preparation and signing formalities
- Prorations, utilities, and keys
- Who pays transfer taxes and closing costs
Templates downloaded online are not tailored to Ohio practice, your county’s customs, or the odd facts of your deal (life estate leftovers, old mortgages, missing heirs on the title, farmland splits, or LLC sellers).
Situations Where Legal Help Is Especially Important
Talk to a real estate attorney before you rely on a handshake or a generic form if:
- The property is in an estate or trust
- The seller is an LLC, partnership, or out-of-state owner
- There is a divorce, foreclosure history, or judgment lien
- You are buying acreage, farmland, or property with easements and shared drives
- The “buyer” is a family member and everyone wants to keep it informal
- You need a TOD deed, land contract, or seller financing
Informal family deals produce some of the hardest title problems later — precisely because nobody wanted to “make it complicated” at the start.
Title Insurance Is Not the Same as Legal Advice
Title companies play a critical role in closings. They are not a substitute for advice about whether you should accept a particular survey exception, easement, or contract contingency. If a commitment shows issues, you want counsel who works for you.
Landlord and Investment Buyers
Investors buying rentals should also think about entity ownership, leases, and landlord-tenant issues on day one — not after the first eviction. Pairing the deed with the right LLC structure is part of getting the purchase right. See business formation and real estate.
A Practical Middle Path
Many FSBO parties still use:
- An attorney to draft or review the contract
- A title company for the search and closing
- An inspector and surveyor as needed
That combination often costs far less than fixing a bad deed or litigating a failed closing.
I handle Ohio real estate matters from Lima for buyers, sellers, and owners across the state. If you are considering a FSBO purchase or sale, contact the office before you sign.
This article is general information, not legal advice, and reading it does not create an attorney–client relationship. Every property and contract is different.