Selling Your Home Yourself in South Jersey? Let's Run the Numbers Together

If you're thinking about selling your home on your own, I get it. You've worked hard for your equity, and you want to keep as much of it as you can. I respect that. I'm not going to give you a hard sell. Instead, here's an honest look at what selling by owner involves, what the numbers say, and a simple offer: let me show you how I'd do the work, and we'll compare your bottom line side by side before you decide anything.

I'm Jerry Mac with Keller Williams Realty, and I've been selling homes in South Jersey for 23 years.

Free Photos to Help You Out

Free photography, no strings attached. Good photos are one of the biggest things that help a home sell, and not everyone loves taking them. If photography isn't your thing, I'm happy to come take photos of your home for free. They're yours to keep, and you can use them and market them anywhere you want. I also work with many different buyers who may be interested in your exact property, and I'll share your photos with them. If a buyer is interested, I'll call you to set up a tour. And if they happen to buy your home, fantastic. If not, you still have great photos.

When selling by owner can make sense

Selling on your own can work, especially if you already know who's buying. The National Association of REALTORS (NAR) says the most common reasons homeowners sell by owner are selling to a friend or relative and avoiding agent fees. If a family member or neighbor wants your home, you may not need a marketing plan at all, just fair pricing and clean paperwork. If that's you, I'm glad to point you in the right direction even if you never hire me.

What the numbers show

The figures below come from NAR's 2025 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, a survey of people who sold between July 2024 and June 2025. NAR is the REALTORS' trade group, so keep that in mind, and read the report yourself if you like.

• Only 5 percent of home sales were by owner, a record low.
• The median by-owner sale price was $360,000, compared with $425,000 for agent-assisted sales.
• The hardest steps for by-owner sellers were getting the price right, preparing the home for sale, and selling within the time they planned.
• 40 percent of by-owner sellers did not actively market their home.
• 88 percent of buyers worked with an agent.

One honest caution: those medians are for different homes, and by-owner homes are often different, such as smaller homes or sales to someone the seller already knows. So the gap does not mean your house would sell for $65,000 less on its own. The real lesson is where by-owner sales tend to get stuck: price and exposure.

Where selling by owner tends to get hard

• Price. Without current sold comparisons, it's easy to price too high, and the house sits, or too low, and money is left on the table.
• Exposure. Most buyers work with an agent, and agents search the MLS. A home that isn't where they look is easy to miss.
• Showings and screening. You schedule every visit, answer every call, and welcome strangers into your home.
• Negotiation and paperwork. Offers, inspection requests, appraisals, and the contract all the way to closing.
• Buyer's agent compensation. What you offer is entirely your choice. Many by-owner sellers still choose to offer something so agents will bring their buyers, which can make the savings smaller than people expect.

My offer: sell it for more, do the work, protect your bottom line

My goal is simple. I want to get your home in front of more buyers and negotiate a stronger price, so that after my fee you keep at least what you would have kept going it alone. I can't promise that for every house, so here is what I will do before you sign anything: I'll put it in writing. We'll build a side-by-side estimate of your net, selling on your own versus working with me, and look at it together. If the numbers say you're better off on your own, I'll tell you so.

What I take off your plate

• Pricing based on recent sold homes and current competition, not automated online estimates
• Photography and marketing: your home goes on the MLS, gets its own property webpage on southjerseyrealty.com, and is promoted on my Facebook, Instagram and YouTube channels
• Getting your home in front of buyers and their agents
• Scheduling and screening showings, and open houses
• Negotiating offers and handling the details from contract to closing
• Connecting you with trusted handymen, junk removal, and other pros I've worked with for years

Already tried and it hasn't sold?

That happens all the time, and it doesn't mean your home can't sell. Often one or two changes, such as a sharper price or better photos and exposure, make the difference. I've helped many homes that couldn't sell the first time sell the second time around. Read more on my page for sellers whose listing expired: Expired Listing? How to Sell Your South Jersey Home.

If you decide to go it alone, here are free tips

• Price from homes that have actually sold nearby, not from asking prices or automated estimates.
• Invest in good photos. Buyers decide online whether to visit.
• Decide up front what you'll offer a buyer's agent, so agents feel comfortable bringing buyers.
• Have a real estate attorney review your contract.
• Screen visitors and never show the home alone.

And if you have a question along the way, call or text me. I'm happy to help.

Common questions

Do I have to pay a buyer's agent if I sell myself?

That's your decision. The amount is entirely up to you. Many sellers offer something so buyers' agents will bring their clients.

What do you charge?

Commissions are negotiable. I'll go over everything in writing before you decide, including a side-by-side net estimate.

Can I try on my own first?

Of course. If you reach a point where you'd like help, call me. There's no awkwardness.

Will you really tell me if I'm better off on my own?

Yes. I'd rather be honest with you than win a listing that isn't right for you.

Where do you work?

I help sellers in Cherry Hill, Cinnaminson, Maple Shade, Mount Laurel, Voorhees, Marlton, Moorestown, and throughout Burlington, Camden, and Gloucester counties. See how I sell homes.

About Jerry Mac

I've spent 23 years helping South Jersey families buy and sell, and I'm proud of my 130+ five-star Google reviews. Clients often mention my patience and attention to detail. I'm licensed in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Outside of work, my wife and I rescue animals and sponsor children in need around the world.

Want to see your numbers side by side? Call or text Jerry Mac at 856-220-1874, or get your free home value report.

Sources

• NAR, FSBOs reach all-time low
• Virginia REALTORS, key takeaways from NAR's 2025 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers
• Homes.com, selling your home on your own