This guide is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. For questions about your situation, talk to a Georgia real estate attorney (or a South Carolina attorney if the house is across the river), a licensed real estate agent, or a tax professional.
Start Here: Three Questions to Answer First
Before you call anyone, take ten minutes with these. Your answers usually point to the right path.
- What shape is the house in? Move-in ready, needs some updating, or needs serious work (roof, foundation, fire or water damage)?
- How soon do you need to be done? Are you flexible, or is there a deadline like a job transfer, a PCS move from Fort Eisenhower, a foreclosure date or an estate that needs to settle?
- What do you owe? Call your mortgage servicer and ask for a payoff amount. Also check for back property taxes or liens. You can look up your parcel on the Richmond County or Columbia County property records sites.
If the house is in good shape and you have time, the open market is often your best bet. If the house needs work, the timeline is tight, or you just can't deal with showings, the other options get more attractive.
Option 1: List With a Real Estate Agent
This is the most common way to sell in Augusta, Evans, Martinez and Grovetown, and for a good reason: an agent puts your house on the MLS in front of the most buyers, and more buyers usually means a higher price.
How it works
- Interview two or three agents. Ask what similar homes near you have actually sold for, how they'd price yours, and how they'd market it.
- Sign a listing agreement. Commissions aren't set by law. They're negotiable, so ask. Since the 2024 changes to industry rules, offers to pay a buyer's agent are no longer posted on the MLS, and buyers' agents need a written agreement with their buyers. Ask your agent to explain how buyer-agent pay will be handled on your sale.
- Get the house ready. Declutter, clean, handle small repairs, and maybe do some paint and landscaping.
- Showings and offers. You'll keep the house show-ready and leave when buyers come through.
- Inspection, appraisal and financing. Most buyers use a loan, so the deal usually depends on an inspection, an appraisal and loan approval. Repair requests after the inspection are common.
- Closing at a closing attorney's office.
The honest tradeoffs
Pros: Often the highest sale price, a professional handling negotiations, and broad exposure.
Cons: Commission, repair and prep costs, months of mortgage, taxes, insurance and utilities while you wait, and deals that can fall apart over inspections or financing.
Option 2: Sell It Yourself (FSBO)
Selling "for sale by owner" means you do the agent's job yourself: pricing, photos, marketing, showings and negotiating.
How it works
- Price it carefully. Look at recent sales of similar homes nearby, not asking prices. Some owners pay for an appraisal to get a solid number.
- Market it. Yard sign, online listing sites, social media, and word of mouth.
- Handle showings and screen buyers. Ask for a mortgage pre-approval letter before you take an offer seriously.
- Write the contract. Many FSBO sellers hire a real estate attorney to draft or review it. That's money well spent.
- Close with an attorney. In Georgia, real estate closings are handled by a licensed Georgia attorney, so you'll pick a closing attorney either way.
The honest tradeoffs
Pros: You may save the listing side of the commission, and you're in control.
Cons: It takes real time and know-how. Pricing mistakes cost money, and many buyers still come with an agent who expects to be paid. You also still face inspections, appraisals and financing.
Option 3: Sell for Cash to a Home Buyer
A cash buyer purchases the house directly, usually as-is. This is what we do at CSRA Homebuyer, so we'll be upfront: it isn't the right fit for every house.
How it works
- Reach out with the address and a little about the house.
- Walkthrough. The buyer looks at the property, usually once.
- Written offer. No repairs, showings or loan approval needed.
- Pick a closing date and close at a local closing attorney's office, where any mortgage, back taxes or liens are paid off from the proceeds.
The honest tradeoffs
Pros: Speed, certainty, no repairs or cleanout, no showings, and no commissions. It works well for houses that need major work, inherited houses, rentals with tenants, and tight deadlines.
Cons: The price is usually lower than a fully fixed-up house would bring on the open market, because the buyer takes on the repairs, the holding costs and the risk. If your house is updated and you have time, listing with an agent can sometimes net you more. We'd rather tell you that than have you leave money on the table.
Want to see the numbers side by side? Our cash offer vs. listing comparison lays out the costs of each path, and how we buy houses explains our process step by step.
Costs to Plan For Any Way You Sell
- Mortgage payoff and liens. Paid at closing from your proceeds.
- Georgia transfer tax. $1 for every $1,000 of the sale price (about $200 on a $200,000 sale). The seller is legally responsible for it, though the contract can say otherwise.
- Prorated property taxes. Taxes for the year are usually split between buyer and seller at closing.
- Attorney and closing fees. Who pays which fees depends on the contract.
- Commissions if an agent is involved, plus any repairs or credits you agree to after an inspection.
Paperwork and Disclosures
If your home was built before 1978, federal law requires you to tell buyers about any known lead-based paint, give them the EPA's lead pamphlet, and generally allow them a chance to have it inspected. Beyond that, be honest about problems you know about. Hiding a known defect can come back on you after closing. If you're not sure what you need to disclose, ask your agent or attorney.
Also gather the basics early: your deed, mortgage statement, recent tax bills, HOA information if you have one, and any repair records. If the owner has died, the person selling usually needs authority from the probate court first. Our guide to selling an inherited house in Augusta covers that.
Selling in North Augusta or Aiken?
Across the river, the steps are similar but the rules differ. South Carolina requires most home sellers to give buyers a written property condition disclosure statement before the contract is signed, and closings follow South Carolina law. A local South Carolina agent or attorney can walk you through it. See our page on selling a house in North Augusta.
Common Questions
What is the best way to sell a house in Augusta, GA?
Do I need a lawyer to sell my house in Georgia?
How much is the transfer tax when you sell a house in Georgia?
Can I sell my house in Augusta without a real estate agent?
Is selling a house different in North Augusta or Aiken?
Not Sure Which Way to Go?
We're a local, family-owned home buyer based on Damascus Road, and we've been buying houses around Augusta and the CSRA since 2019. If a cash sale fits, we'll give you a written offer within 24 hours and can close in as few as 14 days, or on the date you choose at a local closing attorney. If listing makes more sense for your house, we'll tell you that too. Call or text (706) 397-4774, or tell us about the house below. There's no obligation.
More reading: what to know about selling your house for cash.