The Complete Guide to Buying a Home Without a Buyer's Agent | BuyUnrepped

The NAR settlement made buyer-agent commissions visible. It also made more buyers ask a reasonable question: do I actually need to pay this?

On a median-priced Tennessee home ($394,400), a buyer's agent commission at the current average of 2.42% costs approximately $9,544.¹ That's real money, money that could cover your closing costs, fund a rate buydown, or pad your down payment. And since the settlement took effect in August 2024, unrepresented buyers have increased roughly 1.7% nationally.²

This guide is the step-by-step playbook for Tennessee buyers who want to handle the purchase themselves. Not anti-agent, just practical. Here's how to do it right.

Why More Buyers Are Going Unrepresented

The NAR settlement changed two things that matter here: buyers must now sign written agreements disclosing exact agent fees before touring homes, and commissions are no longer advertised on the MLS.³ That transparency forced a conversation many buyers hadn't had before, is this fee worth it?

For most, the answer is still yes. Eighty-eight percent of buyers still purchase through an agent.⁴ But a growing minority is doing the math and choosing differently.

The math in Tennessee is especially stark. The state's average buyer agent commission runs 2.42–2.92%, and Tennessee is one of only 10 states where commission rebates are illegal.¹ You can't hire an agent and get money back. It's full commission or no agent, which makes going unrepresented one of the most direct paths to savings.

Is Going Without an Agent Right for You?

This path isn't for everyone. Before you commit, an honest self-assessment will save you from a costly mistake.

Good candidates:

You've purchased a home before and understand the process
You're comfortable with research, paperwork, and direct negotiation
You're buying from someone you know (FSBO with an existing relationship)
You're buying in Tennessee's current market, with flattening prices and rising inventory, buyers have real leverage⁵

Think twice if:

You're a first-time buyer unfamiliar with contracts, contingencies, and closing timelines
You're buying in an extremely competitive market or multiple-offer situation
You're uncomfortable reviewing legal documents or negotiating directly with a listing agent
You don't have the time to manage the process yourself, it takes real hours

If you're on the fence, our post on whether you still need a buyer's agent walks through the full pros and cons.

Step 1: Build Your Support Team

Skipping the agent doesn't mean skipping professional help. The buyers who succeed unrepresented build a lean support team first.

Hire a Tennessee Real Estate Attorney

Tennessee doesn't legally require an attorney at closing.⁶ But for unrepresented buyers, this is the single most important hire you'll make.

A real estate attorney handles contract review, negotiation of legal terms, and closing representation. In Tennessee, expect to pay $500–$1,500 as a flat fee, or $150–$350/hour for more complex situations.⁶ Compare that to ~$9,544 for a buyer agent commission on a median-priced home and the math is clear.

What an attorney won't do: find homes, schedule showings, or provide MLS access. That part is on you.

Get Pre-Approved With a Lender

Without an agent vouching for your seriousness, a pre-approval letter is your credibility. Get it before you start searching, ideally 60–90 days before you plan to buy.

While you're talking to your lender, ask about seller concession limits for your loan type. Conventional loans with less than 10% down cap concessions at 3%. FHA allows 6%. Knowing your ceiling before you make an offer matters.

Line Up a Home Inspector

Budget $325–$425 for a standard Tennessee inspection. Find one now and confirm their availability, inspectors can have 1–2 week wait times during busy months. You don't want your inspection contingency deadline to expire because you couldn't book an inspector in time.

Step 2: Search for Homes

You don't need MLS access through an agent. Zillow, Redfin, Realtor.com, and Homes.com display nearly all listed inventory in real time.

Open houses are your easiest entry point. You can attend freely, no buyer-broker agreement required. Walk through homes, talk to listing agents, and get a feel for the market.

For private showings, contact the listing agent directly and identify yourself as an unrepresented buyer. Under Tennessee law (TCA §62-13-405), the listing agent must verbally disclose their role, and confirm it in writing before preparing any offer.⁷

One thing to understand clearly: the listing agent represents the seller, not you. They may be helpful, even friendly. But their fiduciary duty runs to the seller. Do not rely on them for pricing advice, negotiation strategy, or contract guidance. That's what your attorney is for.

Step 3: Research Comparable Sales

Without an agent's comparative market analysis (CMA), you need to build your own. This is how you avoid overpaying.

Use Redfin and Zillow's "recently sold" filters. Match on:

Location: Within 0.5 miles of the target property
Square footage: Within 20% of the home's size
Bedrooms/bathrooms: Same count
Year built: Similar era
Condition: Renovated vs. original

Look at the past 6 months of closed sale prices: not active listings, not pending sales, actual recorded transactions. Check your county assessor's website for tax assessments and property history.

Factor in market context: Tennessee homes currently sit on the market an average of 52–77 days.⁵ A home that's been listed for 60+ days or has already taken a price reduction is a strong candidate for a below-list offer.

Step 4: Make an Offer

This is the most critical step without an agent, and where your attorney earns their fee.

Write the Purchase Agreement

Tennessee doesn't mandate a specific purchase agreement form, but all real estate contracts must be in writing and signed by all parties under the Statute of Frauds.⁸ Have your real estate attorney draft or review the agreement before you submit it.

Set Your Offer Price

Base it on your comp research, not the asking price. If the property has been on market 30+ days, has had price reductions, or sits in an area with rising inventory, you have room to offer below list.

Include Essential Contingencies

Every contingency should have a firm deadline. Miss a deadline and you could lose your earnest money deposit.

Contingency	What It Does	Why You Need It
Financing	Lets you exit if your loan falls through	Protects your deposit if mortgage is denied
Inspection	Lets you exit or renegotiate after inspection	Uncovers hidden problems before you're committed
Appraisal	Lets you exit if the home appraises below your offer	Prevents you from overpaying
Title	Lets you exit if the title isn't clear	Protects against liens, encumbrances, or ownership disputes

Do not waive contingencies without professional guidance. Each one is a safety net that protects thousands of dollars.

Earnest Money Deposit

In Tennessee, earnest money typically runs 1–2% of the purchase price.⁵ On a $394,400 home, that's $3,944–$7,888. The deposit is held in escrow by the title company and is refundable if you exit within your contingency terms.

Step 5: Navigate Inspections and Negotiations

Home Inspection

This is non-negotiable, with or without an agent. Budget $325–$425 and attend the inspection in person if possible. The inspector's report is your leverage for the next round of negotiations.

Focus your requests on three categories:

Safety issues: electrical, structural, radon, mold
Major systems: roof, HVAC, plumbing, foundation
Items that affect property value: not cosmetic concerns

Get contractor estimates for any significant issues before requesting credits or repairs. "The inspector found a problem" is weaker than "here's a $6,000 quote to fix the foundation crack."

Negotiate Repairs or Credits

You have three options: ask the seller to make repairs before closing, request a price reduction, or request a closing cost credit. In most cases, a credit is more effective than a price reduction, the savings are immediate and dollar-for-dollar at closing. Our seller concessions guide breaks down the math.

Step 6: Review Disclosures and Close

Tennessee Seller Disclosures

The Tennessee Residential Property Disclosure Act (TCA §66-5-201–210) requires sellers of 1–4 unit residential properties to provide a property disclosure statement or disclaimer before the purchase agreement is signed.⁸

Review it line by line. Key things to know:

Exemptions exist. New construction, foreclosures, auction sales, and properties the seller hasn't occupied within 3 years of closing are exempt.⁸
The disclosure is not a warranty. It reflects what the seller knows, not what's actually wrong with the property. This is why you still need an inspection.
You have one year from receiving the disclosure (or the closing date, whichever comes first) to bring a lawsuit for misrepresentation.⁸

Closing

Tennessee buyer closing costs run 2–5% of the purchase price, with an average of approximately $3,911.⁹ The transfer tax is $0.37 per $100 of sale price, typically paid by the seller.⁹

Three business days before closing, you'll receive your Closing Disclosure. Review every line, verify that concessions, credits, and costs match what you negotiated in the contract. If something doesn't match, flag it immediately with your lender and attorney.

Your attorney should attend closing with you. This is what you hired them for.

The Money You Keep: A Cost Comparison

Here's what representation costs across different approaches on a median-priced Tennessee home ($394,400):

Expense	With Buyer Agent	Without Agent
Agent commission (2.42%)	~$9,544	$0
Real estate attorney	$0 (agent handles)	$500–$1,500
Home inspection	$325–$425	$325–$425
Total representation cost	~$9,544–$9,969	~$825–$1,925

Net savings: roughly $7,600–$8,700 on a median Tennessee home.^1,5,6

That's money you can redirect toward closing costs, a 2-1 rate buydown, or a larger down payment that eliminates PMI. See how much you'd save on your specific purchase.

How BuyUnrepped Helps

Going without an agent doesn't mean going without support. BuyUnrepped fills the gap between fully solo and full-commission agent, professional tools and guidance at a fraction of the traditional cost.

Tennessee-specific purchase agreements so your contracts protect you from day one
Step-by-step closing coordination so nothing falls through the cracks
Comparable sales data and closing cost calculators to replace the research an agent would provide
Flat-fee pricing: no percentage-based surprises

The NAR settlement gave you the right to see what you're paying. BuyUnrepped gives you a better option to pay toward.

See how much you could save or check out our pricing to get started. Have questions? Reach out to our team, we're happy to help.

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