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Home selling guide

How to Sell a House in Michigan

Everything a Detroit area seller needs to decide and do, from picking the right way to sell to the paperwork Michigan requires and what gets paid at closing.

What Is My Home Worth? Compare ways to sell
  • Cash vs. FSBO vs. MLS, side by side
  • Michigan disclosures explained
  • Closing costs, in plain English

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The short version

How to sell a house in Michigan in 8 steps

  1. 1

    Find your number

    Start with a free home value estimate, then compare recently sold homes like yours nearby.

  2. 2

    Choose how to sell

    Cash offer, for sale by owner, or an MLS listing. The right one depends on condition, timeline and how hands-on you want to be.

  3. 3

    Fix and prep

    Handle the repairs that would scare off buyers or lenders, then clean, declutter and paint.

  4. 4

    Complete your disclosures

    Fill out Michigan's Seller Disclosure Statement and, for homes built before 1978, the lead-based paint disclosure.

  5. 5

    Market and show

    Great photos, an honest description, and safe, easy showings.

  6. 6

    Review offers

    Compare price, financing, inspection terms, concessions and closing date.

  7. 7

    Get through inspection and appraisal

    Most buyers inspect, and buyers with a mortgage need an appraisal. Be ready to negotiate.

  8. 8

    Close with a title company

    The title company clears liens, records the deed, pays off your mortgage and sends you the rest.

Three ways to sell

Cash offer vs. for sale by owner vs. MLS listing

Each path trades off price, speed and effort. See the details on all ways to sell.

<a href="/sell/cash-offer/">Cash offer</a><a href="/sell/for-sale-by-owner/">For sale by owner</a><a href="/sell/list-on-mls/">MLS listing</a>
PriceUsually below market valueMarket value, if priced rightMarket value, with the most buyers
RepairsNone; sold as isYour choiceYour choice
Your effortLowestHighest: you market, show and negotiateMedium
SpeedFastestDepends on interest and financingDepends on the market and financing
Buyer poolOne or a few investorsBuyers who find your listingBuyers' agents across the region
Best forBig repairs, inherited homes, deadlinesConfident sellers in strong demand areasMost homes in decent shape
Choosing a path

Which way to sell is right for you?

A cash offer makes sense when the house needs a lot of work, you inherited it, tenants are in place, or you need to be done by a certain date. Cash buyers price in repairs, holding costs and their profit, so compare the offer with what the home would sell for after repairs.

For sale by owner fits sellers who are comfortable pricing, showing and negotiating on their own, especially in neighborhoods where homes sell quickly. You avoid a listing commission, but you handle every call and every showing.

An MLS listing puts your home in front of the buyers' agents who search the MLS every day. That wider reach usually brings more offers, which is often the best way to reach full market value.

Not sure? Get a cash offer and a value estimate at the same time. The gap between them is the real price of speed and convenience.

Prep and repairs

What to fix before you sell

Start with a pre-listing inspection from local home inspectors. It shows you what a buyer's inspector will find, so you can fix it, price it in, or disclose it on your terms.

Fix first: problems that stop sales

Then the quick wins

Skip big remodels right before a sale. They take time and rarely pay back in full. Fix what is broken first, then what is ugly.

Paperwork

Michigan seller disclosures

Seller Disclosure Statement

Michigan's Seller Disclosure Act covers sales of homes with one to four units. You fill out a set form (MCL 565.957) about known conditions: the roof, basement water, plumbing, electrical, heating, pests, environmental problems and more. You must deliver it before you sign a binding purchase agreement. If it arrives after, the buyer can cancel within 72 hours of getting it in person or 120 hours if it was sent by registered mail. Some transfers are exempt, such as court ordered sales and certain transfers between family members.

Be honest. The form is based on what you know, and hiding a problem you knew about can come back on you after closing.

Lead-based paint disclosure

For homes built before 1978, federal EPA and HUD rules require you to give buyers the "Protect Your Family From Lead in Your Home" pamphlet, share any known lead information and reports, include a Lead Warning Statement in the contract, and allow a 10 day period for a lead inspection unless the buyer waives it. Keep signed copies for three years. This matters in Detroit, where most homes were built before 1960.

Closing costs

What Michigan sellers pay at closing

Your title company lists every charge on your settlement statement before you sign. Here are the usual categories.

CostWhat it is
Mortgage payoffWhatever you still owe on your loan and any home equity line, plus interest to the payoff date.
State transfer taxPaid by the seller. State law sets it at 0.75% of the sale value. Some principal residence sales qualify for an exemption or refund.
County transfer taxPaid when the deed is recorded. 0.11% of the value in counties under 2 million people.
Title and closing feesThe title company's settlement or closing fee and, by local custom or your contract, the owner's title policy for the buyer.
Listing or agent feesWhatever you agreed to in your listing agreement, plus any buyer agent compensation you chose to offer.
Prorated property taxesYour share of taxes for the time you owned the home in the current tax period.
Buyer concessionsAny credit you agreed to give the buyer for closing costs or repairs.
Liens and water billsUnpaid water bills, contractor liens or judgments must be paid off to give clear title.
Taxes after the sale

Do you owe tax when you sell your home?

Maybe not. The IRS lets many people exclude a large part of the gain on the sale of their main home from income, up to a limit. In general, you must have owned the home and lived in it as your main home for at least two of the five years before the sale. Special rules apply to rentals, inherited homes and homes you did not live in. Ask a tax professional about your situation.

Protect yourself

Selling mistakes to avoid

  • Pricing off asking prices. Use sold prices from recent sales, not what neighbors are asking.
  • Signing over your deed early. Michigan's Attorney General warns not to deed your property to anyone without talking to an attorney first.
  • Paying upfront fees to a "buyer." A real buyer does not charge you to buy your house.
  • Trusting emailed wire instructions. Call your title company at a number you already have before you send or accept any wire.
  • Discriminatory listing language. Describe the home, not the buyer you want. Fair housing rules apply to every seller.
Questions

Selling a house in Michigan: FAQ

Find out what it is worth. Compare recent sales of similar homes nearby, or get an appraisal, then decide whether a cash offer, FSBO or MLS listing fits your goals.
Most sellers of one to four unit homes must give buyers the state Seller Disclosure Statement covering known conditions. Homes built before 1978 also need the federal lead-based paint disclosure.
State law makes the seller liable for the state real estate transfer tax. The county transfer tax is also paid when the deed is recorded, and the title company collects both at closing.
Common seller costs include the mortgage payoff, state and county transfer taxes, title and closing fees, any listing fees, prorated property taxes and any credits you agreed to give the buyer. Your title company shows every item before you sign.
Fix problems that stop sales, like roof leaks, plumbing issues, basement water and safety hazards, then do cheap wins like paint and cleaning. If repairs are too big, a cash offer lets you sell as is.
It is not required, but an attorney can prepare or review your purchase agreement, which is especially helpful if you sell by owner or the sale involves an estate.

Find out what your home is worth

Get a free estimate, then compare a cash offer, a for sale by owner listing and an MLS listing.

What Is My Home Worth?

Sources

Updated September 2026. Rules and procedures change; confirm with the responsible office before a decision.

Call (833) 313-2434 What Is My Home Worth?