Guide · November 9, 2026
Selling your house privately: no sign, no listing and no showings
A private sale has no sign, no listing and no showings. The deed still becomes public once it is recorded, and the state papers still apply.
Key points
- A private sale has no yard sign, no online listing, no open house and no showings to strangers.
- The sale becomes public once the deed is recorded. Florida's official records stay open to the public.
- The state papers still apply: Florida's flood disclosure and radon notice, and Arizona's affidavit of legal value.
- Fewer buyers see a private sale, so you may get fewer offers. Compare what you keep after every cost.
- With BIMINIO there is one building inspection of under 30 minutes, at a time you choose, and no showings.
- A cash offer is below full market value, and the price in the written offer is the price at closing.
Why sellers want a quiet sale
People have many reasons to keep a sale quiet. A divorce, a health problem, money trouble, a death in the family, or a house in poor shape can each be things a family does not want neighbors, coworkers or strangers to see. Some owners do not want people walking through their home or photos of their rooms online.
A private sale lets you sell without a public listing. This guide explains what stays private, what does not, and what a private sale still needs in Florida and Arizona. It gives no legal advice.
- No sign in the yard
- No online listing with photos of your rooms
- No open house, and no strangers walking through
- No calls from neighbors asking about the price
- A closing date you choose, known to few people
What stays private, and what becomes public
Before closing, only you, the buyer and the title company need to know about the sale. Nothing is posted, and nothing is filed with the county until the deed is recorded.
After closing, the deed is recorded with the county. In Florida, section 28.222 says the clerk, as county recorder, records deeds in the Official Records, and recorded instruments must remain open to the public. In Arizona, the deed is recorded with the county recorder, with an affidavit of legal value attached. So the fact of the sale becomes public record. What stays private is the path to it: no listing, no photos, no showings.
| Item | Before closing | After closing |
|---|---|---|
| That the house is for sale | Private | Never posted |
| Photos of the inside | Private | Never posted |
| The new owner's name | Private | Public, once the deed is recorded |
| The deed | Not yet recorded | In the county's public records |
Ways to sell without a public listing
There are three ways to sell without a sign or a listing. Each one keeps the sale quiet, and each one reaches fewer buyers than a public listing, which can mean fewer offers and a lower top price. Pick the path that fits how many people you are willing to let into the house.
| Path | How it works | Watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Sell to someone you know | A relative, a neighbor or a tenant buys the house | Set the price from comparable sales, and use a title company |
| Ask an agent to sell it without a public listing | The agent shows it only to buyers it contacts directly | Ask how the agent will reach buyers, and what it costs |
| Sell to a cash buyer | One buyer, one visit, one written offer | A cash offer is below full market value |
Selling to someone you know
If a family member, a neighbor or a tenant wants the house, a private sale can be simple. Agree on the price from recent comparable sales, put the deal in a written contract, and use a licensed title company to search the title, hold the deposit and run the closing.
If the buyer needs a loan, the lender will order an appraisal and need insurance on the house, which takes time. Set a closing date that leaves room for that.
The papers a private sale still needs
A quiet sale follows the same law as any sale. In Florida, section 689.302 asks the seller of residential real property to give the buyer a written flood disclosure at or before the time the contract is signed. Section 404.056(5) asks for the state's radon gas notice on at least one document signed at or before the contract for any building.
In Arizona, section 11-1133 asks the seller and buyer, or an agent of either, to certify an affidavit of legal value that is attached when the deed is recorded. The county recorder refuses a deed without a complete affidavit, unless the deed notes an exemption under section 11-1134. For most houses built before 1978, federal rules also require a lead paint disclosure. Tell the buyer what you know about the house in both states.
Selling as is: what to tell the buyer →
Keeping it quiet during the sale
Small choices keep a sale private. Ask that calls and emails go to one phone number and one inbox. Ask the buyer not to put a sign or a lockbox on the house before closing. Choose a visit time when neighbors are less likely to notice, and keep the number of visits to one.
Tell the title company you want privacy, and ask it to send papers to the address and email you choose. Movers and a truck on the street are the one sign neighbors may see, so plan the move day with that in mind. Keep every paper about the sale in one folder, and use an email account only you can open.
If someone else lives in the house
A private sale still needs the buyer's one visit, and tenants have rights about entry. Florida Statutes section 83.53 says a tenant may not unreasonably withhold consent to showing the unit to a buyer, and defines reasonable notice for repairs as at least 24 hours. Arizona Revised Statutes section 33-1343 asks for at least two days' notice and entry at reasonable times.
If a family member lives in the house, talk with them before any visit is set. Agree together on who else in the family will be told, and when.
Selling a rental with tenants →
Check the buyer in a quiet sale too
A seller who wants privacy can be a target for people who promise a quick, quiet deal and then ask for something a real buyer never would. The Federal Trade Commission warns that scammers ask for money upfront and try to get owners to sign over the deed. A real buyer pays through a licensed title company, puts the price in writing, and has you sign the deed only at closing.
Ask any buyer for proof of funds and the name of its title company, and call the title company yourself at a number you look up.
- The price in a written offer
- Proof of funds, such as a bank letter
- A licensed title company that holds the deposit
- No fee of any kind from you
- The deed signed only at closing
Who will know before closing
A few people have to know about the sale before it closes, even in a private one. Your lender gets a payoff request, and under 12 CFR 1026.36(c)(3) it must answer within 7 business days of a written request, with some exceptions. An HOA, if there is one, gets a request for its estoppel certificate or disclosure. Ask each one to send its papers only to you and the title company.
The cost of privacy
Fewer buyers see a private sale, so you may get fewer offers than a public listing would bring. On the other side, a private sale can save the costs of preparing a house for showings: cleaning, staging, repairs and the months of bills while it is listed.
Compare what you keep after every cost, for a private sale and for a listing. The net proceeds calculator on this site does the arithmetic with your own numbers.
A private sale to BIMINIO
BIMINIO buys houses in Tampa, Miami, Orlando, Lakeland, Phoenix and Glendale with no sign, no listing, no open houses and no showings. You talk to one person by phone or email. You get a written cash offer within 24 hours, with the comparable sales we used. After you accept, we visit once, for a building inspection of under 30 minutes, at a time you choose.
You pick a closing date from 7 to 35 days out, and we pay the closing costs. A licensed title company handles the closing. A cash offer is below full market value, and the price in the written offer is the price at closing.
Want a number for your house? BIMINIO buys in Florida and Arizona, as is. A written offer comes within 24 hours.