It is important for the FSBO seller to keep in mind the importance of cooperation/communication between seller and buyer. Generally speaking, it is not a common transaction for either of them. Therefore the seller, particularly, needs to have a good working grasp of the process in order to help orient each stage. This is where choosing the best partners (Flat Fee Provider, Atty, Title Co, Transaction Coordinator, etc) is so important.

In fact, most U.S. homeowners tend to stay in a home for about 10–13 years before selling it. Median figures from recent National Association of Realtors (NAR) data show homeowners often hold a property for around 10–11 years. Historically, average tenure has increased over time, with periods around 13 years seen in some datasets.

Using those patterns plus typical adult homeownership timelines:

If someone begins owning a home in their 30s and continues through their 60s or 70s, that’s roughly 30–40 years of possible homeownership.

Dividing a ~30–40-year ownership span by typical tenure (10–13 years):

30 years ÷ ~10 years per home = ~3 homes
40 years ÷ ~13 years per home = ~3 homes

So many estimates suggest an average homeowner will buy and sell a home about 2–4 times in their lifetime, with 3 times often used as a reasonable midpoint for U.S. adults.

Note, the average homeowner specifically moves far less frequently than renters.