What doesn't change without an agent
The closing process itself, title work, the closing attorney, the settlement statement, recording the deed, runs the same way whether or not an agent was involved. North Carolina requires an attorney to conduct the closing regardless, so that part of the transaction has professional oversight built in either way.
What you're managing yourself
Without an agent, you're the one coordinating the buyer's inspection scheduling, tracking due diligence and earnest money deadlines, managing repair negotiations if they come up, and making sure every contract deadline is actually met. Missing a deadline in a North Carolina offer to purchase can have real consequences, so a shared calendar with every date from the contract is worth setting up on day one.
Who represents the buyer
Many buyers in a FSBO transaction will still bring their own agent, whose commission is typically negotiated separately and disclosed in writing. That agent represents the buyer's interests only, not yours, which is worth keeping in mind during negotiation and inspection response.
Where sellers most often get tripped up
Missed deadlines, incomplete disclosures, and informal repair agreements that were never put in writing are the most common friction points in a FSBO closing. An attorney can help catch these, but only if you loop them in early enough to matter, not just at the closing table.