Hoping to potentially save money is among the top reasons why some people look to sell their own homes instead of using a real estate agent to do it.
A recent survey showed that people using for sale by owner (FSBO) sometimes embrace the option not to pay a listing agent commission. But the process is not easy and may come with snags.
Data shows that 49% of FSBO sellers wish they had priced their home differently, compared to 73% of represented sellers who felt their agent had priced their home right. 80% of sellers without an agent were dissatisfied with parts of their home sale, with a lack of offers (24%) being the most common regret.
Moreover, 50% of FSBO sellers felt overwhelmed when selling their home, and 53% added buyers didn’t trust them.
The bottom line: People aiming to save money in 2025 may be enticed to be FSBO sellers. However, research showed that those sellers can end up disappointed because they might bag more money with a real estate agent.
Based on an average listing agent commission of 2.74%, FSBO sellers could save about $14,000 on a $500,000 home. Yet sellers who team with an agent and pay commissions reported an average profit of $207,500, a robust $79,000 more than FSBO sellers’ profit of $128,500.
Clever, a real estate education platform for home buyers, sellers, and investors, surveyed 654 American adults who sold a home in 2024 or 2023 between late July and early August last year to gauge their home-selling experiences, including if they used an agent.
In general, sellers should be aware of the pros and cons of using the FSBO approach or hiring a real estate agent to peddle your home.
Jaime Dunaway-Seale, author of this report, provided BLACK ENTERPRISE her take. For FSBO, Seale says the upside is they have more control over their sales. For instance, they can negotiate without an intermediary. They can organize their showings and set their list price.
The downside: They forsake a lot of expertise by not using an agent and risk getting fewer buyers coming to see their home because an agent is not being used.
“That lack of expertise usually leads to lower profits overall for those sellers.”
The good news for sellers hiring an agent is that they will receive much help from a realtor who knows the market and understands the home-buying process. This usually results in more significant profit, faster sales and a less stressful experience for the homeowner.
Conversely, using an agent is usually a significantly sizeable upfront investment, which can reduce your overall profit.
The gist of selling your home or using an agent might be this.
Seale says, “The right choice for the homeowner on which option to use may depend on their situation and what they value the most, including variables such as profit, finding the right buyer, and how fast they want to sell.”
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