Pros and Cons Of Selling Your Home Versus Using A Real Estate Agent

Choosing to sell your home yourself or with a real estate agent may rely on profit or how much time you have.

The potential to save money is among the top reasons why some people look to sell their own homes instead of using a real estate agent.

A recent survey from Clever, a real estate education platform for home buyers, sellers, and investors, 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.

Forty-nine percent 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. Eighty percent 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.

In July and August of 2024, Clever surveyed 654 American adults who sold a home in 2023 or 2024 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, 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,” Dunaway-Seale tells BLACK ENTERPRISE.

The good news for sellers hiring an agent is that they will receive much help from a real estate agent 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 sizable upfront investment, which can reduce your overall profit.

“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,” Dunaway-Seale says.