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Why do I need a real estate agent?
I am an actuary and think I can do this myself but my wife wants to hire an agent. Make your case. Why should I hire an agent?
Asked By Billy B | Topeka, KS | 49 views | Working With An Agent | Updated 2 days ago
Answers (8)
Andre Gutierrez
Realty of America
This is one of the biggest financial investments of your life. Similar to how you may read read web md for medical advice, you probably woould rather have a doctor do surgery on you than you do it yourself. But you deserve a qaulity agent who knows the process from start to finish, is expereinced and has seen every possibly scenario. In order to determine if you should do it yourselfask yourself, how well do you know the real estate contract? How well do you know people in the industry? (home inspectors, lenders, other realtors etc) How well do you know the real estate market? Do you study the market regularly? (not just read online valuations from 3rd party algorithm sites, like do you really study it) Do you know the 180 things that need to be done after a home goes under contract? If you know all of this, yes, do it yourself. If not, interview agents to find a quality one who will put your needs first.
- 1 day ago
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Eric Cavanagh
Keller Williams St Johns
Hi, Billy;
Actually, you don't need an agent or a Realtor to sell your home. You can absolutely do it yourself. There is nothing that says you can't legally sell your own Real Estate.
However, over 91% of Real Estate sales last year in the US were handled by a Realtor. The statistics say that you'll net 16% more for your house and sell it in 36% less time using a Realtor rather than going FSBO (For Sale By Owner). Never mind the 80% less stress, or whatever that statistic is.
Does it mean anything to you that the owner of fsbo.com hired a Realtor to sell his own home? Here's another statistic: 68% of all Real Estate law suits involve FSBO properties. Most FSBO properties are sold to someone personally known to the seller and the remainder of the 9% of sales last year that were FSBO were either handled by an attorney or involved multiple property purchases through bank sales to investors without Realtor involvement.
It's up to you. Serious and experienced Realtors are well worth the fee they charge to handle all the legal paperwork, access their network of providers, market your listing locally, regionally, nationally and internationally to get you the exposure needed to get you top dollar for your home. Most of them sell more homes in a month than you will in your entire life. This is what they do and they specialize in it. Sure, you could pull your own tooth, but wouldn't you rather pay a dentist to do it?
Try it yourself for 60 days and see if you can get it done. If so - good for you! If not, consider hiring a Realtor to get the job done. The amount they may charge is far less than the higher net you'll receive, meaning you'll take home more money from the sale with a lot less aggravation and stress so you can focus on what you're an expert at.
Actually, you don't need an agent or a Realtor to sell your home. You can absolutely do it yourself. There is nothing that says you can't legally sell your own Real Estate.
However, over 91% of Real Estate sales last year in the US were handled by a Realtor. The statistics say that you'll net 16% more for your house and sell it in 36% less time using a Realtor rather than going FSBO (For Sale By Owner). Never mind the 80% less stress, or whatever that statistic is.
Does it mean anything to you that the owner of fsbo.com hired a Realtor to sell his own home? Here's another statistic: 68% of all Real Estate law suits involve FSBO properties. Most FSBO properties are sold to someone personally known to the seller and the remainder of the 9% of sales last year that were FSBO were either handled by an attorney or involved multiple property purchases through bank sales to investors without Realtor involvement.
It's up to you. Serious and experienced Realtors are well worth the fee they charge to handle all the legal paperwork, access their network of providers, market your listing locally, regionally, nationally and internationally to get you the exposure needed to get you top dollar for your home. Most of them sell more homes in a month than you will in your entire life. This is what they do and they specialize in it. Sure, you could pull your own tooth, but wouldn't you rather pay a dentist to do it?
Try it yourself for 60 days and see if you can get it done. If so - good for you! If not, consider hiring a Realtor to get the job done. The amount they may charge is far less than the higher net you'll receive, meaning you'll take home more money from the sale with a lot less aggravation and stress so you can focus on what you're an expert at.
- 1 day ago
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Eric Cavanagh
Keller Williams St Johns
Hey Billy,
Happy wife, happy life. Don't fight the feeling. Follow you're wife's advice and live longer. If you did sell it, you'd have bragging rights but you know she'd remember it forever. And if you didn't - well, you'll have to live with that too. Just saying!
Happy wife, happy life. Don't fight the feeling. Follow you're wife's advice and live longer. If you did sell it, you'd have bragging rights but you know she'd remember it forever. And if you didn't - well, you'll have to live with that too. Just saying!
- 1 day ago
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Jorge Sousa
Platinum Homes Land Realty
While you are not legally required to use a real estate agent to buy or sell a home, approximately 89-90% of people choose to work with one due to the complexity and high financial stakes of the transaction. An agent acts as a professional guide, helping you navigate legal hurdles, manage extensive paperwork, and secure the best possible financial outcome.
Core Benefits for Sellers
Higher Sale Price: Data consistently shows that agent-assisted sales net significantly more money. In 2024, the median price for agent-sold homes was $435,000, compared to $380,000 for "For Sale By Owner" (FSBO) properties.
Marketing Power: Agents provide access to the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), which is the primary tool used by most buyers to find homes. They also coordinate professional photography, staging, and open houses.
Objective Pricing: Agents perform a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) to set a price based on data rather than emotional attachment, preventing your home from languishing on the market due to overpricing.
Core Benefits for Buyers
Access to Off-Market Listings: Agents often have "insider" knowledge of homes about to be listed, giving you early access before they hit public sites like Zillow.
Expert Eye for Red Flags: Experienced agents can spot potential issues that an excited buyer might miss, such as water damage, structural settlement, or dated electrical systems.
Vetted Professional Network: They provide trusted referrals for mortgage lenders, home inspectors, and contractors, which can save you time and reduce the risk of poor service.
Shared Advantages
Skilled Negotiation: Real estate transactions are often emotional; an agent acts as an objective buffer to handle difficult conversations and bidding wars to ensure you don't overpay or undersell.
Risk Mitigation: Agents are trained in real estate law and follow a strict Code of Ethics. They ensure all mandatory disclosures are made and deadlines are met to prevent legal disputes or the loss of earnest money deposits.
Complexity Management: A typical transaction involves dozens of forms and legal documents. Agents manage this "mountain of paperwork," ensuring every signature is accurate and the process stays on track for a timely closing.
Core Benefits for Sellers
Higher Sale Price: Data consistently shows that agent-assisted sales net significantly more money. In 2024, the median price for agent-sold homes was $435,000, compared to $380,000 for "For Sale By Owner" (FSBO) properties.
Marketing Power: Agents provide access to the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), which is the primary tool used by most buyers to find homes. They also coordinate professional photography, staging, and open houses.
Objective Pricing: Agents perform a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) to set a price based on data rather than emotional attachment, preventing your home from languishing on the market due to overpricing.
Core Benefits for Buyers
Access to Off-Market Listings: Agents often have "insider" knowledge of homes about to be listed, giving you early access before they hit public sites like Zillow.
Expert Eye for Red Flags: Experienced agents can spot potential issues that an excited buyer might miss, such as water damage, structural settlement, or dated electrical systems.
Vetted Professional Network: They provide trusted referrals for mortgage lenders, home inspectors, and contractors, which can save you time and reduce the risk of poor service.
Shared Advantages
Skilled Negotiation: Real estate transactions are often emotional; an agent acts as an objective buffer to handle difficult conversations and bidding wars to ensure you don't overpay or undersell.
Risk Mitigation: Agents are trained in real estate law and follow a strict Code of Ethics. They ensure all mandatory disclosures are made and deadlines are met to prevent legal disputes or the loss of earnest money deposits.
Complexity Management: A typical transaction involves dozens of forms and legal documents. Agents manage this "mountain of paperwork," ensuring every signature is accurate and the process stays on track for a timely closing.
- 1 day ago
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Christi Day
Exit Realty Southen Select
Honestly, a lot of people could probably figure out the process themselves if they really wanted to. But this is also one of the biggest financial investments of your life, so having someone in your corner who deals with this every day can make a big difference. A good agent knows what to look for in a house, what’s normal in a contract, and how to structure an offer so you don’t overpay or lose the deal.
We’re also the ones keeping track of inspections, deadlines, lenders, title work, and all the moving parts that happen between an accepted offer and closing. On top of that, negotiating is a big part of it - price, repairs, closing costs, all of that. A good agent does that regularly and can often save buyers money or headaches along the way. So it’s not really about whether you can do it yourself, it’s about having someone experienced helping protect you through the process.
We’re also the ones keeping track of inspections, deadlines, lenders, title work, and all the moving parts that happen between an accepted offer and closing. On top of that, negotiating is a big part of it - price, repairs, closing costs, all of that. A good agent does that regularly and can often save buyers money or headaches along the way. So it’s not really about whether you can do it yourself, it’s about having someone experienced helping protect you through the process.
- 5 hours ago
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JP Anderson
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Chicago
I think its most about the process and your time. If you can find a solid professional in any industry that has a definitive/successful process that helps to save clients time, energy, and stress...we'd all sign up for that :)
- 1 day ago
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Kurt Parkinson
Coldwell Banker Commercial Realty
Buying or selling a home is as much an emotional decision as much as a financial one. You need to find an agent who is good at people and negotiation.
- 1 day ago
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Cyndi Bell
Realty Texas, LLC
Billy, since you're an actuary, think of it as a risk-versus-expected-value decision, not a capability question. You can absolutely do it yourself—just like you could represent yourself in court or file a complex tax return without a CPA. The question is whether specialization improves the outcome.
In real estate, small differences matter. A 3–5% pricing or negotiation gap on a $500,000 home is $15k–$25k. Experienced agents run that process dozens of times a year, while most people do it only a few times in their lifetimes.
So the comparison isn’t DIY vs. impossible—it’s DIY vs. using someone who constantly runs that playbook. If the agent you interview can’t demonstrate that advantage, doing it yourself may be the right call.
In real estate, small differences matter. A 3–5% pricing or negotiation gap on a $500,000 home is $15k–$25k. Experienced agents run that process dozens of times a year, while most people do it only a few times in their lifetimes.
So the comparison isn’t DIY vs. impossible—it’s DIY vs. using someone who constantly runs that playbook. If the agent you interview can’t demonstrate that advantage, doing it yourself may be the right call.
- 5 hours ago
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