New Data: Home-Selling Trends in 2025

Why Americans Sell FSBO | Avoiding Commission | Pricing Problems | Profit Potential | Speed of Sale | Nontraditional Seller Regrets | Agent-Represented Seller Regrets | Positive vs. Negative Perceptions of Agents | Nontraditional Selling Options | Why Americans Sell With Agents | Most Trusted Ways to Sell | Agents vs. Alternatives

Selling a home used to start with a phone call to a real estate agent, but today, new online tools have opened the door to a variety of nontraditional options. 

These alternatives promise more convenience and lower costs in a market that is no longer as favorable to sellers. In fact, 42% of sellers say the housing market influenced how they chose to sell their home. 

Although 57% of nontraditional sellers considered using an agent, they eventually decided to try a different approach. Of those who did not use an agent:

• 29% sold for sale by owner
• 29% sold to a cash-buying company
• 16% sold to an iBuyer
• 15% paid for a flat-fee MLS listing

Despite the growing number of alternatives, many sellers learn the hard way that forgoing a Realtor can lead to unforeseen challenges that an experienced agent could help them avoid.

A new survey from Clever Offers found that sellers who use an agent (86%) are happier with their selling method than those who do not (71%) — and in the end, more than 1 in 3 nontraditional sellers (36%) wish they had used an agent to sell their home.

72% of Nontraditional Sellers Say Saving on Commission Is Worth the Extra Work

Every homeowner starts the home-selling process with a unique set of priorities that guide their decisions on how to sell their property.

For 91% of nontraditional sellers, avoiding the hassles of a traditional home sale is a priority, with many assuming the simplest solution is to forgo an agent. In fact, 1 in 3 nontraditional sellers (33%) sold their home without a real estate agent because it was more convenient.

Selling without an agent might seem like a good way to streamline the process, but the burden of marketing, showing, and negotiating falls entirely on the seller, creating a lot of extra work. 

More than half of unrepresented sellers (52%) felt overwhelmed when selling their home, but 72% say forgoing an agent was worth the extra effort to save on commission.

Realtor fees can take a serious chunk out of sellers' profits, and 92% say avoiding high commission is a priority. Although no one likes paying fees, some sellers go out of their way to avoid them. Almost 1 in 3 unrepresented sellers (31%) specifically skipped using an agent to save on commission.

85% of Nontraditional Sellers Don't Know the Average Commission Rate

Sellers might reconsider using an agent if they had a better understanding of commission. About 85% of nontraditional sellers don't know the average commission rate of about 6%, with 40% overestimating it.

Consequently, many nontraditional sellers may misjudge their potential savings by forgoing an agent and will sacrifice more on their sale than the commission they think they're avoiding. In fact, 77% of nontraditional sellers would accept less than asking price on their home to avoid selling with a Realtor.

The average listing agent charges a commission of about 2.82%, which equates to $11,585 on the median-priced home. Ironically, nearly half of sellers say they'd be willing to lose more than that amount if it meant they wouldn't have to work with an agent. About 42% of unrepresented sellers say they'd accept at least $15,000 below asking price to avoid paying commission.

About 1 in 6 unrepresented sellers (17%) would accept at least $25,000 less on their home to avoid working with an agent. That's even more than they'd spend on average commission for the buyer's and seller's agents combined, which totals $22,881 on the median-priced home.

Roughly 73% of unrepresented sellers think they shouldn't have to pay the buyer's commission — a requirement that has been eliminated in recent years after a lawsuit against the National Association of Realtors. 

Although it's no longer required, many sellers still do this in practice. However, more than half of sellers (54%) say they'd be more likely to use an agent on their next home sale if they didn't have to pay the buyer's agent fees. 

1 in 4 Sellers Wish They Priced Their Home Differently

Selling a home isn't as easy as it used to be. Buyers hit by the one-two punch of high home prices and mortgage rates are no longer willing to quickly snap up homes for top dollar, and sellers are struggling to adjust to longer list times and lower profits.

In fact, 85% of sellers say they experienced challenges during their home sale, with represented and unrepresented sellers about equally likely to experience them. The obstacles they face, however, differ drastically depending on the home-selling method.

The most common challenge among nontraditional sellers is pricing their home, with 1 in 4 (25%) saying it was difficult. If the price is too low, sellers may leave money on the table. If the price is too high, the home may fail to attract buyers and linger on the market. 

A home valuation can help sellers without an agent gauge how much their property is worth, but 40% of nontraditional sellers opted not to get one before listing. It's no wonder many of these sellers came to regret their pricing decisions. About 41% of nontraditional sellers wish they had priced their home differently, and 44% think they would have sold for more with an agent. 

After pricing, negotiating with buyers is tied with moving as the second most-challenging aspect of selling a home, with nearly a quarter of unrepresented sellers (23%) saying it was a struggle. 

These talks can often feel confrontational, and nearly half of unrepresented sellers (48%) say they were intimidated to negotiate directly with a buyer's agent, who often has more experience brokering high-stakes deals. This can make it harder for unrepresented sellers to advocate for themselves, and more than 1 in 3 (36%) wish they would have negotiated more.

Among sellers who used a real estate agent, the most common challenges are moving (31%), getting their house ready to show (28%), and pricing their home (27%).

Although both groups of sellers struggled to price their home, represented sellers could lean on their agent's knowledge of the local market to set a realistic price. In the end, 81% of represented sellers think their agent priced their home correctly, and 82% were satisfied with the selling price of their home — compared to just 77% of unrepresented sellers.

Sellers Who Use an Agent Make More Profit on Their Home Sale

Pricing a home correctly from the start is crucial because it can attract more buyers, reduce time on the market, and ultimately help them earn the most money from their sale — an important priority for 98% of sellers. 

Those who work with an agent are not only more likely to earn a profit, they also tend to earn a higher profit.  

About 96% of represented sellers made a profit on their sale, with only 4% saying they broke even or lost money. Nontraditional sellers fared slightly worse, with 93% making a profit and 7% breaking even or losing money — making them nearly twice as likely to sell without a monetary gain. 

Of those who made money on their sale, sellers who used an agent earned an average profit of $138,477 — about $6,225 more than the $132,252 those who didn't use an agent made.

The soaring profits home sellers earned a few years ago have eased, but many are still happy with their earnings — especially those who walked away with larger gains. Not surprisingly, 85% of represented sellers were satisfied with the profit they made on their home, compared to 75% of unrepresented sellers. 

Many represented sellers view the risks of selling alone as avoidable, and they have little sympathy when nontraditional sellers try it and don’t succeed. Roughly 1 in 5 sellers (20%) say those who don't hire an agent deserve to lose money and get taken advantage of.

1 in 3 FSBO Sellers Think Their Homes Would Have Sold Faster on With a Realtor

Earning the most money is a common goal among home sellers, but many also place a high value on speed. About 94% of Americans say selling their home as quickly as possible is an important priority.

Sellers who want a quick transaction can sometimes be successful without a real estate agent. Nontraditional options, such as iBuyers and cash-buying companies, eliminate the need for a lengthy listing process and provide immediate offers. In fact, 17% of unrepresented sellers sold their home without listing, compared to just 1% of represented sellers. 

However, sellers who decide to list on the open market are better served using an agent. About 65% of agent-represented sellers accepted an offer in two months or less — matching or beating the median days on market. Meanwhile, just 51% of nontraditional sellers sold their home within the same time frame. 

In hindsight, 34% of unrepresented sellers think their home would have sold faster with a real estate agent, compared to just 14% of represented sellers who think they would have sold faster without an agent. 

About 87% of unrepresented sellers say they would give up and use an agent at some point if they hadn't received any reasonable offers, with nearly half (45%) saying they would do so after two months.

Yet even sellers who work with an agent expect results fast. A similar 86% of represented sellers would consider using a nontraditional option at some point, with 40% saying they'd do so after two months of using an agent without satisfactory offers.

Unrepresented Sellers Are More Likely to Have Regrets

In today's challenging real estate market, compromises are often necessary to close a deal. As a result, it's rare for sellers to look back at their sale without regrets. 

Unrepresented sellers (72%) are slightly more likely than represented sellers (68%) to have regrets about their home sale.

Surprisingly, both groups report having similar regrets, but nontraditional sellers are much more likely to say their home sale took more work than expected. It's their most common regret, with nearly 1 in 5 (18%) expressing remorse about the effort their sale required. 

In a close second, more than 1 in 6 nontraditional sellers (17%) wish they had negotiated more. By contrast, just 1 in 8 represented sellers (12%) wish their agent had bargained more on their behalf, suggesting the presence of a seasoned negotiator can mitigate feelings of missed opportunities.

Many nontraditional sellers think their lack of negotiating experience cost them better terms, and 17% regret that the buyer got the better end of the deal.

Nontraditional sellers also regret that:

• Their home didn't sell for enough (16%)
• They didn't receive more offers (14%)
• They didn't wait to list until the market was better (13%)

Expensive Realtor Commission Is the Top Regret Among Represented Sellers

Two-thirds of sellers who used an agent (68%) also had regrets, although they felt remorse about different aspects of their home sale.

Notably, one of the top regrets among represented sellers revolves around the cost of commission. More than 1 in 5 sellers (21%) say their agent's fee was too high, and 1 in 8 (12%) wish they would have negotiated their agent's commission rate. 

Although an agent provides valuable services that can help sell a home more easily, the added expense of commission can make represented sellers less satisfied with their home-selling costs. Roughly 75% of represented sellers were satisfied with the cost of selling their home, but that's less than the 83% satisfaction rate among unrepresented sellers, who don't have to pay commission.

Sellers who used a real estate agent also regret that:

• They didn't get as many offers as expected (21%)
• Their home didn't sell for enough (17%)
• The buyer got the better end of the deal (16%)

Interestingly, about 1 in 6 nontraditional sellers also believe their home didn't sell for enough (16%) and that the buyer got the better end of the deal (17%). It appears that no matter the method they choose, sellers have unrealistic expectations about their returns in this new market, causing disappointment.

Despite the Cost, 82% of Represented Sellers Say Agents Are Worth the Commission

Although some sellers regret how much they paid in commission, an overwhelming 82% say a good agent is worth every penny of the commission they charge. 

What's more, 85% of represented sellers are satisfied with the agent they hired, and 77% say they would use their agent again to buy or sell another home.

Not all sellers, however, had a good experience with their agent. The most common complaints include:

• Their agent made mistakes with their listing (19%)
• Their agent pressured them to make decisions they weren't comfortable with (18%)
• Their agent failed them (16%)
• Their agent botched negotiations (16%)

Although disagreements between clients and agents still occur, relationships have generally improved over the past year. Since changes to the commission model were implemented in 2024, these complaints have dropped by more than half — suggesting that the new structure has helped filter out underperforming agents and reward those who consistently deliver results.

Skepticism remains high, though, among sellers who choose to sell without an agent. They say:

• Real estate agents are more concerned with getting paid than looking out for their clients' best interests (69%)
• Real estate agents are overpaid for what they do (64%)
• In the future, homes will be sold online without a traditional agent (63%)
• Real estate agents are overpriced middlemen who aren't really necessary (57%)
• AI could replace real estate agents within the next five years (50%)
• Real estate agents are incompetent and don't know what they're doing (36%)

90% of Represented Sellers Are Happy They Hired an Agent After Exploring Other Options

About 90% of sellers who used an agent are satisfied with their decision to do so, but 45% considered and 21% attempted using a nontraditional method first. 

Homeowners were most likely to try selling by owner, with more than half (51%) considering or attempting this option. But sellers also explored the following nontraditional methods:

• Selling to a cash-buying company (44%)
• A flat-fee MLS listing (37%)
• Selling to an iBuyer (30%)

After considering their options, sellers eventually decided to sell with an agent because:

• They wanted a faster sale (41%)
• They were concerned about the legal paperwork (40%)
• They wanted to lessen the stress and hassle of selling (39%)

Additionally, more than a third (35%) say they hired an agent because they didn't know about selling a home themselves. These sellers recognize the value of professional guidance and support, believing those who attempt to sell without an agent underestimate the complexities of the process. 

Represented sellers say those who sell without an agent:

• Overestimate their own intelligence (51%)
• Are irresponsible because they put buyers at risk too (50%)
• Are naive (42%)
• Look unprofessional to serious buyers (39%)

Meanwhile, 58% of unrepresented sellers think agents deliberately make selling a home seem more complicated than it is so homeowners feel compelled to hire them. 

These sellers may not be as capable as they believe, though. Although 42% of unrepresented sellers think they're as knowledgeable about home selling as a real estate agent, 23% made legal mistakes on their sale.

Half of Represented Sellers Worried They'd Feel Overwhelmed Without an Agent

With doubts about their own ability to sell a home, many represented sellers fear forgoing an agent could have led to negative outcomes during their sale. 

Ensuring a smooth and manageable process was important to represented sellers, with 50% saying they would have felt more stressed or overwhelmed without an agent. It's a legitimate fear, with nearly 1 in 4 nontraditional sellers (22%) saying they experienced these feelings by attempting the process on their own.

Unrepresented sellers are also more likely to feel emotional turmoil during the sale, with 32% saying they cried and 30% saying they fought with loved ones — compared to 26% and 22% of represented sellers, respectively. 

Sellers often worry about the most obvious challenges, assuming they will be the hardest part of the process. But some of the least-feared challenges of home selling are actually the ones unrepresented sellers say they experienced the most.

For example, just 22% of represented sellers worry they would have accepted a lower offer than necessary without an agent, but 18% of unrepresented sellers say this actually happened during their sale. 

In fact, nearly 1 in 4 unrepresented sellers (24%) say they turned down an offer that ended up being their highest, while just 15% of represented sellers report doing the same.

In the end, represented sellers benefited from their agent's advice and were generally more informed about the process. About 47% say the home-selling process was about what they expected, compared to 35% of unrepresented sellers.

What's more, just 28% of represented sellers say the process was harder than expected, compared to 33% of unrepresented sellers.

Agents Are the Most Trusted Way to Sell a Home, Cash-Buying Companies the Least

With all of today's new home-selling methods, sellers have more options than ever. Yet Realtors remain the most trusted way to sell a home among represented (91%) and unrepresented sellers (71%) alike. 

After real estate agents, the most trustworthy ways to sell a home are:

• Flat-fee MLS listings (75%)
• For sale by owner (64%)
• iBuyers (49%)
• Cash home-buying companies (40%)

Cash-home buying companies are the least-trusted method, with 59% of sellers going so far as to say they are scams. 

However, nontraditional selling methods continue to appeal to certain sellers — especially those who opt not to use an agent — with their flexible and cost-effective approach.  

For example, 59% of unrepresented sellers trust iBuyers, compared to 46% of represented sellers, while 53% of unrepresented sellers trust cash home-buying companies, compared to just 36% of represented sellers.

Agents vs. Alternatives: Why Most Sellers Still Consider Realtors the Best Choice

Real estate agents may not be the perfect fit for every situation, but a majority of sellers still consider them the best choice for most home sales.

About half of sellers think an agent is the best option in every market, hot (52%) or slow (50%). Even a quarter of nontraditional sellers (27%) admit real estate agents are best for a hot market, but they disagree on what method to use during a slow market. 

About 1 in 4 nontraditional sellers (27%) think selling to a cash-buying company is the smartest move in a slow market. This method provides speed and certainty, allowing sellers to receive an offer almost immediately at a time when many homes linger on the market.

It's no surprise, then, that 37% of nontraditional sellers think cash-buying companies are the fastest way to sell a home. What's more, these companies rank as the second-fastest home-selling method among all sellers at 31% — just behind real estate agents at 41%. 

Yet the convenience of selling to a cash-buying company often comes at a cost. These companies typically offer below market value on a home, leaving sellers with less profit than they might earn through a traditional sale. 

More than half of all sellers (52%) — as well as 44% of nontraditional sellers — acknowledge they'll receive the lowest price from a cash-buying company. Meanwhile, 58% of sellers think a real estate agent will yield the highest sale price. The percentage drops to 31% among nontraditional sellers, but it's still the highest answer choice among this group.

Although there are many benefits to using a real estate agent — such as professional marketing, pricing, and negotiation support — sellers agree they have the most hidden costs (29%). Even with these costs, though, 41% of sellers say real estate agents yield the highest net proceeds.

Nontraditional sellers, however, think they would make more if they didn't have to pay an agent's commission fee — naming for sale by owner as the selling method that will yield the highest net proceeds. In fact, they say real estate agents are only the fourth most-profitable method behind for sale by owner (28%), cash-buying companies (21%), and flat-fee MLS listings (19%).  

Methodology

Clever Real Estate surveyed 964 U.S. homeowners who sold a house between 2023 and 2025. The survey was conducted Aug. 22 to Sept. 18, 2025. The study compares sellers who used a traditional real estate agent versus those who used an alternative method, such as for sale by owner, cash-buying companies, iBuyers, or flat-fee MLS listings. 

About Clever Offers

Clever Offers is a platform that empowers sellers who need to sell quickly or for cash to compare their options and make informed decisions. Clever Offers' free service connects sellers with vetted cash buyers and top local realtors, allowing them to evaluate traditional cash offers alongside options such as cash offers with a second payment upon resale, listing on the MLS for as little as seven days, and standard open-market listings.

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