A skilled real estate agent can help you sell your home, likely more quickly and for more money than if you tried to do it on your own. On the other hand, most agents charge a commission based on the home’s purchase price, which eats into your proceeds from the sale.

Let’s look into all the pros and cons of using an agent to handle your home sale.

Do you need a real estate agent to sell a house?

No. Home sellers are not required by law to use a real estate agent, broker or Realtor (a Realtor is simply an agent who is also a member of the National Association of Realtors, or NAR). Depending on the situation, the services these professionals offer could also be accomplished by a savvy seller.

That said, a “for sale by owner” transaction, in which you act as your own agent, requires time, know-how and confidence. If you’re not sure you have all the skills required, enlisting the services of a licensed professional who knows the ins and outs of your local market can definitely pay off. According to NAR’s most recent Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, 90 percent of home sellers do hire an agent.

Why to work with an agent

Working with an agent brings a lot of benefits to home sellers. Among them:

•Optimal pricing: “A good agent can help determine what your optimal list price should be,” says Rick Sharga of real estate advisory firm CJ Patrick Company.

•MLS access: Agents have access to your area’s multiple listing service (MLS), a database that compiles the listings in a given area for other real estate professionals.

•Marketing expertise: When you use an agent, you’ll have a pro who’s committed to marketing, staging and showing your home — both to buyers and to other agents.

•Knowledge of required disclosures: Importantly, agents are also fully versed in all of the disclosures sellers need to make in a real estate transaction.

Drawbacks of using an agent

•Commissions: The biggest drawback to working with a real estate agent is that they don’t work for free — in most cases, they’ll earn a commission based on the sale price of your home. That means the more your house sells for, the more money they make.

•Contracts: Buyers who work with a Realtor will need to enter into a written agreement beforehand, in which they agree to work exclusively with that agent for a set amount of time.

•Less control: Some sellers are turned off by the idea of someone else making choices on their behalf.

Should I sell my house without an agent?

Debating whether to hire a real estate agent or not? Ask yourself these key questions first:

•Do you have a solid grasp of your home’s value?

•How much time are you willing to commit?

•How comfortable are you with uncomfortable conversations?

Bottom line

A real estate agent’s commission fee can cut into the money you make on the sale of your home, and it’s possible for well-prepared sellers to successfully sell their home on their own. Still, you get what you pay for.

“During [the height of] COVID-19, I thought hard about cutting my own hair — but I sure was happy when the barbershop opened up again,” says Vander Stelt. “Just because you can sell your home yourself doesn’t mean you should.”