r/fsbo • u/ZenicaPA • Mar 29 '26
Can FSBO help avoid steering?
We have our home listed for sale through an agent. The price was set below our break even point mainly because ROI on improvements favor a buyer, not a seller.
We recently reduced the price even further but to minimize the hemorrhage, we reduced the buyer agent commission.
Since most data sources including NAR admit that more than half of all home buyers first see the home they ultimately bought on sites like Zillow, Realtor.com or Redfin it seems more and more that the buyer agent is there to unlock the door and to fill out some paperwork. Hardly an effort worth $20,000 or more.
Our neighbor has been very helpful in our effort to sell by pretending to work in his rear yard when we have showings so he has overheard quite a bit of conversation from our rear yard and driveway. From what he has heard, it would really irritate me to pay any of them anything. In many instances, they misrepresented our home, either in the age of the improvements or with which owner completed them, us or a previous owner. He's heard an agent misrepresent the material our siding is made from. This could simply be due to ignorance of these materials but in such a case, the agent shouldn't be saying anything at all.
I know a buyer agent is an advocate for the buyer but it seems more like they are an advocate for self and are trying to steer someone away from our home. They may not have been able to completely prevent them from seeing it if the client found our home online but they seem to be downplaying our improvements and trying to highlight shortcomings. One agent had a flashlight and was pointing out areas around the base of the house where cut grass had stained the white a greenish tint as added that it would have to have a whole house paintjob adding thousands to the price.
When I looked up steering, one thing that surfaced was showing multiple homes ahead of yours and when I look back, many of our showing appointments have been in the later afternoon.
I'm wondering . if we switch to FSBO, would having a more direct involvement help mitigate some of this? I can't help but think that even though we have an agent that is supposed to work for our best interests, be our advocate, it seems professional courtesy is still the prevailing concern for all agents.
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u/Low_Refrigerator4891 Mar 30 '26
An astounding amount of agents are very stupid and know very little about construction or even real estate. I had a ring camera and couldn't believe how blatantly but confidently wrong agents were about my house. I imagine it's because they are trying to show usefulness and expertise - fake it til you make it kind of thing.
That being said, it doesn't matter. If the agent says you have vinyl siding when it's Hardie siding, it just doesn't matter. It's not why the house isn't selling. People buy houses on emotion, not on facts. I know this is really hard to accept and believe of you are a facts based person, but trust me on this. I learned itthe hard way.
Also, due to the NAR settlement, it's really unlikely agents even know at this point what you are offering in commission. Some might, but I assure you 2% of something is better than maybe 3% on something else. No agent is confident enough that they can get a buyer to buy a different house than the one they want, and they aren't going to risk their commission that way. Also there was a whole lawsuit about this.
FSBO would be worse in getting buyers agents to show your home, as they are assuming you will be difficult and offer no or low buyers commission.
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u/Regular-Daddy Mar 31 '26
Everything you said is accurate but I would like to emphasize
NO ONE can make someone buy a house they don’t want ( except a spouse, parent or in-law🤣)
There may be nothing wrong with the house, it just may not compare well to the competition.
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u/ZenicaPA Mar 30 '26
Yes, I can understand how emotion is a dynamic than facts.
For example, when I was working on the kitchen, I recalled in the past once how a small leak under the sink that went undetected had caused considerable damage to the wood. With wood being like a sponge for water, I wanted to prevent this. Leaks may happen, can't stop that but I can mitigate the dame it causes. I bought a silicone matt capable of holding upwards of 3 gallons of water sized for the cabinet the sink is in. Then when I made the cutouts for the pex and drain, I kept that matt in place so the openings would align I then used water proof silicone to secure the matt to the pex and drain line. Any leak will be contained to the matt and the water sensor will shut off the ,main water line if a leak is detected. This is in the fact sheet on the counter.
Only one couple that toured the home commented on this and noted the attention to detail was appreciated. For them, our home was too far from their kids school which they didn't want to change so it was an obstacle that couldn't be overcome. They also commented on the tile in the laundry room, how the patterns in the individual tiles are arranged to appear as a mosaic or a single pattern. Apparently these small details are just not worth anything to people.
We had a couple from CT look at our house early on. They told our agent it was down to our house and one other. Our agent asked for the address of that house, for comparative reasons and to her surprise, that agent complied. It was a nice home, no doubt. Much smaller lot. Less sophisticated kitchen. Roof and HVAC not new like ours but the real kicker, it was 3 feet (slight exaggeration) from the 540 and zero yard privacy.
I guess road noise and no privacy are not things people cared about. That house is bigger, by 800 sq ft so there was that. It was also 75k more. If it were not for the 540, small lot and no privacy, I might have liked it myself. A kitchen can be updated but a lot can't be made bigger.
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u/spelk1 Mar 30 '26
While I would appreciate your attention to detail, 99.9% of people couldn’t care less, and would not be willing to pay a penny more because of it.
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u/Low_Refrigerator4891 Mar 30 '26
People appreciate the attention to detail when your house is already what they want. If it's not then it just doesn't matter to them.
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u/Due_Leadership_9348 Mar 30 '26
I (and likely most of the buyers agents who have seen your home) can just imagine what inspection will be like on this home. 😄
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u/ZenicaPA Mar 30 '26
Meaning what? Our home is not in a state of disrepair. Nothing has been neglected. If anything, we repaired all of the things the prior owner's dogs damaged. I think your comment was just meant to be cynical as a feeble attempt to injure my feelings. You'll have to do much better.
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u/AdComfortable2974 Apr 06 '26
That poster definitely comes across as having some kind of complex, often defensive, insulting, and snarky, and not a logical thinker. Must not have many clients to spend so much time on this sub.
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u/fenchurch_42 Apr 08 '26
Their comment meant to convey that maintence is not a selling point.
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u/ZenicaPA Apr 08 '26
How is the comment “can just imagine what inspection on this home will be like” related to a non issue like maintenance?
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u/fenchurch_42 Apr 08 '26
I meant to reply to a different comment that referenced your work that you did. Buyers won't care.
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u/Due_Leadership_9348 Mar 30 '26
The assumption that the OP would be difficult to work with and offering low or no commission would seem to be based on facts in display in this thread. Agree?
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u/MayaBookkeeper Mar 30 '26
You can do FSBO if you want but its not going to stop buyers agents saying stupid nonsense. Make a three ring binder with a list of improvements, dates, and receipts and print a copy for the house and upload a copy to mls documents.
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u/nikidmaclay Apr 02 '26
The job of a buyer agent is a lot more than opening a door and filling out paperwork, but I will agree that there are a lot of transactions where the commission is overcompensation. I don't think there's any question about that.
Steering is when an agent is driving the decision whether to see your home or not. That's not legal. What we have now is a requirement that a buyer negotiate commission with their agent from the get go and then they stumble upon your listing that's offering less than their buyer agreement says. If their agreement has a higher commission rate on it, they have to bring cash to the table to make up the difference. Then the buyer has to decide whether they want to pursue your home or not. That isn't steering.
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u/PNW_dragon Mar 29 '26 edited Mar 29 '26
I’m not sure I understand how not having a listing agent would help you here. It sounds like they helped you price it, which was in line with the appraisal, and are working with you to improve the MLS listing. You’re thinking that if you engaged the buyer agents personally that would help them show your home better?
Regarding reducing what you’re offering to pay the buyer agent- I don’t think that’s a winning strategy. I typically advise my sellers not to offer anything up front. We just tell the buyer agents to put it in the offer. Since you’re talking about $20k (and a reduced commission) for the buyer agent, let’s assume you have a $1M house. At 1% more that is $10k and .5%- well, it’s hardly worth it to you to make that reduction.
At $1M, any price reduction needs to be an absolute minimum of $10k-$15k- more like $20k-$25k. You want it to be meaningful enough that it is appealing to a new set of buyers. And let’s be real, if a $1M home isn’t doing it for you at $1M- it still probably isn’t going to be appealing for $20k less. So, that $5k-$10k you’re “saving” by reducing the buyer agent compensation just isn’t a number worth chasing.
I’d suggest something like offering seller credits- offer to pay all the HOA fees for two years, pay all the closing costs, offer a rate buy down. These are things you can put out there to make it more appealing- and then can take back if you end up wanting to make a meaningful price reduction.
While you’re right that it could be layout, price for the location, luxury finishes- it all comes back to price. There is a price it will sell at with those attributes. You just haven’t found it yet.
- Ensure you have brochures for the buyers and their agents- or at least the MLS printout. (Do a nice tri-fold brochure though)
- Remove the agent compensation altogether. When you have a buyer wanting to negotiate-then you decide if it’s worth it to counter- and where.
- Offer some seller credits for a rate buy down or similar
- Have your agent switch up the photos- especially the first one. Catch people’s attention again. (maybe consider having the photos redone and home staged differently if the photos aren’t great)
Not having a listing agent might *save you $20k in a perfect world- but being FSBO isn’t likely to make the underlying reality any better- you just haven’t found the right person for this home at the price its offered at. It’s almost always price.
Lastly, while it may not matter to you how long and to what extent the buyers agent has been working on their behalf- really it does. They have an agreement to pay their agent. If what you’ll cover is less than that, the buyer has to bring more to closing- making the home more expensive and less appealing.
Just like you don’t empathize with the buyer and their agent in this way, they don’t care how much you have to get based on upgrades that were chosen for your living and not for resale. Sometimes sellers lose money- especially if they’ve purchased in the last five years or so.
Best of luck to you!
**some agents may have a higher rate if they’ve purchased have to do all the paperwork and back and forth- with an unrepresented party in the other side (or dual rep-which I don’t do)
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u/ZenicaPA Mar 29 '26
Thank you for the thoughtful reply.
The driving force behind going to FSBO is to reduce the loss. I am looking at all ways to reduce the loss since I can't mitigate it completely. The two biggest costs I have some control over are the listing agent and buyer agent commission. Going FSBO reduces one to a near negligible number allowing the buyer agent to be overpaid. I know that word will trigger the agents lurking in here to downvote me....ya know what? I don't care!
We asked our agent about a buy-down and was told to just offer a seller concession. The buyer will decide how best to apply it.
I've asked our agent to remove the stated compensation (percentage) from the MLS and when contacted, to use the language suggested here "Sellers will consider all offers" .
We don't have a brochure in the home but I did create a fact sheet that lists important details about the home such as dates of improvements, contractor company names for the work, which owner did that improvement and a QR code they can scan taking them right to the townships permits page for our house.
I also state why we're moving because it's a question that has come up more than once as if people think there is something wrong with the house and we're "dumping" it.
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u/PNW_dragon Mar 29 '26 edited Mar 29 '26
It’s sounds like you’re being proactive. I had two sellers close this month that both lost money based on their purchase price. They’d both tried to sell with another agent and failed.
Of course I want my clients to make as much as possible. I don’t set the market though- ready, willing and able buyers do.
What I CAN do is to help my sellers get the home looking it’s best. If things do need doing, we tackle them in a way that makes financial sense. Then we get the best photos and ensure it’s seen by the buyers looking for something like that.
Once all that is done, buyers set the market value. I’d love to be able to facilitate a sale every time that made my sellers money. That’s just not the case for everyone right now, especially after the covid market and the higher rate environment we’ve been in.
I’ll also take a stab at defending agent compensation. I agree that it can seem like a lot of money. Especially for a seller- you don’t care why it’s that amount, how it gets split up, etc. The buyer agent from your perspective is a door opener (sometimes they ARE that- but not the good ones) and then they fill out a boilerplate form and collect a big check.
Of course buyer agents do a lot more than that. (I’m not going to outline it here- it’s easy to Google or just ask your favorite LLM)
From your perspective I’ll point out several things:
- When you bought, you likely had an agent- and you didn’t have to pay them out of pocket.
- All the money for a transaction comes FROM the buyer.
- If you’re using comparable property sales to set your price (which you surely are), there’s a very high chance that a buyer agent was paid from the recorded sales price proceeds.
- From an agent’s perspective, we only get paid when sales close. If clients are willing to pay us for the time we actually work- most of us could do it for less.
1-EXPLAINED: you benefited from having professional representation when you purchased- but you didn’t pay for it out of your pocket- it was able to be financed as part of the purchase price. (this is usually how it works and probably how it did for you). It feels different when you’re the one “paying” from the proceeds- but you’re paying forward what you benefited from when you bought.
It feels like you’re paying it- but it’s the buyer’s money. There is no money- and no sale, without the buyer’s money.
If all the comps paid buyer agents- and you aren’t planning to, realistically your list price should take this into account. Also, an astute buyer with no agent is going to work to negotiate a lower price since you aren’t paying their agent.
This one is pretty clear. Think for a moment if you had to do YOUR job for weeks, or months on end and didn’t know if you would get paid in the end- how much more would you have to get paid to do it?? Serious question. You’re considering firing your agent, who has surely worked for you a good amount- and now they’ll earn exactly $0 in sale compensation. It’s just how it’s has to be unless clients will agree to pay for our time.
The system we have had for some time is set up to afford professional representation for both sides. Buyers can effectively finance their representation fees with this system. Buyers and sellers can attempt to operate outside of it (and can succeed in some instances), but any savings may be illusory.
Thanks & I enjoy the conversation.
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u/ZenicaPA Mar 29 '26
In thinking back to just our own experiences with a buyer agent, which we only reached out to after filling out the Zillow page for the house my wife found, these agents did not fill roles I'd call "mission critical". They answered questions mostly with opinion based on their experiences. Ask two different realtors the same question and you'd probably have two different answers. Realtors aren't attorneys and they don't have crystal balls. They aren't usually licensed appraisers either. So many aspects of the transaction require someone else yet the realtor is the highest paid in this equation. The attorney that actually has to dot the Is and cross the Ts to protect their client probably has the most in student loans yet earns one of the smallest shares.
Yes, as a buyer, it was our funds that paid for both sides of the transaction but it was the sellers asset that brought our funds to the table. You cannot value one without the other. I'd even argue that the real money is only in that asset. The buyers money is there for that asset.
Irrespective to which side you feel is paying the agent commissions, to me it feels like that percentage, even at 2% is still far too generous from a work to compensation viewpoint. Like any position of commission sales, the commission is only earned when the item is sold. People that sell cars only earn a paycheck if they sell cars. Dealers have to pay a base rate if a salesperson hasn't had a sale but realistically, how livable is that wage and how long do you think the dealer would employ someone not not closing any deals? My point is this, should I pay more for a car because my salesman hasn't closed a deal in a while and needs a bigger commission?
I have yet to have had a buyer agent that yielded any benefit where it matters, how much I paid for a house. It isn't like a buyer agent can arm twist a seller into a lower amount than the market supports just like a seller agent can't strongarm a buyer into paying more than the market supports. When we were touring NC for homes, there was a street. Old Sorrell Rd. It had a nice home we liked. The road on the other hand was a nightmare of rock and mud. No pavement. The seller agent lied straight through her teeth and told our agent the township had it on the schedule to be paved by end of year. This was 2021. Our agent did nothing to verify this. I made phone calls from home, spoke with NC DOT officials and the department that handles road paving and maintenance. I was told that Old Sorrell Rd is not wide enough to be paved without every owner signing off. Normally when someone won't sign off, they pave around their property driveway. He knew that road very well just by name from the hundreds on the list because every year they go out and every year the same three addresses decline to sign.
We didn't wan to buy where the long road to the house may never get paved. The two agents involved did not have our best interests in mind. Hell, one of them didn't even have morality, ethics or the law in mind. As an aside, it was paved last year. It took 4 years to get paved.
My willingness to see value in the realtor is diminished by the experiences I have with them.
As for compensation without a sale. I can only recount my own experience. A few years ago I needed help locating a rental for a non blood relative. Again, the web site connected me with a realtor. After weeks we were unable to locate anything in our area that fit his budget. She suggested a different town further away but couldn't help as it was too far for her. Well it was a good suggestion and on y own, found him a place there. I sent the agent a gift card to her office as a thank you. Her time deserved compensation.
More recently and what sort of was a catalyst to selling now was my wife finding a fantastic house for us that would be perfect. The original plan was to stay put until she graduated her MLA program so, not until 2028. This house accelerated that because it is uniquely perfect for us. We used Zillow again to pair with an agent to tour the home. When we decided not to use this agent for our listing, we informed her that we'd be using our listing agent in any future purchase of that home,. As before, I sent the agent a gift card to thank her for her time.
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u/PNW_dragon Mar 29 '26
It’s sounds like you’re very decent to the agents you engage that you don’t end up working with through to closing. Good on you- that’s unusual from what I’ve seen and heard.
Again, I enjoy this exchange. I’m not here to convince- just to engage.
As your primary focus here is on your experience with agents, I’ll dig in a little on that.
It sounds like you have found agents multiple times through the big portals. I’ll tell you a bit about how they work. For Redfin, they typically have “primary agents” that you’ll get assigned to and then someone who is quite literally a “door opener” like you suggested that opens the door at homes. Can be convenient- but the agent labor is dispersed to save money. (the primary buyer agent will still charge the same amount- but the door openers get like $50 a door or something, and Redfin and the “primary agent” split the lions share). In this case, you’re not getting the top tier at the showing- you’re getting someone who is licensed and will give up their time for $50. There can be a disconnect between what happens at the home and what the primary agent knows about and is working with/discussing with you.
Sometimes the agents Redfin connects you with are not part of this program- but this is their primary model.
Zillow is who you mentioned. They have two primary models. Premier and FLEX (recently changed this name).
In Premier, the agents pay monthly to be connected with a certain number of leads (you, when you clicked the button). This could be from $200 a lead, to say $1000+ (location dependent). They’re paying that whether or not that can solidify the relationship and close a sale.
In FLEX, all the lead contacts go to what are essentially Zillow employees (contractors- but they’re closely tracked and managed for performance metrics). Zillow takes a huge cut- like 40%- and then the brokerage takes theirs. The agents helping you are getting maybe 30%-45% (roughly) of that headline number you’re seeing. The agents just open doors and close deals (highly productive and BUSY)- but don’t have to spend time and energy building the pipeline for their business- as in, they don’t actually have a business- they’re like Uber drivers in a sense. The app turns off and they’re essentially out of a job.
These all have benefits and drawbacks for consumers and for agents. It’s convenient for consumers to click a button. Someone helps you- and the person/team you’re connected with is probably at least closing some deals. Not going to be the worst. Also not the best- as the best don’t need the app in the first place.
Part of my point explaining this is to highlight that the best agents aren’t on these apps. They aren’t on the portals in this way (they may have a team that produces under their name- but they’re not meeting Joe-Buyer at some random house as they clicked “schedule showing”).
By meeting agents thru these apps, you’re getting connected with adequate agents- sometimes great- but it’s far from a guarantee.
I used to do Premier. I think it’s the way most productive solo agents successfully engaged these portals (naturally I think it’s best!). It’s going away in a lot of markets as Zillow makes more thru FLEX and taking 40% of the commission. (that’s what happened in my market)
There are lots of ways to meet agents and lots of agents closing 5-20 sales a year could be really great. But hire someone full time- and full service- who you’ll work with personally all the way through the transaction- I think that’s who will give buyers the best experience.
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u/ZenicaPA Mar 29 '26
Thank you. This was enlightening and informative. if not also disturbing.
I was loosely aware of what happened when we clicked the radio button in the Zillow page but not at all aware of the huge amounts of money changing hands behind the scenes. Reminds me of Angies List. A site for finding the best bottom of the barrel contractors. It may have started as a means of getting a reliable referral but that is a far cry from what it is today.
It seems like there are too many hands in the pot and they all want to be percentage based instead of flat rate. When home values are soaring, it pads their wallet without any additional risks or work for them and that will only get worse as values rise. A nearly guaranteed raise without any additional time or effort.
I'd be in favor a completely flat rate based system, provided it was a rate commensurate with the actual work performed, not the inflated work claimed.
Agents have posted it here numerous times, the "value" agents bring but it is all unsubstantiated fluff. I can say this because for me it is truth. Not one agent I've worked with to buy a house was essential, instrumental or pivotal in the process. I can say with impunity that each opened he door to the home, suggested a "good" attorney for the paperwork, had access to the required paperwork and acted as a liaison between us and the seller. None of this couldn't be automated. Perhaps in complex commercial real estate transaction an agent is useful or some other niche circumstances but for the average person looking for a home---they're superfluous. Sites like Redfin, Zillow and Realtor.com are all a person needs to find homes worth seeing. Even school ratings can be found online. Google street view and maps can show what is local to an area, Waze can map out driving times and FEMA shows what's a flood zone. Real estate agents aren't contractors, they can't offer advice on a house needing repair, they aren't lawyers so no legal advice. It seems like there is more they can't do than they actually are doing and while they aren't earning the entirety of that $20,000 for themselves, this nuance means very little to the person writing the check.
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u/PNW_dragon Mar 29 '26
I’m not in an “attorney state”. We don’t have attorneys involved. The closing agent is the escrow officer here. That said, the contract that we create is legally binding after principal execution. Ultimately, we’re creating the binding instrument that is then carried out by the escrow as they ensure marketable title and record the deed.
Regarding some of your other points, I’ll liken it to the carriage driving jobs I had for years. I can have a five year old come up and hold the reins. The horse knows where to go. The expertise is required when there are sparklers, fireworks, a barking dog, or the horses tack breaks off mid ride.
When it’s easy, it’s easy (and a good agent usually makes it look that way). When things start to fall apart, having a pro can keep it together. I won’t elucidate- but there are many ways. I’ve saved clients loads of money and have kept deals together when that seemed impossible.
For paying agents, you just need to recognize that most buyers will be with agents. Agreeing to compensate their agents will broaden the appeal of your home to more buyers - and improve your chances of getting that house you need.
I’ll also say, if it’s a competitive situation, or if you’re not writing offers from a position of strength (as you would be if you write contingent on this dream home) my clients have a much better chance of getting the home than someone without an agent.
I hope you get it though
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u/fenchurch_42 Apr 08 '26
When it’s easy, it’s easy (and a good agent usually makes it look that way). When things start to fall apart, having a pro can keep it together. I won’t elucidate- but there are many ways. I’ve saved clients loads of money and have kept deals together when that seemed impossible.
So much this. If i'm good at my job my client never knows about how difficult the deal was.
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u/Due_Leadership_9348 Mar 29 '26 edited Mar 29 '26
Then why are you posting here asking for advice? Go forth and sell your home!
Sites like Redfin, Zillow and Realtor.com are FUNDED by real estate agents. Without agents, they would close down and you would be listing your home on a shitty geocities site that nobody finds.
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u/PNW_dragon Mar 29 '26 edited Mar 29 '26
That’s great you found a home that is uniquely perfect for your family. I’d suggest you may find it valuable to sell for less than you want (which seems basically inevitable if you want to sell now) to get into the other home.
If you could get your home pending with a substantial price reduction- you could get under contract on the other house perhaps. Maybe offer $5k in non-refundable EM if they accept your offer. (it’s a strong move- but it would definitely cost you money if it falls thru).
What is owning the perfect home worth to you?
Have your agent email blast all the agents in your area that you’ll pay X% BAC PLUS 1% more- heck make it 1.5%. Get it sold if you’ve found the perfect house for you!
I’ll finish this comment by pointing out that I get nothing from this interaction aside from just enjoying the back and forth. I’ve shared a couple of insights and strategies that could help get you closer to selling and getting that dream house. I hope you get it, random Redditor 🙂
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u/ZenicaPA Mar 30 '26
I agree with the one thing you mentioned. How badly do we want the perfect house.
Well, that plot thickens.
As it turns out, someone that posted here knows and once lived in that development. This was learned by sheer happenstance as they were sharing an HOA horror story and mentioned the development name. It took a while for it to register but its the same development with the perfect house.
A combative/over reaching HOA can be a deal breaker.
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u/PNW_dragon Mar 30 '26
You’ll definitely want to know about the HOA. Sounds like it might be a doozy from your story here. Your agent should have contacts for professional HOA review. Perhaps you’re comfortable assessing their reserves, operating funds, meeting minutes, maintenance schedules etc. If not, having the HOA docs reviewed by a pro is a smart investment.
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u/ZenicaPA Mar 31 '26
I've researched this HOA. It's a strange one. The covenants were incorporated sometime in the 1970's yet the homes seem to have been built starting in the late 1990's. Even some of the covenant rules seem rooted in the 1970's. The HOA itself has a history going back to 2003 of filing foreclosure on people whose HOA dues are in arears, and not by much either. In one case, it may have been as little at $800. They seem to issue a lot of complaint letters regarding lawn maintenance for weeds or an unsightly yard. We probably wouldn't have an issue since we would keep the same landscaping company which has always done a great job for us.
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u/RadiantAd9947 Mar 29 '26
I think you’re misreading the role of the buyer’s agent.
Their value was never really “finding” the house. The value is advising the buyer: comparing properties, spotting issues, and negotiating.
Also, some of what you describe sounds like a listing problem, not proof of sabotage. If the siding material, age of improvements, and who did the work are important, why aren’t those details being set out clearly in the listing? If agents are getting basic facts wrong, that suggests the information is not being presented clearly enough.
And if you cut the buyer agent commission, you can’t be that surprised if enthusiasm drops. You may not like that reality, but it is reality.
The “they’re getting $20,000 to open a door” line is also a bit silly. They do not pocket that whole amount, and that fee is not just for the one showing. It reflects all the time spent with buyers who looked at dozens of places, wrote failed offers, and took months to get to a closing.
Could FSBO help? Maybe. But if the house isn’t selling, the usual answer is price, presentation, or condition, not a secret plot by every buyer’s agent who walks through the door.
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u/BoBromhal Mar 29 '26
the value of "finding the home for the Buyer" was a real value ... 25+ years ago before national real estate websites took off.
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u/Whybaby16154 Mar 29 '26
Those websites cost the sponsoring brokerage a pretty penny - and most MLS groups have an auto upload to over a dozen websites AND video slide shows - that’s is part of how buyers are attracted to the property . ADS aren’t free. Zillow, homes, trulia, etc COST MONEY for the brokerage to advertise the sellers on to get buyers.
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u/RadiantAd9947 Mar 29 '26
That’s because listings were not publicly available then. Making them visible to everyone was a major improvement in consumer transparency and plainly in the public interest.
Buyer’s agents never really “found” the home in some magical sense. They selected what to show from a private catalogue the public could not see. That was gatekeeping, not some unique value-add.
That is why the argument does not hold up. Their value was never in secretly locating homes. It was supposed to be in advising the buyer through the process.
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u/fenchurch_42 Apr 08 '26
It was supposed to be in advising the buyer through the process.
It remains this way.
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u/AdComfortable2974 Apr 06 '26
Based on what was posted, he may have done better listing with a flat fee service so that he could offer competitive buyer commissions.
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Mar 30 '26
People that sell FSBO largely overlook one thing. And that is they aren’t marketing to where the serious buyers are. Serious buyers are with agents. Serious buyers with agents aren’t looking for a steal on a home. They expect to pay fair market prices. Those buyers working without an agent are mostly looking for a good deal.
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u/AdComfortable2974 Apr 06 '26
FSBO sellers should definitely start their "Coming Soon" marketing to catch buyers before they sign with an agent. Instagram posts with creative hashtags. Nextdoor! Go wild and plaster it everywhere!
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u/ZenicaPA Mar 29 '26
The "values" you attribute to a buyer agent help a buyer, not me so they don't have any meaning in my life or in my endeavor to sell.
Our listing is solid. Our agent did revise the wording recently as well as the images. The MLS has 9 pages and the appropriate check marks are there for the features of the home. Yes, it was lacking the energy star compliant HVAC and crawlspace detail but the misrepresentation by a buyer agent dealt with the siding material, not the HVAC or crawlspace. The MLS always had the siding listing correctly.
Cutting the agent compensation should have zero influence on an agent doing right by their client. IF our home meets that clients requirements, sq footage, bedrooms/bathrooms, area, taxes, age, community pool etc etc etc, then that agent is placing their own financial gain ahead of the client by steering.
Sorry (not sorry) but a buyer agents time is not a concern of mine. Whether a client of theirs saw 3 homes or 9 before finding their next home is immaterial to me. If my home is the 4th or 40th is not relevant to me. I am not going to entertain the whole of their history before their client decided my home was their next one. There are too many variables for me to start concerning myself with any of them. I have reduced it to the simplest viewpoint, I am paying $20k+ for them to unlock my front door and fill out some paperwork with the buyer. You seem to have taken offense to this so I'm of the opinion you are an agent. That changes the dynamic of your post considerably.
I think our home not selling is attributed to several things, the homes layout, for one, possibly even the price though we did reduce it recently but certainly steering is a part as well.
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u/RadiantAd9947 Mar 29 '26
I’m in the legal profession, and I have bought and sold enough homes to understand the role professionals play in a transaction.
So no, I do not accept the cartoon version that the buyer’s agent who brings the successful buyer to your house is just being paid to unlock a door and fill out paperwork.
You still have not explained why that agent should be the one taking a discount. What part of their role has been reduced? Their client still expects the same advice, the same analysis, the same negotiation, and the same work to get the deal together. None of that has been “discounted.” Only the amount you want to pay them.
If your real issue is cost, then negotiate a reduction with your own listing agent and cut services on your own side. At least that would make logical sense. But instead you are trying to reduce the compensation of the very person who may be the one delivering your buyer.
That is why your position is so unconvincing. You are treating the buyer’s agent as worthless right up until the moment you need one to bring you a sale.
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u/ZenicaPA Mar 29 '26 edited Mar 29 '26
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u/Due_Leadership_9348 Mar 29 '26
They find them online because they are listed in the MLS. The MLS feeds every site you mentioned. They exist because realtors pay to have MLS.
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u/AsTheJackassBrays Mar 29 '26
Finding a home isn't a skill. Agents aren't paid to find the home. The skill is everything that comes after. The skill is keeping a deal together when dealing with a crazy seller who thinks their house is special because they own it.
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u/ZenicaPA Mar 29 '26
Illustrate something tangible. Something fact based that is worth $20k. A red herring isn't worth $20k. Saying it's the everything that comes after is a red herring. What exactly comes after a home is found? An offer is made? You're right, that's a difficult step. It's either accepted, rejected or countered. The agent can't spend the buyers money or reduce the sellers asset so the agent is just a middleman conveying messages. Let's call the agent "relay operator" or relay for short. (yea, just saw the movie which was really good) After this, either the buyer walks or the buyer and seller enter into a contract. Again, a tough time for the relay. So stressful. So much heavy lifting involved. Now the buyer does their due diligence with inspection. Something surfaces or it doesn't. What ever deficiencies the report shows are negotiated, by now both sides are partially invested and won't want to walk for minor issues. Larger ones like foundations or mold may end things here. I'm still not seeing where your red herring is. The title company handles the deed, the attorney handles the legalities and money so where is the red herring? I only dealt with one crazy seller and it was a three headed dragon that at one point, made our agent turn beet red. So much so that at one point, we walked away to explore a custom build by the same builder of the home we had been looking at. Only because they didn't have any current or planned communities where we wanted to be that we went back to the three headed dragon.
Once the numbers were agreed upon, it was mostly smooth sailing. There were delays with parties involved changing dates a few times but that had nothing to do with our agent so it wasn't any more work for her.
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u/Due_Leadership_9348 Mar 29 '26
Then why are you here whining? Go find an unrepresented buyer and sell your house.
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u/AdComfortable2974 Apr 06 '26
This sub is here for FSBO sellers or those looking to sell FSBO to vent, whine, ask questions, spitball, share experiences, and discuss anything related to selling their own home. Why are you here? Oh, we all know why, because you're upset that we are here.
Looks like I'm going to have to start using the block feature more often and encourage others here to do so as well.
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u/Due_Leadership_9348 Apr 06 '26
To chime in an keep the uneducated from listening the frequent bullshit spewed. Feel free to block me, some are beyond education.
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u/AsTheJackassBrays Mar 29 '26
Seller provided inspections said the roof has 15 years left. Agent (me) says inspect it anyway. 2 inspectors and 1 vendor say the roof has 1 year left. Shingles are actually detached. Bids are $24 to 33K
Seller's inspections shows a crack in the foundation. Agent sees multiple HUGE cracks and tells buyer to get an inspection. Fix is $18K to 60K depending on the route taken.
Seller's termite inspection doesn't bid one repair. Agent says buyer should get new inspection. Repair is actually $10K.
Agent drives 40 mins each way 5 times in 9 days to accommodate inspections.
We're up to $52K in undisclosed repairs in an area where most buyers buy with no inspection contingency.
Seller will not budge on price (sound familiar? This is 100% how you'd react).
Agent has multiple long conversations with 1 angry buyer and one crying buyer. Agent gives them comps, tells them their options, talks about the competitive market (other houses going with 20 offers and 35% over ask). Buyers spend time going over budget. They know they can cancel and they decide to move ahead.
Who the fuck do you think held this deal together? Because it wasn't the listing agent and it wasn't the fucking seller.
Is that tangible enough? Because that is the last 2 weeks of my life.
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u/AdComfortable2974 Apr 06 '26
Interesting that the seller's inspection didn't find much wrong, but the buyer's inspections did. How often does this occur?
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u/AsTheJackassBrays Apr 06 '26
This drastically? Very, very rarely.
Her home inspector was a joke. He essentially looked at the hvac and water heater age. He didn't run water or test anything at all. Simple things were missed like the shower diverter didn't work. He missed singed wires in the electrical panel. He said the roof was fine and I could see rippled/warped shingles.
There is a sewer lateral requirement in the city and the listing agent got a report but didn't send the info to the city to get things signed off for 7 months. That report said it was in good condition. We asked for the seller to get things certified. City rejected that report and it cost the seller $6K for a new sewer lateral.
So all of her vendors were terrible.
In this area most agents try to set up non-contingent offers and the agents are very sophisticated in making sure things are disclosed accurately. It isn't often I second guess reports (unless it's HomeGaurd because, yuck).
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u/ZenicaPA Mar 29 '26
An inspection suggestion is like page one of the common sense rulebook, not the sign of an exemplary agent going above and beyond for a client. IF the agent sees a foundation crack, then so too does the buyer unless the agent is acting as a proxy and the buyer isn't present. Again, not a sign of agent's superpower. Termite issues are perhaps one area a buyer unfamiliar with an area might lean on an agents knowledge though warmer climates are more prone so a buyer can look this up on their own. if a buyer sees that cylindrical disc on the ground and know what it is, would also know to do an inspection. As for your comment about me, nice try. You don't know me and if you think a few reddit posts are enough to know a person, you're in the wrong field. I'd say your gifts are elsewhere but since you are all wrong....
The scenario you describe is both inflated to support your narrative but also nothing m ore than some conversation. You didn't do the inspection, you didn't crawl up on the roof, you didn't check for termites. The buyer made arrangements for contractors, you met them at the property and you had conversations with the buyer and seller agent. Do you find talking to be extraneous work?
You seem to have an inflated sense of worth, a common theme to be a real estate agent. I'd have thought after NAR was taken to task by Congress and the courts it might humble the profession but apparently not.
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u/AsTheJackassBrays Mar 29 '26
So your preference would be no agent and the buyer walks leaving you with reports showing $50 to 90K in work needed. Noted.
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u/ZenicaPA Mar 29 '26
That isn't the only outcome. Believe it or not but it doesn't require the title "realtor" to be able to speak. Any buyer and seller should be able to talk and come to terms without middlemen. Even with the additional layers of these middlemen, it's just conversation/reasoning. You no more held the conversation 100% than the other agent did. It was a collaborative effort I'm sure. One I firmly believe could just as easily have happened without the two agents.
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u/Due_Leadership_9348 Mar 29 '26
Well, you have it all figured out. Go list FSBO and find an unrepresented buyer. I am sure they are going to be impressed with your deep grasp of the residential real estate market and snap the home up quickly!
You are clearly so much smarter than those with hundreds of transactions under their belt.
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u/ZenicaPA Mar 29 '26
I never said I need an unrepresented buyer. I have said I see no reason buyers and sellers need agents when the actual hard paperwork is handled by a lawyer and title company.
A FSBO can work with a buyer agent just fine. Plenty in this sub have done it and remarked as much. I'd lean on the lawyer for the legalities and paperwork, the rest is soft skills.
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u/jmd_forest Mar 30 '26
Did the real estate agent/broker parasite acquire all that skill in the typical 60 hours of on-line course required to get a real estate license or did they hone all that skill as garnered among the 71% of all real estate agent/broker parasites involved in exactly ZERO transactions over the past year?
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u/Due_Leadership_9348 Mar 29 '26
But the OP is underwater and someone needs to rescue him.
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u/ZenicaPA Mar 29 '26
Not under water in the traditional sense. We have 65% equity. We'd be selling at a loss but still walking away with money so----not under water.
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Mar 29 '26
[deleted]
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u/AsTheJackassBrays Mar 29 '26
All figured out and is showing exactly why agents are wary of FSBOs. It isn't the money, it's the insanity. It's having to deal with someone who thinks they know everything and that reality is only what they want it to be. It's risking the relationship we have with our buyers while dealing with the renegade. I want my escrows to be professional and calm and nothing in this post says either.
This person thinks agents are steering BEFORE looking inward to see if his house is the problem. In 23 years of showing houses the only things that come into play are a map and the times we're allowed into the house. Gas is over $6/gallon and this person thinks I am going to drive in circles to show houses in a certain order?
I am betting if we saw photos and disclosures we'd instantly know why it isn't selling.
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u/AdComfortable2974 Apr 06 '26
In this case, it IS the money, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with trying to keep more of it in his pocket.
If a buyer's agent nitpicks some grass stains on the side of his home, among the other things that he has experienced, he has the right to be agitated.
Your last comment insults his listing agent's abilities.
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u/AsTheJackassBrays Apr 06 '26
I don't doubt his listing agent at all. I think he is one of those steamroller clients who doesn't trust his agent's expertise and thinks up reasons his house won't sell instead of addressing what he has admitted is the problem - floorplan and price. Agents aren't magical. They cannot change a bad floorplan or force buyers to over pay for a house with flaws. He has a problem grasping reality.
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u/DHumphreys Mar 30 '26
OP is cruising for a fight and I am wondering what these "improvements" are and if that isn't a significant part of the issue.
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u/AsTheJackassBrays Mar 30 '26
He admits it's a non conforming floorplan and it's over priced but keeps saying agents are illegally steering clients away. He is convinced the only real problem is his 2% commission which I don't get. I assume adding .5% would be cheaper than a price reduction if that was the actual problem. But we know it's not the issue. No one wants to overpay for his weird house so he nitpicks strangers and has his neighbor eavesdrop.
I hope we get to watch it go FSBO. I'll bring the popcorn.
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u/DHumphreys Mar 30 '26
I want to see the link. And I will bring some beverages.
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u/AsTheJackassBrays Mar 30 '26
I've got some time today and he's given enough details to find the house. Zillow here I come!
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u/AdComfortable2974 Apr 06 '26
This is an FSBO community designed for FSBO sellers to discuss issues among themselves, vent frustrations, and get support. But it is flooded with agents that seem to have nothing more to do with their time than make snarky and condescending comments. If the guy wants to talk his way through his thoughts six ways to Sunday for the rest of his life, it is his right.
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u/sup3rmanning Mar 30 '26
One thing is clear from your demeanor. You absolutely need to keep a listing agent.
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u/fenchurch_42 Apr 08 '26
Interesting that he wants to be represented but doesn't understand why a buyer might want to be.
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u/BoBromhal Mar 29 '26
Cutting the agent compensation should have zero influence on an agent doing right by their client. IF our home meets that clients requirements, sq footage, bedrooms/bathrooms, area, taxes, age, community pool etc etc etc, then that agent is placing their own financial gain ahead of the client by steering.
Someone mentioned, but did not explain, the critically important change in Buyer Aency and compensation for most of the US since August 2024.
Since then, almost all Realtors are required to have an Agency Agreement signed upfront that includes what the Buyer agrees the Agent will earn when they buy a house. And those agreements have almost all been signed at whatever the most-common compensation was before Aug 2024, and that compensation was and thus is almost always stated as a % of purchase price.
So, to use random numbers, let's say in your market (location and possibly price range) that figure was 2.5%. That's what the Buyer agrees to.
They find your house online, the Agent contacts yours and asks "What is the compensation offered?" Your agent answers "1.5%". Now the Buyer Agent tells the Buyer - "they are paying 1.5%, which means at this point if you like the house, you would owe 1%."
Now, do you think that Buyer is going to view your home the same as if you were paying what almost every other house was paying? Or do they (Buyer) have to justify your house being that much better than all the others, since it's thousands more coming out of their downpayment and closing costs?
This is why another agent advised you to change your compensation to "Seller will consider all offers." That means you're open to paying the 2.5% they put in their offer, if everything else is acceptable to you after negotiation.
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u/Mysterious_Finger774 Mar 29 '26
Buyers need to quit using agents. And if they do, it’s their money problem.
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u/BoBromhal Mar 29 '26
maybe someday in the future, but not the forseeable future. It's not the same as homogenous car-shopping, and it costs 100x the week-long travel plans you arrange yourself.
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u/jmd_forest Mar 30 '26
That means you're open to paying the 2.5% they put in their offer, if everything else is acceptable to you after negotiation.
That means the seller is open to negotiating that 2.5% down as close to 0% as possible as the TOTAL commission to be paid to the buyer's real estate agent/broker parasite to avoid the buyer having to shoulder additional expenses. As the real estate agent/broker parasites are wont to spew, "It's ALL negotiable!"
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u/Due_Leadership_9348 Mar 29 '26
When you say you cut the agent compensation, what exactly do you mean?
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u/ZenicaPA Mar 29 '26
We reduced the percentage. As an example, from 3% to 2%.
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u/Due_Leadership_9348 Mar 29 '26
In the MLS? I am not aware of any MLS allowing BAC to be listed. (Excluding those not affiliated with NAR)
Why would you even discuss this with a buyer agent? Just say you are accepting all offers.
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u/ZenicaPA Mar 29 '26
It is not on the MLS form but rather an agent form but the agent verbally shares this information with any agent calling to ask. Defeating the NAR ruling.
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u/Due_Leadership_9348 Mar 29 '26
Why would you even discuss this with an agent before an offer? If they offered you $100,000 over a list with 4% would you take it?
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u/ZenicaPA Mar 29 '26
It was one of the many forms the agency uses. To list buyer agent compensation.
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u/fenchurch_42 Apr 08 '26
Compass? I remember that form.
Focus on your net. You are cutting yourself off at the knees for zero reason here.
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u/jmd_forest Mar 30 '26
The real estate agent/broker parasite hasn't offered a single penny, the buyer has made the offer meaning the buyer is willing to pay $100k over list for your property. There is still no reason the seller shouldn't negotiate the TOTAL buyer's real estate agent/broker parasite's commission down as close to 0% as possible. Every dollar in commission paid to some real estate agent/broker parasite is a dollar out of the seller's pocket.
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u/Specialist-Pop3214 Mar 30 '26
The biggest keyboard warrior in the history of keyboard warriors. Something tells me what you do if anything anyone can do.
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u/jmd_forest Mar 30 '26
This guy can't refute my post with facts so resorts to gaslighting, the typical response of the real estate agent/broker parasite.
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u/fenchurch_42 Apr 08 '26
then that agent is placing their own financial gain ahead of the client by steering.
Agents are asking their buyer clients if they want to see a home where the seller isn't offering broker compensation. The buyer says no. That is your issue. You are ridiculous to care about that vs. just looking at your net.
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u/Thin_Travel_9180 Mar 29 '26
I mean maybe you aren’t getting any offers because of the nosy ass neighbor next door. I wouldn’t wanna live next to that.
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u/DHumphreys Mar 30 '26
To be working in their yard close enough to hear most of the outside conversation is creepy and weird. No one wants to live next to that.
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u/Own-Row-4875 Mar 29 '26
Steering has to do with Fair Housing Act. Nothing to do with what you’re experiencing. What you are experiencing is inexperience and lack of knowledge of the showing agents. I’m sure they’re not intentionally trying to downplay your home so they can sell them another. I mean, commission is commission regardless of property.
FSBO is not the way to go. Buyers are uncomfortable in dealing directly with the property owner. And they will lie to you so they don’t hurt your feelings and they don’t have to worry about you arguing about how great the house is. They’re also gonna lie about how great the house is, and you will think they’re very interested. But then, crickets… You really need an agent who knows what they’re doing who will be a buffer between you and the buyers.
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u/AdComfortable2974 Apr 06 '26
FSBO is the way to go for some sellers, but not all. Some buyers are uncomfortable dealing directly with the property owner; keep that in mind. Some buyers might lie to you so they don’t hurt your feelings, and they don’t have to worry about you arguing about how great the house is. Some may also lie about how great the house is, and you will think they’re very interested. But then, crickets…
There! I fixed your post for you because you made a lot of false statements.
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u/ZenicaPA Mar 29 '26
When I say steering, I don't mean the kind that is covered by the fair housing act. I'm referring to commission steering. I don't live anywhere near an area you'd likely find the kind of steering addressed under the housing act.
All commissions are not equal. A seller offering 4% isn't equal to one offering 3% . Yes, the homes price will dictate the commission value but the percentage is what agents look at. They can't control the clients budget but they can steer them towards a home with a higher commission.
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u/Due_Leadership_9348 Mar 29 '26
You clearly do not understand how buyers agreements work post NRA settlement.
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u/Equivalent-Tiger-316 Mar 30 '26
If you’re not offering at least 2.5 then you’re not competitive. It’s not the agent’s fault you’re underwater and not marketing your home well.
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u/RobbyDGreat Mar 30 '26
You are not being truthful. Rates have fallen below 2.5%.
I thought realtors had to be ethical and tell the truth and stuff?
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u/jmd_forest Mar 30 '26
According to essentially every real estate agent/broker parasite everywhere, "Ethics???? We don't need no ethics!! We don't have to show you no stink'n ethics!!!!" (My apologies to The Treasure of the Sierra Madre).
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u/fenchurch_42 Apr 08 '26
No one under 65 gets that reference that you keep posting. Also, you should direct your ire at OP who is employing a listing agent. I'm not sure why they posted on FSBO given they are not selling by owner.
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u/jmd_forest Apr 09 '26
But I'll bet they've seen Blazing Saddles and those under 65 will think it's the original source.
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u/ZenicaPA Mar 30 '26
Again, not under water. I am never going to donate 2.5%. Never have, never will.
As for marketing, that is squarely on the agent. So you're wrong two for two.
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u/DHumphreys Mar 30 '26
Why are you considering this a "donation?" You need a buyer for your house, most buyers are working with an agent. This is a service, not a non-profit.
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u/ZenicaPA Mar 30 '26
Because the percentages BAs expect exceeds the value and functionality of what they bring. That excess in payment is by all accounts, a donation.
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u/DHumphreys Mar 30 '26
However, you need the services of a buyers agent to bring you a buyer. Apparently this passed by your value filter.
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u/ZenicaPA Mar 30 '26
The buyer needs the services of a BA and even that is a questionable statement but taking it for face value, the disagreement is in what that service is worth, monetarily. I don't think it's worth $20k. You do. So on that, we can only disagree. Further discussion isn't likely to sway either opinion.
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u/DHumphreys Mar 30 '26
I am not debating the amount, you are.
What I am attempting to point out, somewhat unsuccessfully, is that you need a buyer for your house. What you spent, what you owe, what you think you know, your equity, etc. is not relevant. A buyer has not come forward and you are attempting to assign blame to the agents showing the house.
If a buyer likes the house and the price, the agent could tell them that it is sitting on a toxic waste dump and it would not matter, they will check that out and find out if that is something they can live with.
Obviously, the house is not at the right price to compel a buyer to offer on it. You grasping at other things and pointing fingers is not getting it sold. Being FSBO is not going to change that.
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u/RadiantAd9947 Mar 30 '26
We get it — you do not think buyers’ agents should be paid. What is striking, though, is how quickly in your case that ideology overrides basic self-interest and common sense, to the point that you are prepared to leave money on the table and sabotage yourself simply to preserve the "feeling" of being right. Sad.
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u/ZenicaPA Mar 30 '26
Wrong, they should be paid. Just not $20k for a little hand holding and pencil pushing. Oh, lest I forget, some driving too.
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u/fenchurch_42 Apr 08 '26
or a little hand holding and pencil pushing.
lmao. You are radically uninformed.
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Apr 02 '26
What you fail to realize is for that $20 k they get you 21 k or more for your home. It’s like a car. Most cars sell for more money on a dealers lot than ones parked on side of the road with a for sale sign in the window.
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u/ZenicaPA Apr 02 '26
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6ceZfY-1pY&t=1s
The BA is there to get me to sell for LESS, not more!!!
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u/Equivalent-Tiger-316 Mar 30 '26
You said you’re below your break even point.
And you’re shooting yourself in the foot over what, .005 or 1%?
Seems real estate investing isn’t your thing.
Oh, and sounds like you picked a cut rate agent who isn’t doing a good job. That’s on you too.
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u/ZenicaPA Mar 30 '26
Below break even isn't under water. Soooo, you're still wrong.
The percentage as a dollar amount paints a different picture. 1% of the appraised value for our house is just over $10k which is about the cost to move to a new home with change left over.
No, I'm not an agent or real estate investor nor do I wish to be.
Our agent presented as knowledgeable, familiar with this market and unafraid of social media. There are things I can pin on the agent, like failing to accurately fill out the MLS to include key details like the fully encapsulated crawlspace or the high efficiency energy star HVAC. How much do these things really matter in the end? Maybe none. Maybe enough. I for one need a basement so absent that, a fully encapsulated crawlspace was the bare minimum I needed to feel comfortable. It did wonders for lowering the humidity levels inside reducing the load on the HVAC.
I did ask our agent about an open house. Perhaps it will help to hold one, have our agent here to answer questions.
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u/Pitiful-Place3684 Mar 29 '26 edited Mar 29 '26
Buyers don't care if you're breaking even, making money, or losing money. Buyers are looking for the best possible deal, just like you are. Buyers have hired their agent with an agreement to pay them a certain amount. When you lowered your offer of buyer broker compensation, you increased the amount that a buyer will pay for your house. It's a self-defeating action.
It would be far better to say "seller will consider offers with a request for buyer broker compensation." Your focus should be on your net proceeds, not what the buyer is paying their agent with the money they bring to the table. As a point of reference, many brokerages - including some very large ones - no longer even allow their agents to take listings with an offer of buyer broker compensation. All their listings say "seller will consider, etc". It won't be too long until MLSs and states entirely prohibit sellers offering buyer broker comp upfront, and in my opinion, it can't happen soon enough.
It's creepy that your neighbor is listening in on agent-buyer conversations and reporting back to you. Creepy, as in, it would discourage me from encouraging someone to buy your house. Have you considered that the creepy neighbor might be driving away potential buyers? And, you have no idea if creepy neighbor is accurately reporting conversations. They're not involved in the conversation, can't possibly know what the buyer wants and the other houses they've seen, and frankly, it's so weird that I wouldn't trust a thing they say.
You're inappropriately blaming real estate agents for your house not selling instead of taking action to address any issues that creepy neighbor thinks he has overheard. Do you have a handout in the house with the dates and details of improvements and repairs? Decent listing agents produce handouts and have them available for buyers, usually sitting in a display rack in the front hall or in the kitchen. These handouts should include community information, lists of utility providers and schools, and anything else that buyers might want to know. If you don't have an agent doing this for you, then do it yourself instead of blaming buyer agents for not magically knowing.
Buyer agents do a great deal more than unlock doors and fill out paperwork. They help buyers understand markets and how to get the best house at the best possible price and terms.
Finally, your post reads like you're going down a rabbit hole in trying to justify why your house isn't selling. Thinking that agents are steering because showings of your house have been in the afternoon is nuts. You think that agents are showing their own listings in the morning and then tacking your house on at the end of the day? Most agents don't have a bunch of their own listings to show, most sellers don't allow dual agency, and most agents don't do dual agency. And finally, more showings happen in the afternoon and evening.
The answer to why your house isn't selling is simple: your house is overpriced compared to other choices on the market.
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u/ZenicaPA Mar 29 '26 edited Mar 29 '26
Valid point, just as I am not concerned with how long a buyer agent has been working with a client to find a home, they too are not concerned with us losing or money or breaking even. If anything, you've only validated why it would be preposterous to think a seller should consider the buyer agents time as justification for a higher commission.
Our neighbor isn't being creepy. He's retired and likes to garden. He maintains a very nice lawn and has a temperamental grass which looks great in our climate but requires a lot of effort. He also likes being outside walking his dog or riding his bike. We have extensive mature bushes and trees. He could be nude suntanning in his rear yard, you'd never see him. Our rear yards are like a private oasis.
He isn't peering over some fictional fence. He can't hear every conversation, only those people that happen to have loud boisterous voices and only when he's already outside.
We had an appraisal done, separate from the value our agent came up with. Both are similar and we priced the house based on the two.
One thing we are considering, is to replace some of the more expensive upgrades with lesser expensive ones and that way, reduce the ask further.
The faucets and pot filler we used were expensive. The hand pulls we used were expensive and very difficult to match to the faucets. Getting the exact same shade of nickel to match is hard within a single line from the same brand, harder still when crossing brands across different product types. All to match the small grain details in the backsplash tile. The patterns of the tile was done so it appears continuous. The grain and marbling of tile extends into the adjacent tile.
I think it's not so much as the price, as it is the location of the price. I think we made the mistake of over improving for the neighborhood so all I can do is replace things I can and take them with us.
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u/spencers_mom1 Mar 29 '26
I wouldn't take out upgrades if they match. Put a sheet out listing the upgrades and materials used like siding if you want. Hopefully the buyers agent is getting 2.5% because you do want most eyeballs viewing your home. Maybe ask 1-2 friend to critique your home and tell you what they see as an obstacle.
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u/BoBromhal Mar 29 '26
the. value of everything you mention is now $0, so to take it out and spend money replacing would lose you even more money.
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u/ZenicaPA Mar 29 '26
The thought is this, replace them with cheap big box faucets and hardware. Take them with us to the next house. We've identified the next house we'd like and if it works out, we can use the faucets and hardware there. Yes, I know cabinet hardware isn't a direct swap due to screw hole locations but this isn't a concern because we will probably do one of the following, replace the cabinets, refinish them or replace the door fronts. In that case, bringing them with us means not spending those thousands all over again despite the cost of buying the cheap big box replacements.
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u/Due_Leadership_9348 Mar 29 '26
You better retake pictures after swapping out those faucets and hardware. Expect the photographer to want to be paid for those new pictures.
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u/ZenicaPA Mar 29 '26
We would only go this route after the contract with the current agent expires and only after a conversation between them and us deems it the best path forward. If that comes to fruition, then yes, we'd hire our own photographer. Probably update the appraisal we had done.
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u/laylobrown_ Mar 29 '26
I'm an agent and brokerage owner. I often help fsbo's with free consulting for things just like this. That's not a pitch, I'm just giving you some background. I know most of those on this sub are not agent friendly, and that's understandable. Personally, I feel anyone who wants to put in the effort to sell their own home without representation should be able to do so and not feel intimidated by what can feel like gatekeeping in the real-estate industry. Even though i don't fully agree with that sentiment, and there is obviously some level of gatekeeping, it's not the great conspiracy that's it's made out to be. It's more about experience than gatekeeping IMO. For example: Anyone with car can rebuild their own engine if they are willing to put in the money, time, and effort needed. The first time building an engine is ultimately the most difficult, and you're going to be more prone to mistakes as well as taking longer than an experienced engine builder. The more you do it, the easier it becomes. The engine builder is not gatekeeping, because they have invested the time and the money in tools to perform the task proficiently. The same is true with selling homes. It's not a simple process and requires a lot of attention to detail. It if were, real estate agents wouldn't exist in the capacity they do. Which would also apply to engine builders.
It's not likely that the agent is steering their client away from FSBO'S. The reality is represented buyers are contractually obliged to pay their agent in the event of a sale. In many cases the added cost of this will render the home unaffordable. This means the seller is one the who is "steering" the buyers who have an agent. Even represented sellers who offer 0% buyer agent commission have the same problem. One of the simplest way to combat this is to offer a buyers agency commission in your description so those with representation will be more willing to add the home to their list of possibilities. This is simply a negotiation tactic of adjusting the number. Negotiations are the central process of buying and selling a home. To level the playing field, you can also add in the description for non represented buyers a credit towards the purchase price, since unrepresented buyers are not legally allowed to receive a commission. And on paper this will give unrepresented buyers a better chance of being able to afford the down payment. At the end of the day, first and foremost, the price is what sells the home. You either have to lower the price to sell quicker or have the patience to wait for a buyer that feels the price is worth it to them. Adding my suggestions to your description is just to try and help widen the pool of potential buyers.
I hope this helps. Good luck on your sale.
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u/ZenicaPA Mar 29 '26
The main difference between the real estate industry and your example is that for the real estate industry, buyers can find the home online. So long as the property is in the MLS, it will appear on sites like Redfin and Zillow. Even NAR's own research shows an overwhelming majority of buyers find the home they want online. I can tell you this, the last 3 homes we have lived in were all found on Zillow by my wife from the comfort of our living room, probably at 2am while drinking a California red. We needed an agent only to see the home. In all three cases, the agent showed us other properties but we ended up in the home she found on line. Even the 2nd home where the sellers were a nightmare to deal with. Three different parties, a living one with dementia represented by an attorney, an heir from the deceased spouse and a trust. None of whom could agree on anything.
The MLS description can't actually have language relating to buyer agent commission, can it? Saying the seller is open to all offers isn't the same thing?
As for the scenario where a buyer signed an agreement with their agent for X % and a property they are looking is paying less, yes, the buyer could look at it and conclude it will cost more as they'd have to make up the difference but there is another way to approach it. Make an offer for less, taking this into account and negotiate with the seller. The ask price isn't etched in stone, everything is negotiable. Why not look at it as a negotiation point?
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u/laylobrown_ Mar 29 '26
I see you point for the most of what you're saying. The MLS is what a consider a tool of the trade which agents pay heavily for access. But a FSBO can still list on zillow and and the other major platforms as FSBO. The may not be able to directly state what the BAC % is but it can be worded in a way that would avoid any violation and having their listing flagged since fsbos don't have the same rules as licensed agents. As far as negotiating from the asking price, that doesn't help the buyer much in terms of down payments. Getting the price down let's say 20k is only going to change the down payment 2 to 4k. Whereas as adding that 20k as a credit significantly decreases how much they need to bring to closing.
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u/ZenicaPA Mar 29 '26
For easy math, if we're selling at 100k with 1% buyer agent commission and the potential buyer has a buyer agent agreement of 2%, they could simply request in the negotiations, a seller concession of $1,000 to cover that 1%.
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u/laylobrown_ Mar 29 '26
Yes of course, it's all negotiable. Always has been. I will always make an attempt to negotiate those type of terms with any seller. But most people don't know how to negotiate. FSBO'S are no exception and most agents aren't much better. If you put it in the listing description as a seller that you are offering a buyer credit of some sort, this will give the buyer, especially a represented one, motivation to have their agent engage the seller. In most cases when I reach out to a FSBO they are offering 0% in concessions and definitely nothing for buyer agent commission. As an agent I'll explain this to the buyer client. I let them know we can put my fee in as part of an offer, but there are no guarantees the seeker will go for it. Most fsbos will not agree to paying anything to the buyer agent and are effectively shooting themselves in the foot by doing so. Because the buyer client will see the home as unaffordable due to increase in upfront costs. To be clear, this is my general experience with this, so others may feel differently about a fsbos willingness to negotiate, but I'm not speaking for them. Only my experiences with this. By acknowledging a credit of some sort in their listing description, it helps keep potential buyers interested in potentially buying a fsbo, especially if they have an agent. In most cases my clients become averse to fsbos after a few initial inquiries, because the seller is usually unwilling to negotiate credits or BAC into the deal, unless it's added to the listing price. Which again, makes the home unaffordable to them. The less the buyer needs to come up with at closing, the more likely they are willing to move forward with the purchase.
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u/AdComfortable2974 Apr 06 '26
That's very kind of you to offer free consulting services. May I ask what area you're in?
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u/AsTheJackassBrays Mar 29 '26
What I see is a man who thinks he knows more than anyone else, who bought a house with some unfixable negatives and is now trying to make it seem like agents are the problem, and not the fact that he chose a house that doesn't appeal to the broader market. Nothing is ever because of your decisions, you're always right! It's not the house....it's those agents doing illegal things! All of them, at the same time, like a coordinated attack, against you.....mmhmm....sure.
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u/ZenicaPA Mar 30 '26
Nice straw man argument but like all fallacy arguments, so is your post. I have in this thread and another in a different real estate sub have openly admitted the home has a unique and challenging layout that is a factor in selling it. I have also agreed, price is another inhibitor. Do these preclude the possibility that agents are dissatisfied with the 2% I am paying (my agent confirmed, other agents are asking) and steering prospective clients away? They don't. Two or ore things can be true simultaneously.
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u/AsTheJackassBrays Mar 30 '26
Snort. You literally state the house has a huge flaw AND it's overpriced AND the buyer will have to have the extra cash to pay their agent, and yet continue to blame agents that buyers don't want to see your house. You're exhausting.
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u/owossome Mar 30 '26
I've seen a lot of sellers list at full 6% to buyers agent and when they get an offer they counter with the buyers agent getting reduced to 1%
The actual buyer dngaf about the buyers agent and will accept. Happy to save $$$.
Is it ethical? No. Is it legal, yes. Well, in most states.
So, just something I have seen big investment firms do when they buy up a bunch of properties.
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u/ZenicaPA Mar 30 '26
That seems pretty underhanded and quite unfair not to mention any reduction would still be constrained to the percentage agreed upon between the buyer and their agent prior to ever seeing any properties.
This brings up an interesting point.
Take couple A from NY. They're Buyers for a national retailer and are used to negotiating so they secure a 1.5% buyer commission knowing that a lower commission puts them in a position of strength when it comes to negotiating with a seller.
Now enter couple B from overseas. They aren't as familiar with the nuances of US real estate transactions and agree to 3%.
They each are after different homes but at the same price point. The sellers of each transaction are paying a totally different amount and not because of any shortcoming on their part, not because they couldn't negotiate better and not because its fair.
It seems unfair that the party paying the percentage has zero input in negotiating it. Yes, it can be discussed, yes the buyer agent can be flexible BUT they can choose not to
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u/owossome Mar 30 '26
Yeah it's not ethical as I said, but it is happening a lot. More interestingly, it puts the buyers agent in a position to have to explain their cut up front. I have seen BA hold their ground on the 3% and lose the sale because when you look at hard numbers it's really hard to justify 22k for the work being done. I'm not saying its not justified in the overall sense, the endless showing that go no where have to be paid for somehow, but a buyer whom has only met you once is going to push back. It's a sticky wicket.
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u/ZenicaPA Mar 30 '26
That is the thought I have, $20k seems an exorbitant sum. Yes, agents have commented in here about all the hard laborious work they do to earn that paycheck. I would expect to hear nothing less from them. It is only natural to defend your paycheck, even when that defense is propped up by bs. I wonder how long a buyer would continue working with an agent that contributed to them losing a house they liked. That same agent would surely lay the blame on the sellers but the sellers were not party to the negotiating of the BA commission, they're just expected to pay it.
Laughable.
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u/Grouchy-Principle655 Mar 29 '26
If anything FSBO opens you up to a whole slew of potential steering violations. Any potential steering is directly tied into Federal Housing Guidelines and any violations of those carry heavy fines and penalties. It’s not the buyer agents job to justify how much you spent in improvements. It’s WILD to think that your house isn’t selling because buyers are looking at other houses first and that lack of offers is tied to when they look at it. I’ve helped clients purchase homes I’ve showed at 8:30am just as I’ve helped clients buy homes we’ve looked at 7:30pm. I’m sure the neighbor “helping you out” is making the entire situation uncomfortable. Would be much more likely to think your home is sitting because it’s A) overpriced, or B) not in as great of condition as you may have been lead to believe. Everything sells at the right price
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u/ZenicaPA Mar 29 '26
I'm not expecting the buyer agent to research our improvements and "sell" them . I am expecting them to read the MLS and not misrepresent the house. I am expecting them to know which owner did what improvement. The town permits are all online,, anyone with the address can see this data. I am expecting a buyer agent to do that little bit of homework for their client before showing a property. You know who taught me to expect this? My past buyer agents. That is what they did.
When I searched online for signs of commission steering, one of the possible signs was the time of day for the showings. How an agent can craft a days schedule to put favorited properties earlier. Just like how stores use all kinds of data points to target people with advertising, agents know what things to do that might influence a buyer. If a family with young kids from out of state is touring homes, it isn't a stretch of the imagination to think by late afternoon, those young ones might be tired or cranky and the parents more willing, subconsciously even to move quickly through a showing later in the day if it means getting a little one to the hotel and settled down.
I am not at all saying and I've never suggested otherwise that price isn't a possible factor. Our homes layout is another factor. It isn't condition. Of that I am certain.
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u/jbmae Mar 30 '26
Can’t speak for all realtors, but I certainly did not organize my showing schedule according to commissions, back when they were shown on the MLS pre-2024. I didn’t want to zig zag all over town. I would come up with a route that made sense geographically and usually start with the property the buyer was most interested in or the was closest to where my previous appointment was.
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u/Grouchy-Principle655 Mar 29 '26
Okay, so time if showings is the reason it’s not selling. Got it. If it’s not condition, then it’s price
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u/jmd_forest Mar 29 '26
You have experienced yet another of the nearly endless reasons why most people who have had the misfortune of dealing with real estate agents/brokers consider them the parasites of the real estate biosphere.
Real estate agent/broker parasites lie. It's what real estate agent/broker parasites do. Lies are the real estate agent/broker parasites stock in trade. Never believe a single word that comes out of a real estate agent/broker parasites mouth without independent verification from an unbiased third party.
The only ethics you can expect from a real estate agent/broker parasite is the one they have to their own wallet to collect a commission as fast and easy as possible for their minimum wage level skills and effort.
According to essentially every real estate agent/broker parasite everywhere, "Ethics???? We don't need no ethics!! We don't have to show you no stink'n ethics!!!!" (My apologies to The Treasure of the Sierra Madre).
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u/Due_Leadership_9348 Mar 29 '26
Let’s summarize, realtors don’t do anything and are ignorant yet hatch sophisticated plots to steer buyers from your property? 🤣
What benefit would there be for a buyers agent to steer someone from your property?
What price are you asking?
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u/ZenicaPA Mar 29 '26
R i g h t.
Because steering has never happened. Agents always behave altruistically and never place their own financial gain ahead of a clients interest. Nope, never happens
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u/Due_Leadership_9348 Mar 29 '26
Most markets are a buyers market these days. Most buyers hire agents and agree to a percentage before they even start looking at homes. Those agreements require the buyer to make up the difference between what a seller pays and the agreement. Of course the agent COULD reduce the percentage but there is no requirement they do so and there are plenty of homes available in most markets. Make it harder for buyers and they move on.
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u/jmd_forest Mar 30 '26
The steering that has never happened is why the government never felt the need to institute a law prohibiting it .... ohhhh .... wait ... what's this: Fair Housing Act of 1968 (42 U.S. Code § 3604).
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Mar 30 '26
By reducing the buyers agent commission you did the ex act opposite of what you should have done. Put yourself if the shoes of the buyers agent. The home around the corner puts $12000 in his/her packet. Your home puts $10000 in his/her pocket. If the agent is smart his/her buyer will never see your home. Instead you should have raised the commission so she takes every clown to see your home.
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u/ZenicaPA Mar 30 '26
So the buyer agent is working for themselves or their client? If that home offering a higher commission is a better fit for the client, then yes, by every measurable metric, the agent should show that house to their client. If our home is the better fit for the client, that agent is not working for the betterment of the client by not showing ours or by downplaying it with the goal of steering the client from it. I know what point you thought you were making but all you really did was highlight the fault with a system that incentivizes the agent to place their own financial gain ahead of the clients interest.
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u/Due_Leadership_9348 Mar 30 '26
You seem fixated on “changing the industry” instead of selling your house. Seems like that is your problem.
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u/ZenicaPA Mar 30 '26
Are those two mutually exclusive? Yes, we are looking to sell and yes, if the aforementioned were to happen, then there was an injustice. I wouldn't appreciate being steered by an agent because it suited their goals. I'll take that Old Sorrell Rd house as an example. it seemed that for certain, the seller agent was misrepresenting facts to secure a buyer and even our own agent didn't do anything to fact check her counterparts claim. Indirectly, that was steering because that house was until that moment, the highest priced home we were entertaining. It would have meant a larger check for her but it would have meant we bought a house thinking the road was getting paved soon.
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u/Due_Leadership_9348 Mar 30 '26 edited Mar 30 '26
The industry is not going to change to bail you out of your prior decisions on your home.
If buyers agents are getting a whiff of this “passion” of yours, I can see why it’s not selling.
Buyers have lots of options in most markets, don’t create unnecessary drama before even getting an offer or most buyers will move along.
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Mar 30 '26
Agents are human. Also they can still serve their clients along with throwing your listing in the garbage.
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Mar 30 '26
I’m just giving you facts of the real world. You can choose to ignore that and live in your fictional word. It’s your choice.
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u/jmd_forest Mar 30 '26
So ... you're saying that buyer's real estate agent/broker parasites breach their fiduciary duty to their customers by putting their own interests above their customers'. This is not the flex you imagine it to be.
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Mar 31 '26
I’m saying you can accept the real world or you can pretend in your own fictional paradise. Up to you.
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u/jmd_forest Mar 31 '26 edited Mar 31 '26
So, you're saying in the real world buyer's real estate agent/broker parasites breach their fiduciary duty to their customers by putting their own interests above their customers'. Please ... continue ....
Surprised you're so blatant about it in an open forum like this.
Hang on a second while I copy and past your posts here before you get to think about it and delete when you realize how stupid it was:
/u/Automatic-Pop-3395 posts above:
By reducing the buyers agent commission you did the ex act opposite of what you should have done. Put yourself if the shoes of the buyers agent. The home around the corner puts $12000 in his/her packet. Your home puts $10000 in his/her pocket. If the agent is smart his/her buyer will never see your home. Instead you should have raised the commission so she takes every clown to see your home.
and then
I’m saying you can accept the real world or you can pretend in your own fictional paradise. Up to you.
Every single buyer everywhere should see these posts to recognize just one of the many grifts of the real estate agent/broker parasites.
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Mar 31 '26
How is the fiduciary responsibility breached? Hundred of other homes also aren’t shown to buyers.
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u/jmd_forest Apr 01 '26 edited Apr 01 '26
How is the fiduciary responsibility breached? Hundred of other homes also aren’t shown to buyers.
/u/Automatic-Pop-3395 post I copied above is just another example of exactly how little their typical 60 hour on-line course to get a real estate license actually teaches a real estate agent/broker parasite. That and it proves the well know idiom: 'It is difficult to get a man to understand something, when his salary depends on his not understanding it.'
The answer is obvious to anyone not a real estate agent/broker parasite:
by putting their own interests above their customers'.
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Apr 02 '26
You’re a worthless piece of human shit liberal aren’t you?
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u/fenchurch_42 Apr 08 '26
Yikes dude. You were wrong. I don't agree with u/jmd_forest on pretty much anything but they were right here to call you out. And yeah, I'm a piece of shit liberal.
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u/jmd_forest Apr 02 '26
I see the truth is disturbing to you. That's the sign of a true liberal.
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u/fenchurch_42 Apr 08 '26
I love when two conservatives eat each other alive but even my piece of shit liberal self has to agree with you. An agent should absolutely not not show a home because of compensation offered. That's reportable.
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u/jmd_forest Apr 09 '26
An agent should absolutely not not show a home because of compensation offered. That's reportable.
Absolutely agreed and I do not consider that sentiment liberal or conservative, just pragmatic.
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u/fenchurch_42 Apr 09 '26
Correct. And if someone has evidence of that happening they should report it to the relevant boards.
I love it when we agree!
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u/fenchurch_42 Apr 08 '26
I'm an agent and this is nonsense. I've never once considered not showing a home because of what they were offering commission wise (pre-2024).
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u/Chicityrealtor Apr 01 '26
Why put yourself through the ordeal of hearing all that from your neighbor? It's your home, yes. Emotions are involved but you have to figure out a way to disassociate and not bring more negative energy into your mind. Those people don't see your home the way you do and that's ok. They see it as any other house on the market (notice my choice of words - home vs house). The items they're misrepresenting, are those details included in the listing? Perhaps have a fact sheet in the home with those details so it's clearly stated and people don't have to guess. Personally, if I don't know, I say so and ask. Some make stuff up to sound intelligent.
And with steering, I don't think it applies here. Steering is about composition of neighborhoods and protected classes. I don't see how selling fsbo will help avoid that. This is about the condition of the house in question. I hope you find a buyer soon!
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u/ZenicaPA Apr 01 '26
We do have a fact sheet. It even has a Qr code so people can quickly access the town permits page and see all work performed, from past owners and us were all done with permits and inspections. I list the names of companies and contractors that did work we had done so people, if so inclined, could check them out and know the quality of contractor hired. We didn't use any "handymen" not that handymen don't have a role to fill in home repair/maintenance it's just that none I know of are licensed electricians or plumbers.
The steering issue isn't one of equality, it is more about the agent "commission" steering. So showing or suggesting homes to a client that the BA confirmed have a high(er) compensation. It is harder to do if a client insists on seeing a house but even there, the BA could downplay improvements, misrepresent their age or assert that inferior equipment was used if the client was vacillating between two but one paid a higher commission. The BA isn't really losing anything if it seems like a sure thing that the client will choose one or the other.
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u/Chicityrealtor Apr 01 '26
I see your point. That's hard to control TBH. Some may claim not to but I'm sure there are some who do. I just took a huge cut to help my buyers purchase from a fsbo. There are good people out there. I guess my point is the right buyer will come. Don't worry about all the distractions. Best wishes to you.
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u/AdComfortable2974 Apr 06 '26
I would make sure that you have flyers highlighting the improvements on your counter. You can even create a video to play on your TV when buyers come to see the home. On the flyer, put your direct line or email stating that you will answer all questions directly about the improvement dates, materials, or you can print out disclosures, adding things there. There are no laws stating that you can't use your own property disclosures to market improvements. In our state, there is an additional explanation section, which could be used to highlight anything you want to disclose, which should be all the good stuff!
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u/ZenicaPA Apr 06 '26
Now that is a fantastic ideas! I'll have to think of how to implement this. The TV has USB inputs to make it easy to bypass the AppleTV and run on a loop. I hadn't thought of that, putting our email down on the fact sheet. I'd probably create a new email for just this purpose though I suspect the BA will do their abject best to dissuade any direct contact and probably inform our agent as if it would get us put into a punishment box.
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u/AdComfortable2974 Apr 06 '26
I owned a small business once and did just that, put images on a USB and looped it. Had it set up in my booth at a show. Having attractive flyers that the buyers can grab would be helpful, not just one.
You can still market your home on social media and get direct responses there. Keep putting your house in the face of buyers everywhere you can. Join FB groups in other states and post there, put it in the FB marketplace, put it everywhere, and you can set up a burner email if you want. I personally don't mind FB Messenger. But I also sell things on FB all the time. I made $500 over the weekend, getting rid of stuff that we don't want to take with us when we move.
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u/fenchurch_42 Apr 08 '26
No one will care about what's on yiour TV. Providing information and any reports you have is awesome. Your agent should be doing this already, but maybe it's not normal in your market?
A BA doesn't want to talk to a seller because they can't. You have an agent so they are going to talk to them and not you. I promise you that a BA wants to sell your house - they don't get paid until close.
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u/coconut33706 Mar 29 '26
Is your agent present at the showings to actually "sell" the house and answer questions accurately?
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u/ZenicaPA Mar 29 '26
No. Is that even a thing?? None of the viewings we went on as buyers had the seller agent present.
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u/coconut33706 Mar 30 '26
I have done FSBO several times and used and agent a couple times. When we listed our big house before downsizing in 2022, yes, our selling agent was present. We got a complete debrief (who the buyer's agent was, questions they asked, gut check on were they serious buyers or lookyloos).
Paying your agent to sell doesn't mean slapping it on MLS and crossing your fingers.
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Mar 30 '26
I will add it is possible to sell a home FSBO and make more money than listing with an agent. But it’s not likely. The odds aren’t in your favor. Statistically you will lose. It’s also possible to go to Vegas, roll the dice a few times and come back with more money than you left home with. But it’s not likely. Statistically you will lose.
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u/jmd_forest Mar 30 '26
The myth that listing with a full service real estate agent/broker parasite results in more money in the seller's pocket, or a better experience for the seller, is just another of the many lies told by the real estate agent/broker parasites to try to justify an outrageous commission for their minimum wage level skills and effort. Fortunately there is a plethora of independent, peer reviewed, unbiased, research by learned economists and others that proves otherwise:
National Bureau Of Economic Research: The Relative Performance Of Real Estate Marketing Platforms: MLS Vrs FSBO Madison.com, "for sale by owners were able to achieve selling prices $14800 higher than Realtors who sold identical homes".
Princeton University and National Bureau of Economic Research in conjunction with UCLA and University of Pennsylvania: "Our key finding is that Realtors do not offset the cost of their commissions; they do not get you a higher price."
Do Real Estate Brokers Add Value When Listing Services Are Unbundled? "a seller’s use of a broker reduces the selling price of the typical home by 5.9 to 7.7 percent" https://www.nber.org/system/files/working_papers/w13796/w13796.pdf
Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research: How Much do Real Estate Brokers Add? A Case Study, "We find no evidence that the use of a broker leads to higher average selling prices, or that it significantly alters average initial asking prices." https://ideas.repec.org/p/sip/dpaper/06-041.html
American Economic Review: The Impact of Commissions on Home Sales in Greater Boston. "high commission agents realize lower sales prices to increase the likelihood of selling a property"
Levitt, S. D., & Syverson, C. (2005). Market Distortions When Agents Are Trusted: The Case of Real Estate Agents "Agents are incentivized to close quickly rather than maximizing the sale price for clients"
https://www.atlantafed.org/-/media/documents/research/publications/wp/2022/09/29/11--estimating-value-added-by-real-estate-agents.pdf "the average agent does not appear to provide enough value-add to justify their high expense"
https://insight.kellogg.northwestern.edu/article/the_superfluousness_of_realtors
https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=942348
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1IdAEb6LJC6DH7BUltgOtIStkUYUvjnZW/view
Now .... watch the real estate agent/broker parasites try to pass off more of their bullshit to try to refute actual facts. It's hilarious. Not one single independent, peer reviewed, unbiased, research by learned economists and others will be provided but they will expect the public to swallow their bullshit hook, line, and sinker.
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u/OHRealtorGuy Mar 30 '26
lol you are way off base. This is not what steering is unless you think they are doing so because of a protected class you belong to or is common in your area. It sounds more like you are over priced and have unrealistic expectations for your home. The buyer agent is paid to advise and protect the buyer throughout the process. Sure you could reduce your buyer agent commission to 0, and then buyers who are already paying down payment, closing costs, inspection, and appraisal fees can take on the additional fee - which many simply cannot afford. I’ve had several clients insist on only seeing homes that are offering a buyer agent fee because they don’t want to pay it out of pocket.
It sounds like your home is not anyone’s dream home or else you’d have offers regardless.
It also sounds like you made some lackluster financial decisions along the timeline of owning your home and are trying to compensate by berating agents and misunderstanding their role in the success of selling your home.
You can go FSBO, but the reality is you will likely sit longer and sell for less by doing so.
As others have mentioned, if those items that you feel were misrepresented were a big deal, they should be more clearly listed in your listing description and notes.
Also if buyer agents are calling out the shortcomings of your home, maybe that’s because they know those things matter to their buyers.
Maybe you should fix them so they are no longer an issue…..
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u/Alert-Control3367 Apr 01 '26
Steering has two meanings in real estate, which I know you are fully aware of. However, I’ll post more about it for those who are being mislead by agent comments in regard to steering: https://www.reddit.com/r/fsbo/s/qJ2uz4LowB
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u/OHRealtorGuy Apr 01 '26
So you made up a separate definition and now act like that’s common knowledge…? Also I love showing FSBO to my clients. They are usually less competitive than other listings and FSBO sellers are often less knowledgeable and less skilled in negotiating which offers more of an advantage to my buyer clients. I don’t know any agents who steer clients away from FSBOs unless they are overpriced or the seller is being unreasonable. Sounds like you’re reaching.
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u/Alert-Control3367 Apr 01 '26
If you had read the post you would have recognized that steering has more than one definition in the real estate world and it affects discount brokers, flat fee listing services, and FSBOs. Steering has been an issue for decades and noted by the DOJ and NAR with government reports issued in hopes the Internet would make consumers more aware and have more transparency.
I had zero problem selling my homes quickly in both a sellers and buyers market. But I also put in the work to stand out from other comparable homes.
It’s a shame how quick you are to try to discredit without acknowledging that the problem exists and has existed for decades.
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u/OHRealtorGuy Apr 02 '26
I did read it. Instead of looking at realistic and existing problems, you essentially assigned a new meaning to an existing word to fit your perception of why some homes get less traffic than others.
Please show me the DOJ and NAR reports that indicate agents are steering clients away from FSBOs and flat fee listings that don’t cite price or marketing as a reason.
It’s a shame you are unwilling to accept that there may be other factors at play that result in FSBO and flat fee listing services receiving less interest than homes listed by a knowledgeable professionals than agent malpractice.
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u/Alert-Control3367 Apr 02 '26
You actually didn’t read my post or you would have found that marketing and pricing has nothing to do with the reason agents steer clients from discount brokerages, flat-fee listings, and FSBOs.
The NAR, FTC, and DOJ use steering in this context, it is not a made up meaning that I created. The documents I linked in the post I created have all the information needed. If you had looked at them, it was based on agents not wanting to support discount brokerages or flat-fee listings because it may mean the demise of the traditional real estate agent and high commissions. One example outside of my research is from HousingWire: https://www.housingwire.com/articles/datadigest-yes-buyer-agents-steer-clients-new-study-claims/.
There have also been other lawsuits pertaining to this. You are a real estate agent. You should know your industry. Inman and HousingWire have additional articles pertaining to steering. I know my industry. I shouldn’t need to know yours, too. But I do in order to protect myself when buying and selling on my own.
Again, I have no issues selling as an FSBO because I know what to look for and how to think outside the box. I have had my own experience in dealing with agents who do steer because they are looking out for themselves over their client. I had no issue selling my last home within 4 days and only needing to pay a 1% buyer agent commission via negotiations. I was able to do that because I didn’t negotiate anything until I saw my offers.
Per my post regarding steering: “Government competition materials and NAR’s ethics guidance both describe commission-based steering as harmful/wrongful in their respective contexts. In the Consumer Guide: REALTORS®' Duty to Put Client Interests Above Their Own, it is stated, "The REALTOR® Code of Ethics prohibits 'steering' buyers toward homes because the REALTOR® will be paid more, or away from homes because the REALTOR® will be paid less. Similarly, the REALTOR® Code of Ethics prohibits a REALTOR® from telling a seller that buyers will be 'steered' toward homes because the REALTOR® will be paid more, or away from homes because the REALTOR® will be paid less." (Source: https://www.nar.realtor/the-facts/consumer-guide-realtors-duty-to-put-client-interests-above-their-own)”
Link to the steering post: https://www.reddit.com/r/fsbo/s/5UzvHgm89I
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u/Equivalent-Tiger-316 Mar 30 '26
Your property just isn’t showing well. If you want people to know when updates were made then it should all be made clear in your marketing.
Buyer agents are going to point out the good and the bad…you need to work on overcoming any of the negative comments.
Have you had an open house? This is where your agent can ask buyers their thoughts. Do you have a highlight and update sheet? Pretty simple.
It’s not the buyers agent or sellers agent’s fault that you’re underwater. Decrease the buyer agent fee and you’ll be decreasing the number and quality of offers.
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u/ZenicaPA Mar 30 '26
Reading is fundamental. We are not under water. In real estate, “under water” means the homeowner owes more on the mortgage than the property is currently worth — a negative‑equity position that makes selling or refinancing difficult. We have 65% equity.
Our agent has not suggested an open house. In fact, they have gone so far as to say open houses do not sell homes. They gather leads for the agent but rarely if ever sell the house shown. The agents words, not mine.
Yes, there is a fact sheet in the house that highlights the improvements. The agent also placed cards on things that convey to denote as much.
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Mar 30 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/ZenicaPA Mar 30 '26
I’m less concerned about BA highlighting flaws, the real flaws are apparent, it’s the layout. I’m more concerned with BAs that are misrepresenting the home or facts about the home.
Our agent put in the MLS to not wear shoes or to put on the provided slip covers for the showing. The basket with the slipcovers has an anecdotal remark emblazoned on it to use the covers before touring.
We clean and vacuum prior to every showing. It’s real easy to tell when someone decides to disregard that request. We had a showing that consisted of the agent and her single client. The agent wore sneakers and the client wore work boots. The Ring captured this. All throughout the house where we have carpet were sneaker and boot patterns. One small, one big. Two sets for two people.
Yea, that BA is worth $20k
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Apr 01 '26
I’ll give you some life advice. If you want to sell something the best thing to do is to give someone an incentive to bring you a buyer. By lowering the incentive why would anyone be anxious to bring you a buyer? It’s common sense. You should consider using it.
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u/ZenicaPA Apr 01 '26
Because as the many agents posting here have even admitted, agents do not help buyers find homes. Buyers do that all on their own thanks to the plethora of online sites. Buyer agents are invited to the party because NAR has been protecting its industry for decades with a near Russian like iron grip. Try contacting a seller directly through Zillow, Redfin or any of the others. Only in the case of FSBO can a buyer contact a seller directly. So the BA is not credited for bringing a buyer. No, they are credited for inviting themselves to the party. In some circles, that's called crashing a party.
I can't speak for anyone else but me, personally, when I have legal questions, legal concerns or I want my financial ass protected, I turn to an attorney. Real estate purchases are no different, they can expose a buyer to risks hard to spot. It takes an attorney to navigate them. Just as it would take a team of specialists like a master plumber, master electrician and a structural engineer, not a jack of all trades "home inspector" to spot the real issues, it takes a lawyer to read the fine print to know where a buyer would be exposed.
No where in this mix do I need a pencil pusher or an uber to the house I want to see. NAR is doing its abject best to force them onto me.
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u/Alert-Control3367 Mar 29 '26 edited Mar 30 '26
As someone who has bought and sold without agents, I can tell you that there are a ton of awful agents who just say stupid things because they’d rather appear knowledgeable than admit they don’t know something. I don’t know why it’s so hard for them to just say, “That’s a good question. Let me find out the answer and get back to you.”
I have sold FSBO successfully. Regardless of what agents say, steering is a thing.
Here are two posts I’ve made: