Do I Need a Realtor to Sell My Home, Or Can I Handle It Alone?

Your day job could make it difficult

Will you be able to drop everything to respond to homebuyer showing requests when you’re in the middle of a client meeting or finalizing an important project?

We didn’t think so. And you’re not alone.

With the average full-time professional working more than 8.4 hours a day, and nearly half of married-couple families with children having both parents employed full-time, the intensity of our work culture remains strong.

Juggling the tasks of listing your home, scheduling showings, and handling paperwork alongside your daily responsibilities can feel overwhelming. As a result, 90% of homeowners chose to work with an agent to sell their home.

While the life of a real estate agent might seem glamorous with champagne-filled open houses, the reality is that it involves a lot of hard work and everyday challenges.

Many people are unaware of the intense workload of selling a home and have misperceptions that being an agent is an easy, part-time gig.

“Full-time Realtors like myself, this is what I do every day — nothing else,” says Martin Tokos, who has two decades of industry expertise selling homes in Malden, Massachusetts.

Tokos notes that many people imagine real estate agents as individuals who earned their license simply because they enjoy viewing houses and have assisted a few friends.

Having an agent in your corner makes for a more efficient and stress-free process, allowing you to focus on your latest stock gains or perfect your fantasy football lineup while your agent handles the daily duties.

You don’t know how to price your home right

Pricing your home with precision is a priority and requires assessing all the elements contributing to your property’s worth. While home value estimators are helpful tools, understanding how to price a home correctly is one of the biggest challenges for FSBO sellers.

Tokos shares how pricing can be a challenging and nuanced process for some sellers, who “might not understand the impact certain elements have, such as a slightly wider driveway, or the slope and size of your lot.”

While your home might look identical to your neighbor’s, there often are subtle differences that drastically change its value. Proximity to a noisy highway or nearby airport is an example of features that lessens the value of your home and makes pricing a challenging and nuanced process.

Enlisting the help of a real estate agent to assess the value of your home will ensure you hit the mark on your pricing strategy with precision from the get-go.

Evaluating your home’s value involves more than just assessing its features; it requires a CMA or “comps” analysis to accurately gauge its market worth. Finding relevant sales data, ensuring all details are considered, and conducting a thorough market report can be complex and challenging.

Although it’s possible for those with some real estate knowledge and excellent research skills to manage this on their own, partnering with a professional often offers a more effective and valuable solution.

Tokos also provides valuable advice to his sellers on strategic improvements to improve their home’s value before listing it. This guidance includes recommendations for minor fixes, cosmetic updates, and improvements that can make the property more appealing to potential buyers. By focusing on key areas such as fresh paint, landscaping, and minor renovations, Tokos helps sellers maximize their home’s market potential.

You want to sell for the highest price

Most homeowners consider selling solo to save money. By ditching an agent, they assume they can leave the commission costs at the door and generate a higher return on their home. However, this is not always the case.

Recent reports show that homes sold as FSBO have a median selling price of $360,000, while those sold with the help of an agent fetched $425,000.

Remember that 5.8% commission you were worried about? Skipping an agent can cost you more than you think. Homes sold by owners often sell for less than those listed with an agent, and without a professional negotiating on your behalf, buyers may take advantage, assuming they can get a better deal.

Tokos notes that many sellers lack a complete understanding of market conditions or the intricacies of the negotiation process, which can provide the buyer’s agent with an advantage and enable them to negotiate a significantly lower price from the seller.

In addition to years of professional experience fine-tuning their negotiation skills, the buyer’s agent has expertise in the local market and industry transactions, giving them a significant advantage.

Tokos explains how he also assists homeowners in protecting their price by preparing the house for inspection to prevent buyers from negotiating for credits later.

“Buyers are so knowledgeable these days, you also need to know how to prep the house for the market,” adding, “If I’m prepping the house for the market, I’m getting it ready to be fully inspected so that the buyer can’t negotiate it down.”

You prefer an expert managing complex paperwork

While it varies by state, a real estate transaction can require up to 180 pages of paperwork, which can feel daunting for many sellers to sort through independently. Having an expert to ensure the accuracy of every dotted “i” and crossed “t” will save you the hassle now and the headache later.

Mandatory disclosures are another piece of the puzzle that requires a lot of pertinent paperwork. A slip-up can result in the seller being held liable for not disclosing important information to the buyer.

According to the December 2025 Realtors Confidence Index, 14% of home sales were delayed, and 5% were terminated in the last three months. Often, this is due to various obstacles surrounding contracts, inspections, titles, appraisals, and financing. The documentation associated with each process is complex and extensive, and any mistakes or misunderstandings can negatively affect your end goal: closing the deal.

Understanding the paperwork is also reported as one of the most difficult tasks for FSBO sellers, which is why the services offered by your agent in most states include an evaluation of all the paperwork you receive. From reviewing offers to finalizing the deal, your agent will guide you through every step, making sure you fully understand the details of your disclosure documents and the fine print of your inspection forms.

Working with a real estate agent often results in fewer billable hours from your attorney. This is because your agent handles many aspects of the transaction, such as negotiating offers, managing paperwork, and coordinating with other parties, reducing the need for legal intervention. By streamlining the process and addressing issues upfront, your agent can help minimize legal costs and ensure a smoother, more cost-effective transaction.

You take on important legal responsibilities

When you sell your home without a realtor, you’re taking on all the legal responsibilities that a real estate professional would normally handle. That means you’re in charge of property disclosures, which can vary by state, and you need to be honest and thorough about any issues with your home.

You also have to follow fair housing laws, making sure your ads and negotiations don’t accidentally discriminate. Writing a solid contract is on you, too, including all the terms, contingencies, and deadlines. On top of that, you’re legally responsible if anything you say about your home is incorrect or missing. Misrepresentation or omission can lead to serious legal or financial trouble.

Finally, you’ll be coordinating escrow, title, and closing, making sure deposits are handled correctly and ownership transfers smoothly. Selling on your own takes careful attention, because these legal duties aren’t just paperwork. They can have real consequences if something goes wrong.

You need to sell fast or have a move-out deadline

Selling within the planned time was reported as one of the most difficult tasks for FSBO sellers, which is not ideal if you need to sell quickly due to a job relocation, financial reasons, or other urgent circumstances. Going the FSBO route on your own can make the process even more stressful, especially if you’re racing to meet a deadline. The hardest, most time-consuming task to do without the help of an agent? Finding a buyer.

Beyond their exceptional negotiation skills and extensive industry knowledge, one of the greatest advantages an agent offers is their established network. A top agent comes with a roster of current clients and potential buyers who are prepared to act swiftly on finding their ideal home.

This level of exposure is beyond what solo sellers can achieve, no matter how impressive their social media presence is. According to Tokos, the key benefit of working with top agents is the enhanced exposure they can provide for the home.

If you see an FSBO that sells fast, chances are it’s because the seller already had a buyer lined up before they listed the home. Most FSBO sellers sell to someone they know, whether a neighbor, relative, or friend.

>>Learn more: Selling fast doesn’t have to mean leaving money on the table. Use the Home Cash Offer Comparison Calculator to quickly see which offer gets you cash in hand and closes on your timeline.

You find it hard to deal with the emotional attachment to your home

Selling a home is a significant milestone that can evoke strong emotions, even if you try to remain detached. If you find yourself overwhelmed and questioning whether you need a Realtor, the answer is a definitive yes.

Negotiating with emotional involvement can complicate the process, often leading to overpricing and inflexibility. An unrealistic asking price might result in frustration and an unwillingness to negotiate, potentially derailing the sale. A real estate agent maintains an objective perspective, focusing on professional strategies rather than personal emotions.

Tokos explains that emotional reactions during negotiations can lead to poor decisions and challenging transactions. At worst, these reactions could cause the deal to fall through entirely. Beyond pricing, a Realtor also provides valuable constructive feedback and buyer insights, leveraging their expertise to help you maximize your profit.

A skilled agent can ease stress and simplify your life

There’s no law requiring you to use a Realtor to sell your home, but only 5% of sellers choose to go solo for a reason. An agent helps you sell at the highest price, navigate state-specific selling requirements, and manage buyer interactions to keep your stress levels in check.

However, as Tokos explains, “The real estate industry is indeed a mixed bag, and not all agents are created equal. You may be on your way to something successful — or real estate doom,” adding that it just depends on who you have on your side.

Do your homework so you pick an agent who’s a good fit and actually gets results. At HomeLight, we make this easier by analyzing millions of transactions and customer reviews to pair you with a top agent in your area. Connect with a proven professional today using our Agent Match tool.

Header Image Source: (Rawpixel.com / Shutterstock)