Do I Need a Realtor to Buy or Sell a House?

“Do I need a Realtor?”

Rarely do people ask this question because hiring a real estate agent — the kind who must also uphold the code of ethics of the largest trade organization in the United States, no less — when buying or selling a house is standard.

However, the services of a Realtor are optional. Many people intentionally enter the property market with one less intermediary and still get what they want. Should you? Here’s when you may need a Realtor and when you may not.

When Do You Need a Realtor to Buy a House?

It’s worthwhile to have a Realtor as a buyer’s agent when you have these goals.

You Want to See More Listings

Realtors have access to an extensive repository of property data unavailable to the general public. All licensed real estate professionals have this privilege. However, what most non-Realtors may not enjoy is access to more pocket listings — houses marketed privately at the request of security-conscious sellers who may worry about drawing the attention of malicious characters.

Many famous people take this route to avoid public attention and significant foot traffic properties appearing on the databases of multiple listing services. Some noncelebrities may ask their Realtors to market their homes discreetly to gauge interest and know what buyers are willing to pay before a full public launch.

Using a Realtor is the key to finding as many houses for sale as possible. More options mean lower chances of settling for anything less than what you truly want.

You Seek a Negotiation Advocate

Home buyers and sellers with representation don’t engage directly with each other. Offers through agents, and they relay the information to clients. This dynamic enables both parties to negotiate prices more logically and strategically, not letting emotions dictate the conversation. 

Agents talk to each other to understand their clients’ motivations, compelling everyone to bargain more openly. In addition to the desired prices, written offers and counteroffers include requests and concessions. Having a Realtor on your side can help you understand the risk of every option and address your blind spots, allowing you to make an informed decision and reach a fair compromise.

You Need Paperwork Assistance

Real estate transactions are documentation-heavy. To nontechnical individuals, submitting legal requirements can be overwhelming and navigating regulatory procedures can be convoluted.

A Realtor does the heavy lifting for you. An experienced one has processed similar transactions and knows what it takes to ensure that everything runs smoothly. More importantly, a Realtor works with a team to handle all the paperwork more efficiently.

Nonbroker Realtors can work as independent contractors, but they must operate under the license of a real estate brokerage firm. A broker is ultimately responsible for compliance and recordkeeping.

When Do You Need a Realtor to Sell a House?

Home sellers are less likely to use representation than buyers, but hiring a Realtor can pay dividends when your objectives are the following.

You Prioritize Maximum Profit

Realtors earn a commission per deal, but working with them is financially a net positive. According to the National Association of REALTORS^® (NAR),  the median price of agent-assisted homes fetched 18% more money than those sold by owners — $425,000 vs. $360,000. That’s why 91% of sellers in 2025 used representation, an all-time high.

Real estate professionals are better than homeowners at selling for many reasons. Realtors have no emotional attachment to properties, so they’re completely rational at the negotiation table. They also consider market conditions and use competition to maximize returns.

Timing is everything. Knowing when to wait and when to pull the trigger is more of an art than a science — a skill only experience can teach and hone.

You Hope to Sell Quickly

Attracting as many buyers as possible and persuading them to agree to your asking price requires marketing excellence. Realtors use every trick in the book to get homes sold within a reasonable period after listing.

Sellers’ agents understand that listed properties that stay on the market for too long would send negative signals to buyers. It may create an impression that something’s wrong with them, further reducing their perceived value.

Your Realtor can explore various strategies with you to boost your house’s appeal, such as professional home staging, and discuss potential costs to set your expectations. They can use deep connections with buyers’ agents to find serious prospects more quickly.

You Value Convenience

Like buyers’ agents, sellers’ agents can handle everything for their clients. The broad range of tasks involved in home selling requires considerable resources. Many sellers lack the bandwidth to deal with the time-consuming and labor-intensive parts of the process.

If you let a Realtor represent you, you can get your house sold for an acceptable price sooner rather than later with minimal involvement. Such convenience enables you to focus on the big picture and other aspects of your life.

When Does It Make Sense to Represent Yourself?

You may not need a Realtor when buying or selling a house if you:

• Plan to do business with a known party.
• Wish to avoid paying a commission, which can reach over 5.70% of the sale price in some states.
• Are familiar with real estate transactions.
• Like more control over everything.
• Have time and energy.

Make no mistake, a Realtor is only one of the intermediaries in a typical real estate transaction. Forgoing an agent’s services may still require you to use a lawyer to represent you in the negotiations and tackle the legal aspects of the deal.

If you had a bad experience with a real estate agent, choosing not to use a Realtor won’t guarantee that you’ll have a better outcome this time. Think long and hard about this decision, as not hiring one can literally cost you tens of thousands of dollars — in addition to the time and energy you’ll spend if you represent yourself.

After all, hiring a Realtor today is more affordable than ever, especially for sellers. On August 17, 2024, the NAR broke with tradition and adopted a rule that relieves sellers from paying the commissions of buyers’ agents, resulting in savings of 2.5% to 3% of the sale price.

You May Want to Hire a Realtor Even If You Don’t Need One

The merits of using a Realtor outnumber and outweigh the perceived benefits of flying solo. Those who initially skip representation eventually hire an agent, so carefully weigh the risks and rewards to avoid regret.