4 in 5 Home Sellers Who Choose to Forgo a Real Estate Agent Don't Know What Realtor Commission Costs

Although the average total commission rate stands around 6%, nearly half (40%) of unrepresented sellers overestimate the figure.

ST. LOUIS, Oct. 21, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- More than 3 in 4 home sellers without an agent (77%) would accept less than asking price to avoid selling with a Realtor, despite 85% not knowing the average commission rate, according to a new report from Clever Offers, a platform owned by Clever Real Estate that allows home sellers on tight timelines to explore their selling options.

57% of unrepresented sellers believe real estate agents are overpriced, unnecessary middlemen, while 42% believe they're as knowledgeable as an agent.

Nearly half (42%) DIY sellers would be willing to lose $15,000 or more to avoid using an agent. Notably, this is more than the typical listing agent commission of 2.82%, or $11,584, on the median-priced home.

The most common regret among unrepresented sellers is that selling took more work than expected (18%). However, 72% believe it's worth the extra work to save on commission.

Despite this, 44% of unrepresented sellers think they would have sold for more with an agent, and 34% believe their home would have sold faster.

Overall, recent home sellers who used an agent (86%) were happier with their choice of selling method than those who skipped an agent (71%).

81% of agent-represented sellers say their agent priced their home correctly. On average, they earned $6,225 more in profit than unrepresented sellers — $138,477 vs. $132,252.

Additionally, 85% of represented sellers were satisfied with their profit, compared to 75% of unrepresented sellers.

The top regret among agent-represented sellers was that commission was too high (21%) — although 82% say that a good agent is worth the cost, and 90% were satisfied with their decision to hire an agent.

Read the full report at: https://cleveroffers.com/research/should-i-sell-my-house-without-a-realtor/

About Clever Offers
Clever Offers is a platform that empowers sellers who need to sell quickly or for cash to compare their options and make informed decisions. Clever Offers' free service connects sellers with vetted cash buyers and top local realtors, allowing them to evaluate traditional cash offers alongside options such as cash offers with a second payment upon resale, listing on the MLS for as little as 7 days, and standard open-market listings.

About Clever
Clever Real Estate's content reaches over 10 million readers annually, and its nationwide agent matching service has a 5.0-star Trustpilot rating across 3,700+ customer reviews. Since launching in 2017, Clever has reached $14.3 billion in real estate sold, matched 181,000+ customers with realtors, and saved consumers over $210 million on commission fees. Clever's network spans 17,000 agents across all 50 states.

CONTACT:                                                                                                                                         
Nicole Lehman
Clever Real Estate 
[email protected] 
724-719-0406

SOURCE Clever Offers