Home Seller Trust in Agents Drops -- But 44% Would Still Hire One With a Violent Record

Although 7 in 10 sellers expect to close within three months of listing, many are willing to overlook significant concerns with their agent.

ST. LOUIS, April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Just 70% of home sellers trust real estate agents in 2025, down from 81% in 2024, according to a new report from Anytime Estimate, an online publication owned by Clever Real Estate that connects readers with expert real estate advice.

Although 91% of sellers still plan to use an agent, just 63% believe they're inherently necessary to the sale process, dropping 10 points from last year (73%).

In fact, three-quarters of home sellers believe agents favor certain clients (75%) or steer buyers toward properties for their own benefit (74%), while 1 in 3 (34%) say the standards for becoming a Realtor are too low.

However, a majority would work with an agent who lacks experience with similar properties (58%) or the local market (53%) or one who refused to provide references (51%).

Shockingly, 44% of sellers say they'd knowingly work with an agent with a violent criminal record, 45% would overlook inappropriate jokes or comments from an agent, and 30% wouldn't even fire an agent who stole from clients.

Despite this, seller expectations remain high: 71% expect to close within 3 months of listing, 50% expect to receive four or more offers, and 61% expect to accept an offer after five or fewer showings.

Still, nearly half would only pay above the standard 2.74% commission rate if it meant a higher sale price (47%) or a faster sale (42%), while 1 in 7 (14%) say no outcome justifies a higher commission fee.

Although 82% of sellers believe an agent would boost their sale price, over half (52%) have considered alternative methods — including 49% who'd be open to selling through an AI platform instead of an agent.

Among the 9% who plan to sell without an agent, most (58%) point to high commission costs, while others cite their distrust (28%) or bad past experiences with agents (22%).

Almost every seller (97%) admits they're stressed — and although skepticism may be high, 90% still believe agents are important in 2025.

Read the full report at: https://anytimeestimate.com/research/what-does-a-real-estate-agent-do

About Anytime Estimate
Since 2009, Anytime Estimate's straightforward calculators and expert articles have simplified mortgages, refinancing, and other real estate costs. Acquired by Clever Real Estate in 2021, Anytime Estimate has been cited by The New York Times, CNBC, Yahoo Finance, and more.

About Clever
Clever Real Estate is a technology company that produces educational real estate content reaching over 10 million readers annually, and its nationwide agent matching service has a 5.0-star Trustpilot rating across 3,400+ customer reviews. Since launching in 2017, Clever has reached $12.4 billion in real estate sold, matched 155,000+ customers with realtors, and saved consumers over $180 million on commission fees. Clever's network spans 16,000 agents across all 50 states.

Please contact Nicole Lehman at [email protected] with any questions or to arrange an interview.

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

SOURCE Anytime Estimate