Think Home Prices Will Crash? Here's What the Experts Actually Expect.One of the biggest reasons buyers are still sitting on the sidelines is because they think home prices are going to come down
The #1 Regret Sellers Have When They Don’t Use an Agent
Dated: January 14 2026
Views: 22
The #1 Regret Sellers Have When They Don’t Use an Agent
Want to know the #1 thing homeowners regret when they sell without an agent? It’s that they didn’t price their house correctly for their current market.
According to the latest data from the National Association of Realtors (NAR), those sellers agree pricing their home effectively was the hardest part of the process.
Top 5 Most Difficult Task for Sellers Who Didn’t Use an Agent:
- Getting the price right
- Preparing or fixing up the house
- Selling within the desired time frame
- Handling all the legal documents
- Finding the time to manage all aspects of the sale
And that makes sense. Pricing isn’t as simple as picking a number from an online estimate or copying what your neighbor got last year. It takes real insight into:
- What buyers are actually willing to pay today
- How much competition you have in your area
- What similar homes nearby are really selling for
- How desirable your area or neighborhood is
- The condition of your house
Without that context, it’s easy to overshoot the mark, especially now that buyers can be more selective. And in today’s market, that’ll backfire.
Overpricing Isn’t a Small Mistake, It Snowballs
Your price is part of what shapes a buyer’s first impression. And when it's too high, a chain reaction begins.
If buyers think you’re asking too much, they’re going to turn the other way. And when buyers bypass your house, you'll get fewer showings. Fewer showings lead to fewer offers. And fewer offers usually mean making a price cut to try to draw buyers back in.
And that’s happening a lot lately, especially on homes sold without a pro.
The same NAR report shows most homes sold without an agent (59%) had to reduce their asking price at least once (see the orange in the graph below).
The Part Sellers Don’t See Coming
The trouble is, price cuts don’t always fix the problem. They can attract bargain hunters rather than strong, confident buyers. That's because many buyers see a price drop as a sign there’s something wrong with the house. And that assumption can turn buyers away too.
By the time your house finally sells, you may net less than if you’d priced it correctly from the start. Again, the data backs this up.
NAR shows that homes sold with an agent sell for nearly 8% more than homes sold without one.
That’s not because agents magically add value. It’s because they have the expertise needed to get it right. The price. The prep. The presentation. And the paperwork.
Nail all of that from day one, and you'll be set up to get as much money as you can out of your sale.
So, even though you thought selling without an agent meant saving money, that's not necessarily true. The facts show selling on your own can mean selling for less in the long run. And that may be enough to totally change your perspective.
Bottom Line
Today, the biggest risk of selling without an agent isn’t the paperwork or the hassle. It’s the price. And once pricing goes wrong, it’s hard to course correct.
So, if you’re thinking about selling and want to understand what your home would realistically go for in our market today, let's connect. A quick pricing conversation now can save you from bigger regrets later.
Latest Blog Posts
Should You Pay for Your Buyer’s Closing Costs? What Sellers Need To Know.A few years ago, sellers could get away with saying "no" to just about everything.No repairs.No concessions.No
May 19, 2026|Get the latest, News, REMAX ReportsNew listings outpaced home sales in April as inventory increased Home sales increased in April, but the number of new listings outpaced demand,
The Truth About Affordability TodayLet's be real with each other for a second about affordability. Because you deserve someone who will be honest and transparent about what’s going on,
The data relating to real estate for sale on this web site comes in part from the Broker Reciprocity Program of the Regional Multiple Listing Service of Minnesota, Inc. Real estate listings held by brokerage firms other than REMAX Synergy are marked with the Broker Reciprocity logo or the Broker Reciprocity thumbnail logo (little black
house) and detailed information about them includes the name of the listing brokers.
Information should be deemed reliable but not guaranteed, all representations are approximate, and individual verification is recommended. Copyright ©2017 All rights reserved.
REALTORS® Wisconsin Real Estate Exchange (WIREX). All information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Information is supplied by seller and other third parties and has not been verified. All properties are subject to prior sale, change or withdrawal. Neither listing broker(s), nor REMAX Synergy, nor WIREX MLS shall be responsible for any typographical errors, misinformation, misprints and shall be held totally harmless. Listing(s) information is provided for consumer's personal, non-commercial use and may not be used for any purpose other than to identify prospective properties consumers may be interested in purchasing. The data relating to real estate for sale on this website comes in part from the Internet Data Exchange program of the Multiple Listing Service. Real estate listings held by brokerage firms other than REMAX Synergy may be marked with the Internet Data Exchange logo and detailed information about those properties will include the name of the listing broker(s) when required by the MLS. Copyright ©2026 Wisconsin Real Estate Exchange (WIREX) MLS, Inc. All rights reserved. Last Updated: September 23, 2026 6:50 PM UTC
