- Greater exposure to more buyers
- The skills of a professional negotiator
- A layer of protection from possible legal liabilities
- Professional guidance in navigating any pitfalls that may arise
- A level of safety while showing the home
“FSBOs tend to sell for lower prices than comparable home sales, and in many cases below the average differential represented by the prevailing commission rate.” (emphasis added)
Why would FSBOs net less money on their own than if they used an agent?
The study makes several suggestions:- “There could be systematic bias on the buyer side as well. FSBO sales might attract more strategic buyers than MLS sales, particularly buyers who rationalize lower-priced bids on with the logic that the seller is “saving” a traditional commission. Such buyers might specifically search for and target sellers who are not getting representational assistance from agents.” In other words, ‘bargain lookers’ might shop FSBOs more often.
- “Experienced agents are experts at ‘staging’ homes for sale” which could bring more money for the home.
- “Properties listed with a broker that is a member of the local MLS will be listed online with all other participating broker websites, marketing the home to a much larger buyer population. And those MLS properties generally offer compensation to agents who represent buyers, incentivizing them to show and sell the property and again potentially enlarging the buyer pool.” If more buyers see a home, the greater the chances are that there could be a bidding war for the property.
Three conclusions from the study:
- FSBOs achieve prices significantly lower than those from similar properties sold by Realtors using the MLS.
- The differential in selling prices for FSBOs when compared to MLS sales of similar properties is about 5.5%.
- The sales in 2017 suggest the average price was near 6% lower for FSBO sales of similar properties.
Bottom Line
If you are thinking of selling, FSBOing may end up costing you money instead of saving you money.Here at Bledsoe Santana Team Realty, LLC we offer free Competitive Market Analysis of your home along with a consultation demonstrating our strategies for sales, marketing and negotiating! Our clients are our priority and we work hard to protect their interest and equity! We would be happy to talk with you today! Click on the link below to see our team of Agents!
The content relating to real estate for sale on this website comes in part from the MLS of Central Oregon. Real estate listings held by Brokerages other than BST Realty, LLC are marked with the Reciprocity/IDX logo, and detailed information about these properties includes the name of the listing Brokerage. © MLS of Central Oregon (MLSCO).
This content last updated on September 21, 2026 9:32 PM UTC Some properties which appear for sale on this website may subsequently have sold or may no longer
All information provided is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed and should be independently verified. IDX information is provided exclusively for consumers' personal, non-commercial use, that it may not be used for any purpose other than to identify prospective properties consumers may be interested in purchasing, and that the data is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed accurate by RMLSTM.
The content relating to real estate for sale on this web site comes in part from the IDX program of the RMLSTM of Portland, Oregon. Real estate listings held by brokerage firms other than BST Realty, LLC are marked with the RMLSTM logo, and detailed information about these properties includes the names of the listing brokers. Listing content is copyright © 2026 RMLSTM, Portland, Oregon.
This content last updated on September 21, 2026 5:48 PM UTC at 4 AM. Some properties which appear for sale on this web site may subsequently have sold or may no longer be available.
Based on information from Willamette Valley Multiple Listing Service, which neither guarantees nor is in any way responsible for its accuracy. All data is provided AS IS and with all faults. Data maintained by Willamette Valley Multiple Listing Service may not reflect all real estate activity in the market. Copyright © 2026 WVMLS. All Rights Reserved. Information last updated on September 21, 2026 9:23 PM UTC
All information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. All properties are subject to prior sale, change or withdrawal. Neither listing broker(s) or information provider(s) 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
