More Sellers Turn to Real Estate Agents to Sell Their Homes

According to the study just released by the National Association of Realtors, the method most used to sell a home has changed in recent years. A higher share of sellers are relying on the expertise of real estate agents and brokers to sell their home, rather than trying other methods.


• From 1991 to 2011 the share of home sellers who used a real estate agent or broker to sell their home increased from 77 percent to 87 percent.

• Over the same time period, the share of sellers who sold their home as For-Sale-By-Owner decreased from 19 percent to 10 percent.

• Sellers use real estate professionals to help them sell their home in a reasonable timeframe, to market their home to potential buyers, and to price the home competitively.

• The video below has the NAR Manager of Member and Consumer Survey Research, Jessica Lautz, reporting the highlights of the latest Home Buyer and Seller Profile, including demographic data, share of first-time home buyers, and what has changed since the 2010 Profile.