Some home sellers try the FSBO (for sale by owner) approach in an attempt to save the cost and commission of hiring an agent.

The biggest disadvantages to this approach are:

• Limited access to market data, making it more likely that you will overprice or underprice your home.
• Lack of access to the resources experienced real estate agents have such as a market knowledge, customer base, marketing materials, and financial and legal expertise in the selling process.
• Many  buyers simply do not want to buy a home from an individual who is not being represented by a professional. Buyers are concerned that they do not know all they need to know about real estate facts and they have doubts that the seller does either. Since a home is the largest purcahse most people make in their lifetimes, the buyer does not want to make what might be costly mistakes because they did not have representation.
• A seller who is trying to sell a home by themselves is simply not able to tap into all the Internet and social media tools that can help get a home sold. Since 90+% of all buyers find homes on the Internet before they ever go and see them in person, to not be taking advantage of all the Internet and social media opportunities to get a home sold means many people who might see the home virtually will not have that opportunity.