Will an agent secure you a higher selling price? The National Association of Realtors claims homes sold by its realty agents bring 16 percent higher prices on average. On the other hand, a study released earlier this summer by economists from Northwestern University and the University of Wisconsin showed FSBO sellers in Madison, Wis., made out better than if they had hired an agent and paid a commission. But Madison has a more-robust-than-usual local FSBO Web site, and the researchers’ calculations placed no value on services provided by an agent.
Office of Strategic Communication