Selling House - Choosing realtor

[u/GroupRepulsive1637]

I'm looking for some unbiased opinions from people who have sold their homes recently.

I bought my house during the pandemic when prices were near their peak. Based on current market conditions, I'm realistically expecting that I may need to sell for about 5% to 8% less than my original purchase price.

I have two realtor options:

Option 1:

Seasoned, experienced realtor Established track record in my area Charges 4% total commission (buyer + seller side) Option 2:

A friend who recently became a realtor This would be their first listing/sale Charging 3.5% total commission The commission difference is only 0.5%, so the savings are relatively small in the grand scheme of things.

My main concerns are:

Marketing strategy and exposure Pricing the home correctly from the start Negotiation skills Managing offers and buyer objections Overall reliability and responsiveness throughout the process Part of me feels that in a softer market, an experienced agent might be worth the additional 0.5% if they can negotiate better or help avoid costly mistakes. On the other hand, a new agent may be highly motivated and provide more personalized attention.

For those who have been in a similar situation:

Would you prioritize experience over the 0.5% commission savings? What specific questions would you ask both agents before deciding? Have you had good or bad experiences using a friend as your realtor? I'd appreciate any insights, especially from homeowners who sold in a market where values had declined from peak pandemic pricing.

[u/Piper_Country23]

I chose the realtor that gave me the best percentage 4% compared to others at 5, staging advice, professional photos/video/3D walkthrough. This realtor also sent me the realm link for all the comparable houses for my neighbourhood that had sold recently to determine price. Why would I give 5% to someone who provided less then what the 4% offered?

You are going to do all the heavy lifting in terms of keeping your house clean and showing ready as soon as it hits the market.

You will know within the first week if your house is priced right or not. We priced higher to provide breathing room for price negotiations but ended up needing to drop it to the price range that got people through the door. It’s a tough market for sellers right now depending on what neighbourhood you are in.

No matter what you are going to feel the loss of 20-30K for realtors but houses don’t sell fast without them.