The #1 Regret Portland & Vancouver Sellers Have When They Don’t Use an Agent

The #1 Regret Sellers Have When They Don’t Use an Agent

If you are thinking about selling your house in Vancouver or Portland on your own (FSBO), the motivation is usually simple: you want to save on commission. That is a completely fair goal.

But there is a reason why "For Sale By Owner" transactions have dropped to historic lows (just 5% of the market last year). It’s because many sellers realized that "saving" the commission actually cost them more in the final sale price.

Want to know the #1 thing homeowners regret when they sell without an agent? It’s that they didn’t price their house correctly.

According to the latest data from the National Association of Realtors (NAR), unrepresented sellers agree: pricing their home effectively was the hardest part of the process.

The Top 5 Struggles for FSBO Sellers

1. Getting the price right (The #1 Struggle)
2. Preparing or fixing up the house
3. Selling within the desired time frame
4. Handling the legal paperwork (especially tricky in Washington vs. Oregon transactions)
5. Finding the time to manage showings

This makes sense. Pricing isn’t as simple as picking a number from a Zestimate or copying what your neighbor in Camas got two years ago.

It takes real insight into:

• What buyers are actually willing to pay today (not six months ago).
• How much inventory is sitting on the market in Clark County right now.
• The specific condition of your home compared to the "flip" down the street.

Overpricing Isn’t a Small Mistake—It’s a Trap

In the Pacific Northwest, where buyers are savvy and inventory is rising, your asking price is your first impression. If it’s too high, a chain reaction begins.

1. Buyers scroll past: They assume you are unrealistic.
2. Showings dry up: No traffic means no offers.
3. The Price Cut: Eventually, you have to drop the price.
4. In late 2025, over 50% of active listings in Portland had to reduce their asking price. This is happening even more frequently with FSBO homes.

The NAR report shows that the majority of homes sold without an agent (59%) had to reduce their asking price at least once.

The "Bargain Hunter" Effect

Here is the part sellers don't see coming. When you drop your price after sitting on the market for 30+ days, you don't just attract normal buyers—you attract sharks.

Buyers see the price drop and assume there is something wrong with the house (especially in our rainy climate—they start worrying about the roof or the foundation). They smell desperation, and they send lowball offers.

The Data on Agent vs. Non-Agent Sale Prices By the time the dust settles, FSBO sellers often net less than if they had hired a pro.

• Agent-Assisted Homes: Sold for a median of $425,000.
• FSBO Homes: Sold for a median of $360,000.

That is a nearly 18% difference. Even after paying a commission, the agent-assisted seller typically walks away with significantly more money in their pocket.

Why an Agent Matters in the PNW

That 18% gap isn't magic. It’s strategy.

• Presentation: We know that professional photography and staging are non-negotiable in the era of Instagram.
• Prep: We know which repairs (like moss removal or fresh interior paint) offer a 5x return on investment.
• Pricing: We hit the "sweet spot" that generates multiple offers rather than silence.

Bottom Line

Today, the biggest risk of selling without an agent isn’t the paperwork—it’s the price. Once you price it wrong and the listing goes "stale," it is incredibly hard to recover.

Thinking of selling? Before you make a decision, let’s look at the numbers. I can show you exactly what homes like yours are selling for in Oregon and Washington so you can decide the best path forward.

Connect with a Local PNW Real Estate Expert

Call: (503) 300-6614