Ever heard the saying, “Do as I say, not as I do“? It’s especially fitting in real estate these days. Just take Al Bennati, the big cheese behind BuyOwner.com, a site that claims you don’t need a real estate agent to sell your home. When it came to his own Florida mansion, though, guess what? He went straight to a local agent.

BuyOwner.com and similar sites love to shout from the rooftops about how the internet is the ultimate tool for selling your home. They boast about reaching tons of buyers quickly and saving on commission fees. Sounds great, right? But let’s take a closer look at that pitch:

Myth #1: The Internet is All You Need

Some folks believe that with online home searches, real estate agents are becoming obsolete. But Bennati himself proved otherwise. He admitted, “To sell a home of this caliber, it needs to be done by a person and a company that reaches buyers of this level.”

Myth #2: FSBO is Always Cheaper

Sure, you save on commission fees by selling on your own, but without the right exposure, your home might not reach the right buyers. Real estate pros have strategies to showcase your home to the people who are actually in the market. According to the National Association of Realtors, while 92% of buyers look online, 90% still turn to agents for help.

This isn’t a one-off either. Colby Sambrotto from ForSaleByOwner.com faced the same situation in 2011. After struggling to sell his NYC apartment using his own site, he brought in an agent and, surprise, surprise, got a better deal!

Bottom Line

It’s ironic that the founders of FSBO sites, who made a fortune telling people they didn’t need agents, end up hiring them when selling their own homes. There’s a reason real estate agents have stuck around for so long—they provide a valuable service that’s hard to beat.