The Best Way to Sell a House Depends on What You're Optimizing For
Published by Cash Flow Deals · Last updated 2026-08-04 · Published and reviewed for compliance by Camilo Palacio, a Florida Licensed Realtor
There's no single best way, only a best way for your situation. Listing with an agent gets the highest median price. FSBO sellers get less, most miss their target. Selling direct through a network like Cash Flow Deals trades top-dollar upside for a locked price and a faster, simpler close.
| Factor | Traditional Route | Cash Flow Deals |
|---|---|---|
| Who's involved | A listing agent (91% of sellers) or going it alone as FSBO (5%, an all-time low) | Cash Flow Deals connects the seller directly with a real, financed buyer |
| Typical price outcome | Agent-assisted median price runs well above the FSBO median price | Net price locked before repairs are scoped, not chasing top dollar |
| Typical timeline | Prep, showings, and negotiation, then 30 to 45 days from pending to closing | Streamlined once matched, no listing or showing cycle |
Option One: List With a Real Estate Agent
Listing with a licensed agent is what the overwhelming majority of sellers do: 91% according to the National Association of Realtors' 2025 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, a record high. It also produces the strongest price, with agent-assisted homes selling for a median of $425,000 compared to $360,000 for homes sold without an agent. It comes with the most moving pieces too: pricing strategy, staging, showings, negotiating repairs, and a commission that now gets negotiated directly since the Sitzer/Burnett settlement took effect on August 17, 2024, instead of being posted on the MLS.
Option Two: Sell It Yourself (FSBO)
For Sale By Owner sales have dropped to about 5% of the market, an all-time low, as sellers find it harder to compete without agent tools and reach. FSBO sellers report a lower median sale price in NAR's 2025 data, and about 64% say they didn't get the price they wanted, with nearly 30% naming pricing the home correctly as their biggest struggle. It saves the listing side of commission, but that saving often gets eaten by a lower final price.
Option Three: Sell Direct to a Buyer Network
A third path skips the traditional listing process entirely. Cash Flow Deals connects a seller's property with a real homebuyer using their own FHA or conventional financing, no listing prep, no staging, no open houses. Title transfers once, directly from seller to buyer, through a process called novation, not a resale. Cash Flow Deals gets paid as a separate line item on the closing statement, and the seller's net price gets locked before repairs are even scoped. This route trades the shot at top dollar for speed and certainty.
How to Actually Decide
The right choice comes down to what you're solving for. If maximizing price is the priority and there's time for showings and negotiation, an agent-listed sale is the proven path. If you want to control the process and are comfortable handling contracts and marketing, FSBO is an option, though the data shows it's a shrinking one with a lower typical payout. If speed and a locked number matter more than squeezing out the last few percent, a direct network sale is worth a look.
Common questions
Is FSBO cheaper than using an agent?
It saves the listing-side commission, but NAR's 2025 data shows FSBO homes sell for a lower median price than agent-assisted homes ($360,000 versus $425,000), and most FSBO sellers report missing their target price. The commission savings don't always offset the lower sale price.
How did the 2024 commission settlement change how houses get sold?
The Sitzer/Burnett settlement, effective August 17, 2024, stopped buyer agent compensation offers from being posted on the MLS and requires a signed written agreement disclosing buyer agent pay upfront. Commission is negotiated directly now instead of set by convention.
What's the fastest way to sell a house?
Selling direct through an investor or buyer network is generally the fastest path since it skips listing prep, showings, and open-ended negotiation. A traditional agent-listed sale usually takes longer: time on market plus roughly 30 to 45 days from pending to closing.
Do I need a real estate agent to sell to a network like Cash Flow Deals?
No. Cash Flow Deals connects sellers with real buyers directly, and the seller's net price is locked before repairs are scoped, without going through the traditional listing process.
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What this means for your options
Every path to selling a house has real tradeoffs. Cash Flow Deals is built for the middle: faster than a traditional listing, more money than a cash investor.
Wait and see
Keep the property as-is and hope conditions improve. The mortgage, insurance, and upkeep keep costing money while you wait, with no set date for things to turn around.
List with a traditional agent
Standard MLS listing, typically 5-6% in commission, and a financed buyer whose deal depends on appraisal, inspection, and lender approval — any of which can fall through after weeks on market.
Sell to Cash Flow Deals
No repairs, no showings, no financing contingency on your side — our novation structure connects you with a bank-financed buyer at a price locked at signing. Usually within one business day.
See your selling options before you decide anything.