[notfarnow]

I've been a real estate agent for 12 years. The only rule of thumb in real estate: there is never a rule of thumb.

Will you get more with an agent? it depends.
Will agents underprice your house to sell it quickly? it depends.
Will agents overprice your agent to "win" the listing over other agents? it depends.
Will you get more with an agent? it depends.

Should you trust a real estate agent? it depends.

I've had a rule that I've worked from since the beginning: I treat every client as though they are one of my favorite cousins, and that the advice I give them and the way I deal with them will eventually be talked about at a family event. Because fact is, it will... we just usually don't know about it.

I sell 50-60 homes a year. Other than advertising my listings, I don't advertise my business. I don't do flyers or billboards or even have a facebook business page. The reason is, I don't want strangers calling me to buy or sell homes.

I have a monthly email newsletter that I send to my established client base. That's the extent of it, because they are the only people I want to hear from... other than there friends or family that they send to me as "warm" referrals because they know and trust how I work.

I occasionally end up showings homes to someone who tells me what a racket I'm in. That's fine, I'm not inclined to convince them otherwise.... they can call the next agent on their list, and I'd rather use my time to catch up with one of my good clients, some of whom have been buying and selling with me for over a decade, and who I've seen through marriages, kids, divorces and deaths.

I make a comfortable living dealing exclusively with people who trust me. I wouldn't change a thing.

So, I guess the answer is "it depends"