True Story….
Our very first listing of the year at The Simon Team with Keller Williams Elevate in Strongsville, OH, we priced the home to sell approximately $80,000 over Zillow’s “Zestimate”…and the next listing…we suggested $30,000 under.
Why you ask? Because we are “boots on the ground!” As local Realtors we previewed these homes, assessed the condition, accounted for updates or lack thereof. We evaluated and analyzed the hyper-local market’s current inventory and sales and developed a real-time micro-trend analysis that algorithms often miss, to strategically price our listings to generate top dollar for our sellers.
You see…relying soley on a tool that can’t take into consideration, condition, updates and hyper local market info, is well…not much help! Along those same lines, what your neighbor sold for last month, directly impacted that free, inaccurate estimate online…maybe for better…maybe for worse!
According to 2025-2026 industry data…agent-assisted sales (aka: using a licensed REALTOR) will typically fetch a significantly higher median price, compared to “For Sale By Owner” listings – often a difference of $60,000 or more! Fortunately for those FSBOs, you can’t Monday Morning Quarterback that loss! You’ll never know what was left on the table by excluding the qualified buyers who never saw your listing due to lack of exposure…
Why it Matters More in 2026
With mortgage rates hovering around 6.3% nationwide and inventory slowly recovering…
the “easy” pandemic-era sales are over.
| Feature | Without a Realtor (DIY) | With a Realtor |
| Pricing | Based on automated “Zestimates” | Based on hyper-local, real-time data |
| Legal | You are liable for disclosure errors | Protected by expert guidance & E&O insurance |
| Marketing | Basic Zillow listing | Professional video, 3D tours, & targeted AI ads |
| Emotions | Can lead to overpaying or lost deals | Managed by an objective third party |
Want to set your upcoming home sale up for maximum profit? Simon Says…”Call US!”
Call Meghan 440-503-6825 or Pam 216-403-3981