Selling your house without an estate agent: is it possible and is it wise?

# Selling your house without an estate agent: is it possible and is it wise? Since individuals can post on Funda themselves (via partner sites), more people are choosing to sell their property **without an estate agent**. It's possible, but there are significant catches. ## What exactly does an estate agent do? 1. **Valuation** — a realistic asking price based on comparable sales 2. **Presentation** — photography, floor plan, sales brochure, Funda text 3. **Marketing** — Funda, social media, own network 4. **Viewings** — scheduling, guiding, qualifying buyers 5. **Negotiation** — price, resolutive conditions, completion date 6. **Legal settlement** — purchase agreement, resolutive conditions, notary If you do this yourself, you'll spend an average of **40-60 hours** — and you'll miss out on Funda positioning and their network. ## What do you save? With a traditional commission agent charging 1.5%, selling yourself saves approximately **€5,000 to €10,000**. Sounds like a lot — but research by Brainbay/NVM shows that properties sold by an NVM estate agent fetch an average of **5-8% more**. On a €475,000 house, that's easily a €25,000 difference. ## The risks of selling yourself - **Incorrect asking price** — too high = long lead time, too low = missing out on thousands of euros - **Legal pitfalls** — hidden defects, resolutive conditions, duty to inform - **Emotional negotiations** — buyers can sense it when you negotiate yourself - **No NVM protection** — no dispute resolution if things go wrong ## The compromise: fixed-fee estate agent At Makelaar Team, you get full NVM service for a **€1,495 fixed price**. You save thousands of euros compared to commission, but retain all the benefits of professional guidance. [Compare the costs](/blog/verkoopmakelaar-kosten-vergelijking) or [request a valuation directly](/waardebepaling).