The short answer: price versus certainty
A realtor is usually the better choice when your goal is top retail dollar, and a cash buyer is usually the better choice when your goal is a sure, quick sale of a house as it stands. Most sellers still list. In the National Association of Realtors’ 2025 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, 91% of sellers used an agent, tied for the highest share on record.
The two paths differ less in the final number than people expect once the costs come out. They differ a lot in how much work, waiting and uncertainty sit between today and closing day.
What listing actually costs an Ohio seller
Commission is the biggest single cost of listing, and in Ohio it averaged 5.65% of the sale price in Clever Real Estate’s 2026 agent survey. That splits into about 3.00% for the listing agent and 2.65% for the buyer’s agent. Our home page rounds this to about 6% for simple math. Commission is negotiable, so treat the average as a starting point.
Here is what that average looks like on a few Northeast Ohio price points:
| Sale price | Commission at 5.65% | Commission at 6% |
|---|---|---|
| $120,000 | $6,780 | $7,200 |
| $160,000 | $9,040 | $9,600 |
| $220,000 | $12,430 | $13,200 |
| $300,000 | $16,950 | $18,000 |
Commission is not the whole bill. A listed sale often also involves:
- Repairs and prep before photos, plus anything the buyer’s inspector turns up.
- Buyer credits negotiated after inspection or a low appraisal.
- Seller closing costs, including Ohio’s conveyance fee: 1 mill statewide plus up to 3 more mills by county, paid by the seller. See the Ohio conveyance fee guide.
- Holding costs: mortgage, taxes, insurance and utilities for every month the house is on the market.
For the line-by-line list, read seller closing costs in Ohio and the average realtor commission in Ohio.
Side by side: listing versus a direct cash sale
The biggest differences are in who fixes the house and how sure the closing is.
| Listing with a realtor | Selling to a direct cash buyer | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical price | Full retail, if the house shows well | Below retail, priced for the house as it stands |
| Commission | About 5.65% total in Ohio (Clever, 2026) | None charged by us |
| Repairs | Often needed to pass inspection and appraisal | None; sold as-is |
| Showings | Photos, showings, open houses | One walkthrough, 15 to 20 minutes |
| Time on market | Median 46 days in Akron, 40 in Canton (Opendoor data, June 2026) | No listing period |
| Contract to closing | Often 30 to 45 days, per Opendoor’s comparison | As little as 7 days, or a date you pick |
| Main risk | Buyer’s loan, appraisal or inspection falls through | Accepting a lower headline price |
| Closing costs | Seller pays their share | We pay the normal closing costs |
When listing with a realtor is the better choice
Listing will usually put more money in your pocket when three things are true: the house is in good condition, it would pass a lender’s appraisal and inspection, and you are not up against a deadline.
In that situation, we’ll tell you plainly that an agent is likely to do better for you. The retail buyer with a mortgage is paying for a finished house, and yours already is one.
A realtor also earns the fee in ways that are easy to undervalue. A good listing agent prices the house from recent nearby sales, handles the buyer’s agent, manages inspection and appraisal negotiations, and keeps the deal on schedule with the lender and title company. For a seller who works full time or lives out of town, that coordination has real value beyond the price.
Listing also makes sense if you want to test the market first. You can list, see what offers come in, and keep a cash sale in reserve if it stalls. Our page on selling a house that won’t sell covers that second step.
When a cash sale comes out close or ahead
A cash sale narrows the gap, or closes it, when the house needs work that a retail buyer’s lender won’t accept. A roof at the end of its life, a failing furnace, foundation cracks, water in the basement or a house full of belongings can each cost thousands to fix before listing. Then come inspection credits and more months of carrying costs.
It also wins on timing and certainty. If you are settling an estate, facing a move date, or behind on payments, a sale that cannot fall apart over a buyer’s financing is worth something real. With us, you get a written offer, we explain how we got the number, and you choose the closing date.
How to compare the two for your own house
The fair way to decide is to compare net proceeds, not headline prices. Ask an agent for a pricing estimate and a list of repairs they would expect before listing. Subtract commission, the repair estimate, your share of closing costs and a few months of holding costs. Then put that next to a written as-is offer.
Under the NAR settlement practice changes that took effect August 17, 2024, buyers sign a written agreement with their own agent, and you as the seller can choose whether to offer that agent compensation. Ask any listing agent how they expect buyer-agent compensation to work on your sale, because it affects your net. When you’re ready to run the numbers, get a written cash offer to set beside your agent’s estimate.
