07/04/2026
The agent who tells you what you want to hear at the listing appointment is not being nice.
They're being cowardly. And it's going to cost you real money.
Here's the setup. You interview three agents. Two of them look at the comps, do the math, and quote you a number you don't love. The third one nods along, agrees your home is special, and validates the price you had in your head before they walked in.
Guess which one gets hired.
Now fast-forward twelve weeks. The house that was "special" has had two price cuts, zero offers, and a growing reputation among buyers as the listing something must be wrong with.
The two agents you passed on were right. The one you hired was just telling you what got them the contract.
The market always delivers the honest appraisal eventually. It just charges you tens of thousands of dollars and three months of your life to deliver the same message a good agent would have given you for free on day one.
Comfort feels good in the living room. It feels terrible on day 90.
Hire the agent brave enough to disappoint you early. They're the only one actually protecting your money.
