What Listing Agents Won't Always Tell You.. But Should

Short answer: The things sellers most need to hear are often the awkward ones: your first price is your best price, days on market change how buyers see your home, and the highest offer isn't always the strongest. A good listing agent says these things before you list, not after.

This one might be slightly uncomfortable for some agents to read. That's fine. Sellers deserve the full picture and these are things that should be part of every listing conversation.

I try to be the agent I wished I'd had when I was buying homes before I got my license. That means saying things that are occasionally awkward. The house has a real problem. The price needs to come down. The timing isn't right yet. Those conversations are uncomfortable and they're also the job.

Your First Price Is Your Best Price

Most agents know this but not all of them will say it clearly enough. The temptation to test the market at a higher number is understandable but the cost of getting it wrong falls on you, not on your agent. A price reduction is visible, public, and changes how buyers perceive your home. Starting right matters more than having room to negotiate.

Days on Market Is a Number Buyers Watch

Once a listing crosses 30 days in most Valley markets, the conversation shifts. Buyers start asking what's wrong. They expect a discount. The longer it sits the harder it becomes to recover the original positioning. If your agent isn't talking about this before you list, ask the question yourself.

Not All Offers Are Equal

A higher number isn't always the better offer. Cash versus financed, contingency terms, close of escrow timeline, the strength of the buyer's financial position, all of these matter. I've seen sellers take a lower offer and come out better because the transaction was clean and certain. Your agent should be walking you through the full picture of each offer, not just the headline number.

Open Houses Mostly Benefit Your Agent

I'll say it. Open houses generate more leads for listing agents than they generate offers for sellers in most cases. That doesn't mean they're useless but it does mean you should understand what you're actually getting out of them before you spend a weekend out of your house.

The Relationship With Your Agent Matters

You will be making significant financial decisions under time pressure with a lot of emotion involved. You need an agent who will tell you things you don't want to hear when it matters, not just manage your expectations downward after the fact. Choose carefully.

A few questions I get from sellers

Do I still have to pay the buyer's agent after the NAR settlement?

No, nothing requires it, and commissions are fully negotiable. Since August 2024, offers of compensation can't appear in the MLS, but sellers can still agree to pay toward a buyer's agent or offer concessions as part of a deal. I talk this through with sellers before we list, because how you handle it affects which buyers show up and how they write their offers.

How long can a listing agreement last in California?

An exclusive listing agreement on a single-family home can't run longer than 24 months, and it can't renew automatically. Any renewal has to be in writing, dated and signed, and can't be longer than 12 months. Most of my listings run much shorter than that, and you should always know your end date before you sign.

Can I sell my house as-is and skip the disclosures?

No. In California, "as-is" means you won't make repairs, but you still owe buyers the required disclosures and must disclose known material facts. Even the sales that are exempt from the standard transfer disclosure form, like some court-ordered sales, still carry that duty. When in doubt, disclose, and talk to a real estate attorney about anything unusual.

What transfer taxes will I pay selling in Los Angeles?

It depends on which city the home is in. Inside the City of Los Angeles there's a combined city and county transfer tax of 0.56 percent, and from July 1, 2026, the Measure ULA tax adds 4 percent on the entire price for sales above $5.4 million and 5.5 percent at $10.9 million and up. Studio City, Sherman Oaks and Encino are in the City of LA, but Burbank and Calabasas are separate cities with their own rules, so ask your escrow officer for an estimate early.

Keep reading: How to Choose the Best Real Estate Agent, The $50K Pricing Mistake and Why Your Home Didn't Sell the First Time.

Thinking about selling? Here's how I work with sellers.

Anj Catalano · The Agency · 310 404 6955 · hello@anjinla.com