Seller Expectations vs. Reality: New Data Highlights a Growing Disconnect

Check Out This Weeks Newsletter

If your sellers are convinced their home will sell in 24 hours with multiple offers over asking, you’re not alone. And you’re not wrong to be concerned.

A new report from Clever Offers shows a striking mismatch between what homeowners think will happen when they list and what sellers who’ve actually been through the process experienced over the past year. The survey polled 500 Americans who sold between early 2024 and early 2025 and another 500 who plan to sell by mid-2026.

The results reveal a serious gap between market perception and market reality, one that could sabotage seller expectations if agents aren’t having the right conversations early.

Sellers Expect Over-Asking Offers, Quick Sales, and Minimal Compromises

Confidence is high. Reality? Not so much.

Here’s where future sellers are most out of step with those who’ve already sold:

• 72% of future sellers expect offers above asking. Only 42% of recent sellers got them.
• 77% believe they won’t need to lower their price. But 43% of recent sellers had to.
• 92% think their home will attract strong buyer interest, compared to 77% of past sellers who actually saw it.
• 87% say their home will “stand out”. Only 71% of recent sellers felt theirs did.
• Just 9% are worried about appraisals coming in low, despite 38% of past sellers facing that exact issue.

Most telling: 93% of future sellers believe they’ll price their home correctly, creating a full 8-point gap from past sellers who say they actually did.

The Offer Gap Is Bigger Than Most Sellers Expect

One of the most striking disconnects. The number of offers sellers expect versus what they actually get.

• 28% of future sellers expect to receive six or more offers. Just 15% of past sellers got that many.
• 11% expect 10+ offers. Only 3% of past sellers received that level of interest.
• Only 5% of future sellers expect just one offer, while 23% of recent sellers got exactly one, leaving little room to negotiate.

There’s also a massive timing gap:

• 40% of past sellers accepted an offer within two weeks, but only 18% of future sellers expect to.
• Only 6% of future sellers think they’ll get an offer within 24 hours, compared to 12% of past sellers who did.
• On the flip side, 18% of past sellers waited four months or more. Just 12% of future sellers are anticipating that kind of delay.

Future Sellers Expect to Negotiate More, Even If They Don’t Have To

While many future sellers expect to be in the driver’s seat, they also brace for a harder negotiation than past sellers actually faced.

• 80% of future sellers say they’re willing to negotiate concessions, but only 31% of past sellers made unexpected concessions.
• 76% expect to make major repairs or renovations. Only 30% of past sellers did.
• 50% are considering financial incentives like closing costs, vs. 27% of past sellers who offered them.
• A quarter or more of future sellers say they’re willing to cover inspection fees, extend the closing date, or offer repair credits. Across the board, past sellers did each of those things about 10–15 percentage points less often.

Sellers also expect to spend more than they likely will:

• 82% of future sellers are setting aside over $1,000 for unexpected expenses, compared to just 44% of past sellers who actually spent that much.
• 34% of future sellers expect to spend $5,000 or more, vs. only 12% of recent sellers who did.

And yet, 74% of past sellers said they were financially prepared, a reminder that not every surprise is a major setback.

Most Sellers Still Plan to Use an Agent, But Confidence Is Mixed

Despite massive changes in the real estate industry, most sellers still value representation:

• 71% of future sellers plan to use a traditional or discount broker, nearly identical to the 70% of past sellers who did.
• However, 56% of future sellers considered going it alone, compared to 41% of past sellers.
• 91% of future sellers are confident they’ll pick the right agent, though just 74% of past sellers feel they actually did.

FSBO interest remains steady at 8%, but some sellers pivot mid-process. Notably, only 6% of future sellers plan to sell to a cash buyer, yet 10% of past sellers ended up doing so.

Sellers Are Bracing for Mistakes and High Stress, But It’s Not Always That Bad

Nearly all future sellers (94%) are worried they’ll mess something up. Common fears include:

• Pricing too low and leaving money on the table (35%)
• Choosing the wrong agent (28%)
• Inspection issues (26%)
• Picking the wrong time to sell (26%)

But here’s the reality:

• Only 66% of past sellers say they made a mistake during the sale.
• Just 14% of past sellers underestimated their costs, though 24% of future sellers fear this.
• 63% of future sellers expect high stress levels, but only 54% of past sellers felt that way.
• And while only 5% of future sellers expect a low-stress experience, 15% of recent sellers reported exactly that.

It’s worth noting that 43% of past sellers said the process was about as difficult as expected. Nearly as many said it was easier (27%) as said it was harder (30%).

Key Details: 

• A new Clever Offers report reveals a 30-point gap between what sellers expect and what actually happens: 72% of future sellers expect offers over asking, but only 42% of recent sellers got them. 
• Nearly 80% of future sellers are willing to negotiate, yet just 31% of past sellers made unexpected concessions. 
• 71% of future sellers still plan to work with a real estate agent, nearly identical to the 70% who did in the past year.

Sarah Lentz | Jul 8, 2025 | Housing Market

https://nowbam.com/seller-expectations-vs-reality-new-data-highlights-a-growing-disconnect/

@ChuckBarberini - #ChuckBarberiniRealEstate - @ChuckBarberiniRealEstate

@Golden_State_Guide_Service - @Citizen.Number.One