The “Faf” Factor vs. The $30,000 Price Tag

The show kicked off with Tyler stating he couldn’t deal with questions at Open Homes and could save himself a “hell of a lot of faf” by handing it to an agent. He mentioned an average commission of $30,000. In Auckland, that might only cover a small apartment or townhouse.

It’s puzzling that a talkback host finds it hard to answer questions. More importantly, it seems these lads are on big money if $30,000 is a fair price to pay for a few open homes and some basic negotiation. When a texter asked about a $3M house, Matt suggested an agent might increase the value from $2.9M to $3M. Let’s look at the math: the commission on a $3M house is roughly $95,000. Even if they got that extra $100k (a huge hypothetical), you’d only be $5,000 better off after paying them.

Debunking the Agent Myths

Matt cited a firm called COTALITY, suggesting agents sell faster. Having looked at that site, it’s clearly designed for agents to “win listings,” not for mums and dads.

Then we had Rosie, an agent of 30+ years, who claimed she wouldn’t even sell her own property because she “doesn’t want direct contact with buyers.” If a professional salesperson is afraid of feedback or “hard questions,” what are they actually selling? At Corban+Dallas, we believe if you have a quality home and nothing to hide, you are the best person to show it.

Rosie also compared real estate to “flying a plane.” This is a stretch. You can become an agent in New Zealand with a very short course and one assignment. It’s hardly rocket science. When she claimed she “personally believes” she gets more money for vendors, she couldn’t explain how she knew what a private sale would have netted.

The Reality Check: The biggest psychological mind game in the industry is the claim that “we will get you more.” The question remains: do real estate agents get you more than if you do it yourself, or do they just take a larger slice of your equity?

The Voice of Reason: Private Sale Success

The second caller, Gary, hit the nail on the head. He’s sold several houses privately over 12 years and asked why anyone would pay $30k–$100k just to have someone point out where the kitchen is. He even shared a story where an agent sold his house before it even hit the market, pocketing $50k without even printing a brochure. Imagine what he could have made had it actually gone to the open market!

The hosts tried to claim agents have a “database of buyers.” Let’s be clear: there is no secret vault of buyers. They get their data from people walking through Open Homes—the same people who would see your private listing on Trademe.

Addressing the Fear Tactics

The third caller, Ethan, was worried that a $25k commission might be “cancelled out” if an agent sells the house for $50k more. This is the ultimate industry scare tactic. If you are asking, “Do Real Estate Agents get you more than if you do it yourself?” you should also ask:

• Do you want to maximize your profit or part with your equity?
• Do you want to fund someone else’s lifestyle with your biggest asset?

At Corban+Dallas, we focus on maximizing your profit. We market the property and guide you through negotiations and auctions, so you don’t leave money on the table for an agent.

Disclosure and the “Legal” Argument

A listener texted in claiming private sellers don’t have to disclose issues like leaks, while agents do. This is actually backward. As a private seller, you are directly liable and can be sued if you fail to disclose known defects. Some people actually use agents to “wash their hands” of issues, hoping the agent’s disclosure (or lack thereof) creates a buffer.

Regardless of whether an agent is involved, it is the buyer’s responsibility to perform due diligence, get a building report, and check the LIM. An agent being “registered” doesn’t change the buyer’s risk.

The Myth of “Anti-Money Laundering” (AML)

Caller Josie brought up the messy market and claimed private sellers would struggle with AML (Anti-Money Laundering) checks. This is nonsense. Every real estate transaction in New Zealand must go through a lawyer. The lawyers and banks handle the AML checks and the flow of money. The agent just waits for their commission to be deducted from the deposit.

The Future of Selling

Finally, Ben Kean discussed bridging the gap with technology. While he’s exploring AI and automation, I believe the human element still matters—just not the “agent” element. You don’t need AI to do an Open Home, and you don’t need a middleman to negotiate.

So, do real estate agents get you more than if you do it yourself? The evidence suggests that once you subtract the massive commissions and marketing fees, the “premium” an agent claims to get often ends up in their pocket, not yours. If you are comfortable with your home and willing to talk to people, you can save tens of thousands of dollars.

For those interested in hearing the full debate, you can listen to the Matt & Tyler Afternoon show from July 15th, 2025 here.