What sellers want from a listing agent, per NAR
NAR's 2025 profile says sellers pick agents for marketing, pricing and timing. It doesn't rank updates or paperwork. Here is what it does show.
October 17, 2026 · 3 min read
NAR's 2025 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers names three priorities sellers have when choosing an agent. They want help marketing the home, pricing it competitively and selling within a set time. The sources we found don't rank communication or paperwork among those priorities.
What do sellers want most from a ?
NAR's 2025 profile, summarized in its Top 10 Takeaways, identifies three priorities sellers have when choosing an agent:
- Marketing the home to potential buyers.
- Pricing the home competitively.
- Selling within a specific time frame.
The profile also found that 91% of sellers used an agent or broker. Only 5% of homes sold . NAR calls that an all-time low.
How do sellers find their agent?
Virginia summarized the NAR profile and reported that 66% of sellers found their agent through a referral or used an agent they had worked with before. The typical seller was 64, the highest age NAR has recorded.
The same summary found that homes sold for a median of 99% of their listing price, after a median of four weeks on the market.
Is there data on how often sellers want updates?
We looked through NAR's tables and didn't find a figure showing how often sellers want to hear from their agent. NAR does report what buyers want: help finding a home, negotiating price and terms, and handling paperwork. Those are buyer responses, so they don't tell us how sellers rank the same services.
A Houston real estate article attributes another finding to NAR. It says consumers value personal calls and texts when a home is listed, repriced or . The article doesn't provide a table, survey question or percentage, so we haven't counted it as a confirmed result.
One agent-interview guide suggests weekly written updates, with calls or texts for urgent matters. That's an example, not a national or legal standard.
Where do the rules on communication come from?
The listing agreement and state law set much of what applies. NAR's Code of Ethics expects listing and representation agreements to be in writing. The agreements state the terms between the parties, and each party receives a copy. It also expects written extensions or when documents need updating.
State rules can differ. One secondary source says Nevada include the commission, duration, price and agent duties. Another says California's standard form is a contract with the brokerage. We haven't checked either claim against the state law or the form itself.
For a look at the papers and dates in a sale, see what a seller's file holds. The for agents page explains how Keighbor gives agents a page on a seller's sale. The seller's side of the sale has its own page.
What do sellers want most from a listing agent?
NAR's 2025 profile says marketing the home, pricing it competitively and selling within a specific time frame were sellers' top priorities in choosing an agent.
What share of sellers use an agent?
NAR reports 91% of sellers used an agent or broker in its 2025 profile, and only 5% of homes sold for sale by owner, an all-time low.
How often should a listing agent update a seller?
No national standard turned up. The listing agreement and state rules govern. One interview guide gives weekly updates as an example, not as a requirement.
How do most sellers find their agent?
Virginia REALTORS, summarizing NAR's profile, reports 66% found their agent through a referral or used an agent they had worked with before.
An underlined word opens what it means, here, without losing your place. Every word a sale uses is a page of its own.
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