Did you know that homeowners are now living in their homes 50 percent longer than they did in 2007? The National Association of Realtors says the average U.S. homeowner sells a home once every nine years. Previously, it was more frequently: once every six years.

This is one of the reasons most sellers today use a real agent: 88% of buyers purchased their home through a real estate agent or broker—a share that has steadily increased from 69% since 2001.