Exclusive | The biggest mistake home sellers make — and it costs them more than $2K

Nypost · May 18, 2026 · 597 words · By Lauren Elkies Schram

Real Estate Market Efficiency Consumer Financial Loss

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What to know about Real Estate Market Efficiency

The biggest mistake home sellers make — and it costs them more than $2K See more of our coverage in your search results.

Claims checked 7

Techniques found 1

Topics 2

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage

Left0%

Center0%

Right100%

1 source compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

The biggest mistake home sellers make — and it costs them more than $2K See more of our coverage in your search results.

Why it matters

Add The New York Post on GoogleHome sellers get the shaft when just one real estate agent plays both sides of the deal, according to stunning new Zillow data.

Common ground

The estimated loss per home from sellers in these dual-agency transactions is about $2,165.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

Follow-up questions

What new context would change how readers understand this Real Estate Market Efficiency story?
What evidence would most clearly confirm or weaken the claim that roughly one in five homes nationwide is selling within a week, but the average home on the market is sitting longer?
How does this story connect Real Estate Market Efficiency with Consumer Financial Loss over the next few days?

open_in_new Read the original article: https://nypost.com/2026/05/18/real-estate/the-biggest-mistake-home-sellers-make-…

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 1 propaganda technique in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning

Loaded Language 80% confidence

Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.

Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.

Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 7 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

info Single Source 5

check_circle Corroborated 1

verified Verified 1

info

Claim 1: “roughly one in five homes nationwide is selling within a week, but the average home on the market is sitting longer”

SINGLE SOURCE

The search results provided (Investopedia, Nationwide insurance/banking) do not contain data regarding the percentage of homes selling within a week.

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web search NEUTRAL — stipulations of living at the home you’re selling.
https://www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/06/capitalgainhomes…

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web search NEUTRAL — Nationwide offers insurance, retirement and investing products that protect your many sides. Get home and auto insurance quotes online or find a local agent.
https://www.nationwide.com/

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web search NEUTRAL — The Nationwide app, join over 7 million people who trust our app to manage their money. Banking on our app is simple, easy and secure. Click here to download the app and get started.
https://www.nationwide.co.uk/

info

Claim 2: “Sellers in New York state left $135 million on the table when selling privately between 2023 and 2025, a spokesperson for Zillow told The Post.”

SINGLE SOURCE

The provided evidence for this claim consists of a Wikipedia entry for New York state and unrelated viral videos; no mention of the $135 million loss is found.

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web search NEUTRAL — Among New York state's population of 19.5 million, 11 million, or 56 percent, are in New York City or Long Island.You can help. The talk page may contain suggestions. (June 2025).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_(state)

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web search NEUTRAL — The Latest Viral Videos of 2025: How Digital Creativity Is Shaping a New Internet Era In 2025, the internet is more alive than ever — full of stories, trends, and moments that capture the attention of…
https://sicadel.store/latest-viral-videos-2025/page/4/

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web search NEUTRAL — 23K views. 2 Nov 2023. Studio 53. 820 subscribers.
https://ok.ru/video/6477368986274

info

Claim 3: “New York sellers lost $146 million.”

SINGLE SOURCE

The specific figure of $146 million for New York is not present in the provided evidence snippets, although the broader study is mentioned.

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web search NEUTRAL — Home sellers in same-agent dual agency transactions — where one agent represented both buyer and seller — lost a combined $1.49 billion over three years, according to a new Zillow analysis.
https://investors.zillowgroup.com/investors/news-and-events/…

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web search NEUTRAL — Sellers in disclosed dual‑agency transactions received an average of $2,150 less than comparable sellers with separate representation. The gap widened to roughly $2,800 when the dual agency was not pr…
https://que.com/dual-agency-transactions-cost-sellers-over-2…

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web search NEUTRAL — Хорошее качество видео без регистрации в бесплатном видеокаталоге ВКонтакте. Опубликовано 5 февраля 2025. 335875 — просмотрели, 1343 — оценили.
https://vk.com/video-220018529_456244023

check_circle

Claim 4: “All told, sellers in these one-agent deals lost a combined $1.49 billion over the past three years.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple independent web search results confirm that a Zillow analysis found home sellers in dual agency transactions lost a combined $1.49 billion over three years.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Home sellers in same-agent dual agency transactions — where one agent represented both buyer and seller — lost a combined $1.49 billion over three years, according to a new Zillow analysis.
https://www.zillow.com/research/dual-agency-sale-price-36325…

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web search NEUTRAL — A new Zillow analysis found that homesellers collectively lost nearly $1.5B on dual agency transactions in three years — and over $1.3B on off-MLS listings.
https://www.realestatenews.com/2026/05/14/sellers-lose-over-…

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info

Claim 5: “The estimated loss per home from sellers in these dual-agency transactions is about $2,165.”

SINGLE SOURCE

The provided web search results for this specific claim are irrelevant (physiotherapy, IT solutions) and do not contain the figure $2,165.

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web search NEUTRAL — Home ... Home
http://frabelux.be/

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web search NEUTRAL — Herzlich willkommen bei Physiotherapie Cello! Wir heissen dich herzlich willkommen in unserer Praxis in Haag im Rheintal der Ostschweiz. Unsere Praxis ist bequem erreichbar für die Gemeinden Haag, Sal…
https://physiotherapie-cello.ch/

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web search NEUTRAL — Pandora-ICT: Expert IT solutions, offshore wind consulting & energy sector software. Trusted by utilities and renewable energy producers.
https://pandora-ict.de/

info

Claim 6: “The problem is greatest in California, with sellers in dual-agency deals losing an estimated $533 million over the study years of 2023, 2024 and 2025.”

SINGLE SOURCE

While the general Zillow study on the $1.49 billion loss is corroborated, the specific figure of $533 million for California is not explicitly mentioned in the provided evidence snippets.

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web search NEUTRAL — Credit: California State Assembly Sergeant-At-Arms. Legislation introduced in California intended to prohibit CRE brokers from acting in a 'dual agent' capacity and represent both sides of the same co…
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/great-news-proposal-ban-dual-…

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web search NEUTRAL — What are the dual agency disclosure requirements in New York City? In the event dual agency arises, the broker or salesperson must fulfill the following disclosure requirement for buyer and seller: Cl…
https://hauseit.medium.com/what-are-the-pros-and-cons-of-dua…

verified

Claim 7: “Another costly mistake home sellers can make is listing privately, or off the Multiple Listing Service (MLS). That resulted in a $4,230 typical loss per person, or a combined loss of $1.36 billion over three years, with the homes typically going for 1.3% less than sellers who listed publicly.”

VERIFIED

A web search result explicitly confirms the Zillow finding that off-MLS listings resulted in a combined loss of $1.36 billion over three years and typically sold for 1.3% less than public listings.

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web search NEUTRAL — Home sellers who listed off the MLS lost a combined $1.36 billion over three years, typically selling for 1.3% less than sellers who listed publicly. The price penalties from dual agency and off-MLS l…
https://zillow.mediaroom.com/2026-05-14-Selling-with-one-age…

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web search NEUTRAL — Real estate losses from the Palisades and Eaton fires could top $30 billion, and government agencies that receive revenue from taxes stand to lose $61 million or more annually while homes are being re…
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-02-21/real-est…

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web search NEUTRAL — Yandex Translate is a free online translation tool that allows you to translate text, documents, and images in over 90 languages. In addition to translation, Yandex Translate also offers a comprehensi…
https://translate.yandex.com/

info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.