If you hire a good realtor who knows what the hell they are doing they normally more than make up for the commission you pay them. They have more contacts, they know the drill, and they'll typically get more for your house than you can, thereby negating the commission. Now I'm not talking about the housewife who puts her damn face on a billboard and happens to sell houses for a living. If you have a good appraiser you can talk to, ask them, they'll know who are the better realtors in your town than anybody else.