The 97% Rule: How Stress and Trust Shape Your Home Sale

Most home sellers don’t make mistakes because they lack information.
They make them because they’re rushed.

In this episode of Confidential Remarks, Steve Koleno breaks down a little-known statistic that quietly shapes millions of home sales every year: 97% of sellers hire the first or second agent they speak with.

Why does this happen?

Because selling a home is stressful.
Because referrals transfer instant trust.
Because choosing quickly feels like progress.

But speed isn’t neutral.

Differences in pricing strategy, negotiation skill, and marketing execution can change the outcome of a sale by tens of thousands of dollars. When decisions are made under pressure, those differences often go unseen.

This episode explores:

• Why trust shortcuts scrutiny in high-stress decisions

• How “professional” signals stop the search too early

• The real financial cost of rushed agent selection

• A simple framework to slow the process down and regain control

This isn’t about blaming sellers or attacking agents.
It’s about understanding how decisions actually get made and how to protect yourself when the stakes are high.

Confidential Remarks offers short, direct observations on where real estate is heading next.

Listen. Slow it down. Decide on purpose.