The Three Things That Changed in 2024–2025
If you sold a Connecticut home before 2024, the playbook you used has shifted in three meaningful ways:
- The NAR commission settlement changed how buyer agent commissions get negotiated
- Pre-listing inspections are quietly becoming standard, especially above $750K
- Pricing must be precise — the market punishes overpricing harder than it did in 2021
1. The Commission Conversation Is Different Now
Under the NAR settlement effective August 2024, MLS listings no longer display offers of compensation to buyer's agents. Sellers can still pay buyer's agent commission — and most do — but it's negotiated directly between the buyer and their agent, with the seller agreeing (or declining) to cover it via the purchase contract.
Practically, this means: when listing your home, you and your agent decide whether to advertise that you'll consider covering buyer's agent commission. Most sellers still do, because it widens the buyer pool. The headline commission paid by sellers has shifted slightly but the typical total commission still runs 5–6% of sale price.
2. Pre-Listing Inspections Are the New Standard
In 2022, most sellers waited for the buyer's inspection. In 2026, more and more Nomade-listed homes get a pre-listing inspection before they hit the market. Why:
- Surprises hurt sellers most — discovering an issue post-contract leads to renegotiation or deal collapse
- Buyers value transparency — disclosed issues with proposed resolutions reassure rather than scare
- Issues you fix proactively cost less than concessions you negotiate under pressure
3. Pricing Strategy Matters More
The 2021–2022 market forgave overpricing — anything would sell. The 2026 market doesn't. Listings that come on too high and need a price reduction in the first 30 days now sell for measurably less than they would have at correct initial pricing.
The right price is set by recent sold comparables in the same town (and ideally same neighborhood), adjusted for condition, lot, and amenities. Trust the comps, not the algorithm.
What a Typical 2026 CT Listing Looks Like
Here's the cadence we run for most sellers:
- Week 1–2: Listing strategy, pricing analysis, agent selection
- Week 3–4: Pre-listing inspection, repair triage, professional photo + video
- Week 5: Pre-MLS marketing (coming-soon status, agent network outreach)
- Week 6–8: Active on MLS, showings, initial offers
- Week 9–10: Contract execution
- Week 11–14: Inspections, financing, appraisal, title work
- Week 15–16: Closing
What Sellers Actually Net
On a $750K Connecticut home sale with a $300K mortgage payoff, all-in seller costs typically run 7–9% of sale price — agent commissions, conveyance tax (state + municipal), attorney, prorated taxes. Net to seller: roughly $390K after costs and payoff, before capital gains considerations.