I'm sure there are exceptions, but I've never met a realtor in the US that wasn't an outright impediment to an easy sale. For one thing, their incentives are us

I'm sure there are exceptions, but I've never met a realtor in the US that wasn't an outright impediment to an easy sale. For one thing, their incentives are usually adverse to one or both parties. Also, they're usually in the habit of pushing volume, and are lazy/terrible at marketing even the most compelling properties. They fail to grasp the fundamentals of customer service and fall back on scammy guilt trips and pressure sales tactics. Meanwhile, they're cutting every corner they can find. In Japan, I had the opposite experience. Here, realtors worked really hard for me, and most of them are on a meager salary without commissions.