They say, "Who you hire matters." A recent sale in my neighborhood caught my attention as an appraiser. The home sold for roughly 12% below where the market appeared to be. My first thought wasn't that the sellers made a mistake. It was, "The buyer's agent must have negotiated an incredible deal." I looked it up, and I was right. One of the strongest buyer's agents in the area represented the buyer and did exactly what great agents are supposed to do: create value for their client. Then came the surprise. The same listing agents landed another listing on the same street. It had the same floor plan, was in slightly better condition, and sat at the end of a cul-de-sac. Yet it was listed at essentially the same price as the previous sale. The market recognized the opportunity immediately, and it went under contract in less than two weeks. Based on the subsequent market activity, it appears the first sale may have left approximately $150,000 on the table. If the second sale follows a similar pattern, that's potentially $300,000 in seller equity left behind on two homes on the same street in less than six months. The impact doesn't necessarily stop with those homeowners. Every closed sale becomes part of the market evidence used by appraisers, lenders, buyers, sellers, and increasingly, automated valuation models. While one sale rarely defines a neighborhood, a pattern of lower sales can influence future pricing discussions, refinancing opportunities, and valuation decisions. Over time, that ripple effect can impact millions of dollars in neighborhood equity. That's why they tell people: who you hire matters. Marketing matters. Visibility matters. But market knowledge, pricing strategy, and negotiation skills are what protect your largest financial asset. Sometimes I think our industry needs a "Rate My Professor" for real estate agents. Not to shame anyone, but to give consumers meaningful performance metrics before they trust someone with one of the biggest financial decisions of their lives. Reviews tell part of the story. Results tell the rest.