You work hard for every paycheck, so you expect your real estate agent to earn all the money you’re paying him to sell your home. After all, you’re not some corporation, you’re a person. A family. You want to make sure you’re making the right decision to hire an agent versus selling your home yourself.

According to a Realtor field guide, homes sold without a real estate agent accounted for 8% of total home sales in 2014. The typical “For Sale By Owner” (FSBO) home sold for $210,000 compared to $249,000 for agent-assisted home sales. Even after you pay the average agent commission of 6% (about $14,940 at those average sale prices), you stand to make more money (roughly $24,000 more) with an agent.

Granted, it’s hard to be convinced of these numbers when they’re just figurative concepts in a blog post. How much extra money are you actually making when you use an agent, and how much money are you actually paying your agent while your house sits on the market? Let’s dive a little deeper.