60 Minutes did a segment showing a couple who sold their home and bought another one using the limited service of an online discount brokerage firm. The couple bragged about the money they saved by not using a Realtor, BUT they had to show their own home and negotiate with potential buyers, and sellers on their new home. And the couple said they had to cut their asking price by $10,000. Viewers were not told what kind of selling skills the couple had or how much it cost them in lost wages to sell their home and buy another one.
There may still be a few hot markets where homes basically sell themselves, and there are undoubtedly a few home sellers who have the time, skills and patience necessary to buy and sell real estate, and get the best price for their home. However, that describes only a SMALL fraction of US home buyers and sellers. I suspect that most homeowners understand the complexity and risks involved in buying and selling their biggest asset.