Flat-Fee vs Traditional Agent: What You Actually Give Up (and What You Don't)

The biggest fear sellers have about a flat fee is simple: am I getting less? It is a fair question, so here is the honest answer, line by line.

What is identical

• ·Your home goes on the full MLS, the same feed that powers Zillow, Realtor.com, and every agent's search
• ·Professional photography and listing marketing
• ·A licensed broker negotiating offers on your behalf
• ·Every legally required California disclosure (TDS, SPQ, NHD, and the rest)
• ·The same fiduciary duty a 6 percent agent owes you

What is different

The price. A traditional listing-side commission is roughly 3 percent of your sale price, which scales up the more your home is worth. Realomic charges $999 at MLS launch plus a closing fee from escrow only when the home sells: $5,000 on sales up to $1,000,000, plus $2,500 for each additional million.

That is the difference. Same MLS, same closing, same paperwork, for a flat fee instead of a percentage.

Who it is best for

Sellers with real equity, in markets where homes sell, who would rather keep their money than hand a percentage of it to a brokerage. The higher your home's value, the more a flat fee saves you versus a percentage.