It always struck me as kind of odd (and outdated) that commissions have historically been based on a the final sales price. This has been particularly out of step in 2023 because it now costs agents less to effectively market homes than in years past. And with prices being higher these days, home sellers are paying more for basically the same services. That just doesn’t seem right to me.

With my hybrid flat rate listing offer, no matter what your home sells for, you compensate me as the listing broker $20,000 to sell your home. The reason I can offer lower rates is because I have a lower cost of doing business than the larger brokerages - even though I quite possibly do more marketing than the higher priced agents. I pass my savings on to my clients. It’s that simple.

Of course, the buyer’s agent also needs to be compensated too and the rest of the industry hasn’t caught up with me yet on flat rates.

You will most likely have to offer the standard 2.5% to the buyer’s agent on that side of the transaction as is almost always the case. That’s why I refer to this program as a hybrid.

Just remember that as long as your home will sell for more than $1,000,000, you will be saving money. The higher your sales price, the more you save.

All fees are paid at the close of escrow through the escrow or title company in the standard manner.

REAL ESTATE COMMISSIONS ARE NOT SET BY LAW

Have you every wondered why Real Estate commissions are calculated as a percentage of the sales price?

I did and too and came to the conclusion that it just doesn’t make a whole lot of sense in 2023 and in a Seller’s Market. That’s why I came up with the Flat Rate offer.

While there are certainly expenses associated with listing and selling properties, they don’t change based on the sales price. And while my time is valuable, it’s not as if I spend more time on a house that sells for $2M than one for $1M.

So knowing how much it costs me to sell a property and how much time it takes, I have built a business model (flat rate) that is a win-win for you as a Seller and me as a Broker.

Here’s where most people ask:

“But what about the Buyer’s Agent?”

The Buyer’s Agent Usually Gets 2.5%

It is common practice to offer the Agent Representing the Buyer 2.5% no matter who you list with. That’s pretty much required by most of the large Brokerages in the area.

But when you list with me, you can pay the Buyer’s 2% or less. There may be a downside risk to that strategy which we can discuss.

(This is in addition to the $20,000 flat rate for the listing.)

And, yes, if I also represent the Buyer, I get the Buyer agent commission.**

EXAMPLES

Sales Price: $1,000,000

Commission: $20,000 (listing broker) + $25,000 (standard for buyer’s broker) = $45,000 total commission.

Compared to a a traditional 5% listing the savings is $5,000.

Sales Price: $2,00,000

Commission = $20,000 (listing broker) + $50,000 (buyer’s broker) = $70,000 total commission.

Compared to a a traditional 5% listing the savings is $30,000.

It’s your equity and you deserve to keep as much of it as possible.

The Small Print

* You can not combine this program with any other of my special offer programs such as “Refresh and Resell”, “Free Staging”, or “Instant Cash Offer”.

** I may offer a Buyer Rebates to buyers I represent so I’m not really keeping the entire Buyer side commission if I am the Buyer’s agent.

You may have heard that the market has shifted. It is true that there are now fewer buyers and more listings and that mortgage interest rates are at 20 year highs.

That’s why to sell for the highest price possible your home needs to be presented and marketed just right.

I go above and beyond how other agents bring properties to market.

All of my listings include:

• Professional Photography

• Drone Shots

• 3D Virtual Tour

• Cinematic Video

• Property Website

• Floor Plans of Your Home

• 4 Sided Property Brochure

• Targeted Social Media Advertising

• Syndication to Thousands of Websites

This far exceeds what other agents (who are charging a lot more) are doing to market their listings.

The days of just putting a listing in the MLS and getting multiple offers is over. You need world class marketing and my years of experience to sell your home for the highest price possible.

The Truth About Listing

1. In California, any brokerage can sell the listings of any other brokerage.

2. Real Estate commissions are negotiable and not set by law.

Since almost all properties listed for sale wind up in the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) and are syndicated to 1000’s of websites worldwide, there is a level playing field between the big and small firms.

This means agents, not brokerages or technology, sell homes. As for the T.V. commercials you see, No one with my level of experience will list your home for as low a commission.

What Are You Paying For?

Most sellers believe that when they pay 5-6% to sell their home, it is for their agent’s time, and the expense of marketing the listing. But unfortunately, that is often not the reality of the situation.

Here’s where that money really goes.

As much as 50% of the commission the agent earns is “split” with the company. And some brokerages also have a “franchise fee” that is quite substantial and eats into the agent’s bottom line. None of this really helps sell your home. But as an independent Broker, I have a very low over head and I pass the savings on to my clients.