You built your equity. You paid the mortgage, fixed the roof, redid the kitchen. Before you hand a percentage of your sale price to a listing agent, ask what that percentage is buying.
What the percentage really costs
A typical listing fee is 2.5 to 3 percent. On a $1.5 million home, 2.5 percent is $37,500, for the same work it takes to sell a $600,000 home. The price of your house shouldn't set the price of the paperwork.
And since the NAR settlement, there's no rule that says you also have to pay the buyer's agent. Some agents still build a 2.5 percent buyer-agent fee into your listing as if it were required. It isn't. You decide what, if anything, to offer.
What you get for $15,750
Arrivva sells homes for a $15,750 flat fee, with full service:
- Pricing strategy built on a data-backed valuation
- Inspections paid up front, so your home hits the market fully disclosed and buyers can't renegotiate over surprises in escrow
- Professional photography, Matterport 3D tours, and floor plans
- Aerial photos and virtual staging where they help
- MLS, Zillow, Redfin, Realtor.com, and wider syndication
- Negotiation handled personally by our broker, Fred Glick
- A private Slack channel where you see every showing, offer, and update in real time
- Transaction management through closing
You don't give up service. You give up the percentage.
What it saves
Listing fee only, compared with a 2.5 percent listing agent:
| Sale price | 2.5% listing fee | Arrivva | You keep |
|---|---|---|---|
| $800,000 | $20,000 | $15,750 | $4,250 |
| $1,200,000 | $30,000 | $15,750 | $14,250 |
| $1,500,000 | $37,500 | $15,750 | $21,750 |
| $2,000,000 | $50,000 | $15,750 | $34,250 |
That's before any decision about a buyer-broker fee, which is now yours to make.
Why inspections up front matter
The usual order is list first, inspect later. The buyer's inspector finds something, the deal reopens, and you negotiate the price a second time, this time from a weaker spot.
We flip it. Your inspections and disclosures are available before anyone writes an offer. Buyers price the condition into their offer, and the number you agree on is the number you close on.
Never dual agency
If a buyer shows up without an agent, some listing agents offer to handle both sides and collect both checks. We never do. Your broker works for you alone.
Common questions
Will my home still get full exposure? Yes. MLS, the major home-search sites, and syndication beyond them. We skip the open house signs, and here's why.
Will buyer's agents still show my home? Yes. We'll help you decide what to offer them based on your market.
When do I pay? At closing, out of your proceeds. Nothing up front. Arrivva pays for the prep before you list; you'd only reimburse it if you cancel the listing before it expires, and you'd keep the reports and photos. See who pays which closing costs in California.
The bottom line
The percentage model charges you more for owning a more valuable home. A flat fee doesn't. Keep the service, keep your equity.
Your next step
Selling? Full-service listing for a $15,750 flat fee paid at closing, with nothing up front and no dual agency. See how selling with Arrivva works.
Keep reading
- Do Open Houses Sell Homes?Open houses are great at one thing: finding new clients for the agent hosting them. Here's what actually sells a home, and how serious buyers see a house instead.
- Who Pays What in California Closing CostsIn California, who pays escrow, title insurance, and transfer taxes depends on the county and city. Here's how the customs break down in Arrivva's markets, and what's negotiable.
- How to Read a Home Valuation Report Like a ProA Zestimate is a guess. A real valuation shows its work. Here's what belongs in a home valuation report, the red flags to catch, and how to use it in a negotiation.