Flat fee vs traditional. Same service, different bill.
This is not a service comparison — both columns are full-service listings with a licensed agent, professional photography, full MLS exposure and negotiation through closing. It is a pricing comparison. On a $400,000 Minnesota home the difference is about $7,900 kept, for identical work.
Service for service, line by line
Every row below is included in both. That is the point of the table — there is nothing in the right column that is missing from the left.
| What you get | Traditional 5–6% | Flat $6,500 |
|---|---|---|
| Licensed agent representation | Yes | Yes |
| Pricing strategy and CMA | Yes | Yes |
| Professional photography | Yes | Yes |
| Drone where it helps the sale | Usually | Yes |
| Full MLS listing and syndication | Yes | Yes |
| Marketing and open houses | Yes | Yes |
| All showings handled | Yes | Yes |
| Offer negotiation | Yes | Yes |
| Transaction management to closing | Yes | Yes |
| Listing fee on a $400,000 home | ~$12,000 | $6,500 |
| Listing fee on a $700,000 home | ~$21,000 | $6,500 |
The service rows are identical. Only the last two differ, and they are the reason this page exists.
What that means at your price
Traditional 6% against a flat $6,500 plus roughly 2.4% to the buyer’s agent. Commission only.
| Sale price | Traditional 6% | Buyer agent 2.4% | Flat-fee total | You keep |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $250,000 | $15,000 | $6,000 | $12,500 | $2,500 |
| $300,000 | $18,000 | $7,200 | $13,700 | $4,300 |
| $350,000 | $21,000 | $8,400 | $14,900 | $6,100 |
| $400,000 | $24,000 | $9,600 | $16,100 | $7,900 |
| $450,000 | $27,000 | $10,800 | $17,300 | $9,700 |
| $500,000 | $30,000 | $12,000 | $18,500 | $11,500 |
| $600,000 | $36,000 | $14,400 | $20,900 | $15,100 |
| $700,000 | $42,000 | $16,800 | $23,300 | $18,700 |
| $900,000 | $54,000 | $21,600 | $28,100 | $25,900 |
A percentage assumes a $700,000 listing takes twice the work of a $350,000 one. It does not. Same photographer, same MLS, same negotiation, same closing.
The fair questions
If the service is the same, why is it cheaper?
Because a percentage was set when delivering a listing was genuinely expensive, and the cost has fallen while the percentage has not. Photography, syndication, marketing and transaction management run on modern systems and a team model instead of percentage-based overhead. The saving goes to the seller.
Do flat-fee listings sell for less?
There is no reason they should, and our results do not suggest it. The same MLS, the same portals, the same professional photography and the same negotiation produce the same competition among buyers. Reviews on our site name homes sold in three and four days, and $20,000 and $70,000 over asking.
Is there a catch?
One fee to know about: a $695 brokerage administration fee paid at closing, which nearly every Minnesota brokerage charges and most do not mention up front. Beyond that, the $6,500 is the $6,500. It is paid at closing, only if the home sells, and if it does not sell you owe nothing.
What about the buyer's agent?
Separate and negotiable, agreed at offer time, exactly as it is in a traditional sale. The Minnesota convention has been around 2.7%; we generally suggest 2.0-2.4%. Unbundling it is what makes the decision visible instead of buried inside one percentage.
Who is behind the listings?
Joshua Kirchert and Scott MacDougall — Scott with 30+ years, Josh a Minnesota broker associate — 282 homes sold and a 4.9 rating across 56 Google reviews.
Compare us against any traditional agent.
Get a free valuation, then hold our listing presentation up against theirs line by line.