Most homeowners think selling a house means picking a lane. Go the traditional route and pay an agent thousands of dollars, or sell it yourself and brace for a long, stressful ride.
Vilinda Downs found a third option. She could skip the high commissions without taking on the process completely alone. For that, she turned to Houzeo’s Flat Fee MLS service.
She listed her home on the MLS with Houzeo’s help and just two days later, had a full-price offer of $385,000.
Vilinda paid $349 for Houzeo’s Silver plan. Compared with the estimated $11,550 she would have paid a traditional listing agent at a 3% commission, she saved $11,201. The best part? She didn’t have to wait months to see those savings.
In September 2022, a U.S. home spent an average 33 days on the market. Vilinda’s home got a full-price offer in just two days. That’s less than 10% of the average time.
She Chose FSBO. Houzeo Made it Simple.
Vilinda didn’t want to hand over thousands to a listing agent. So, she chose a different route: sell the home herself and use Houzeo’s Flat Fee MLS service to get it in front of buyers. Her listing went live on the MLS on September 11, 2022.
She chose Houzeo’s Silver plan, which gave her a six-month MLS listing, up to 24 photos, and syndication to more than 100 real estate websites. She also had access to IntelliList Listing Management, unlimited listing changes, and the flexibility to cancel her listing anytime.
In other words, Vilinda was in control of the sale without having to start completely from scratch. She had all the tools and the system was exactly what she needed: “the system is very user friendly.“
However, the real test was still ahead. Would buyers actually find her home?
Just Two Days Later, A Full-Price Offer
Two days. That’s all it took.
On September 13, 2022, just about 48 hours after her listing went live, she had an offer sitting in front of her. It wasn’t a lowball attempt to test the waters. The offer matched her asking price dollar for dollar.
No months of waiting, price cutting to attract attention, or drawn-out negotiations over the number. That’s the kind of offer every seller wants to see.
Vilinda accepted it, and the sale finalized within two days of going live. The sale itself would close a few weeks later but the biggest hurdle was already behind her.
However, there was another number worth celebrating.
$11,000+ in Savings
Vilinda sold her home for $385,000.
At a traditional 3% listing commission, that would have meant an estimated $11,550. Instead, she paid only $349 for Houzeo’s Silver plan. Here’s an overview of the costs and her savings
| Transaction Details | Amount |
|---|---|
| Listing Price | $385,000 |
| Selling Price | $385,000 |
| Traditional Agent Commission (3%) | $11,550 |
| Houzeo Silver Plan Fee | $349 |
| Estimated Savings | $11,201 |
Vilinda saved $11,201 in listing commissions. That’s much more than some pocket change.
What Can $11,000 Get You?
$11,000 can look like just another number on a closing statement. For a homeowner, it’s an amount that gets some serious work done.
| What $11,000 Could Cover | Estimated Cost |
|---|---|
| 5% down payment on a $220,000 home | $11,000 |
| Partial kitchen remodel | $10,000 to $12,000 |
| Closing costs on a new home | $5,500 to 11,000 |
| New HVAC system | $7,000 to $12,000 |
| New roof | $9,000 to $16,000 |
| Six months of emergency savings | $10,000 to $15,000 |
From a Full-Price Offer to Closing in 25 Days
The two-day offer was definitely impressive. However, Vilinda’s sale didn’t slow down even after that.
She received the offer on September 13 and by October 7, 2022, she had officially closed the sale. Just 25 days and she went from accepting the offer to handing over the keys.
Her home-selling timeline looks like this:
- September 11: Listed on the MLS
- September 13: Full-price offer received
- October 7: Sale closed
From MLS activation to closing, the entire sale took less than a month. That’s a fast journey for any home seller, and Vilinda didn’t have to navigate it completely alone.
FSBO Didn’t Mean Doing Everything Alone
Selling FSBO meant Vilinda was in control, but it didn’t mean she had to figure out every question by herself.
When she needed help, Houzeo’s customer support team was there. Vilinda specifically called out the online chat support, saying, “if you have any questions their on line chat customer service reps are always there to help.”
She even singled out Erik, who helped her through the process, “Erik has been wonderful in helping me.”
That support gave Vilinda something important: control without feeling alone. She handled the sale herself but when she needed a hand, she knew where to turn.
Vilinda’s FSBO Journey at a Glance
| Details | Information |
|---|---|
| Selling Price | $385,000 |
| MLS Listing Activation | September 11, 2022 |
| Offer Date | September 13, 2022 |
| Days to Offer | 2 Days |
| Sale Closing Date | October 7, 2022 |
| Days to Close | 25 Days |
| Houzeo Plan Purchased | Silver |
| Listing Fee | $349 |
| Traditional Commissions (3%) | $11,550 |
| Savings With Houzeo | $11,201 |
In Vilinda’s Own Words
My experience with Houzeo has been a very smooth process for a FSBO. The system is very user friendly, but if you have any questions their on line chat customer service reps are always there to help. Erik has been wonderful in helping me. If you are a FSBO I highly recommend Houzeo.
Source: Google
Speed and Savings, Vilinda Didn’t Have to Choose
Vilinda’s story started with a simple decision: sell her home herself.
What happened next was pretty remarkable.
Her MLS listing went live on September 11, 2022. Two days later, she had a $385,000 full-price offer. Twenty-five days after that, she had closed the sale. Apart from that, by paying just $349 for Houzeo’s Flat Fee MLS service, Vilinda saved over $11,000.
With Houzeo, Vilinda didn’t have to choose between speed and savings. She got both, and that’s the most telling part of her story. It’s why she describes the experience as, “a very smooth process for a FSBO.“
Helpful Resources
How We Source Customer Stories
This customer feature is based on verified user testimonials and transaction records from sellers who listed through Houzeo. Our team reviews customer feedback alongside actual listing and sales details to present real seller experiences and help homeowners make informed decisions about their home sale.
