Charlene Scher wasn’t hunting for a new way to sell a house. She wasn’t comparing platforms or reading reviews late at night. She had a second home to sell and a plan to handle it herself.
“I found Houzeo on accident really.”
That accident ended up saving her $8,721.
Here’s what makes her story worth reading. Charlene used to be a real estate agent. She knew the traditional route inside out. She knew the commissions, the paperwork and the process. When it was time to sell, she still picked Houzeo.
Her home hit the MLS on January 21, 2025. It sat for a little over four months. Then came an offer above asking, a final price of $305,000 and a number at the end that made the whole decision look very smart.
Here’s how it happened.
Meet Charlene
Charlene spent time as an agent in another state. She understands how a sale works, where the money goes and what a commission really costs.
That matters here. Most sellers trust the traditional model because they don’t know any different. Charlene knew exactly how it worked. She just wanted a better version.
The Decision to Sell
Charlene and her family decided to sell their secondary home. It had done its job, and it was time to let it go.
Her first instinct was a confident one.
“I figured I can do this!”
And she probably could have. But she also knew what the usual deal looks like. In most traditional sales, the seller pays around 4% in commissions. On a home that sells for $305,000, that comes to $12,200.
Twelve thousand dollars. For one sale.
An Accidental Discovery
Then she came across Houzeo.
The pitch was simple. Put the home on the MLS, get a licensed professional in her corner and pay a fraction of the usual cost. Charlene chose the Gold plan. The listing fee was $429. The commission was 1%.
Let that sink in. One percent, against the four she knew so well.
For someone who had seen the old math up close, the new math was hard to ignore.
What She Got Along the Way
Cheaper can sound like less. It wasn’t here.
The Gold plan gave Charlene a full toolkit to sell her home with confidence:
- Maximum photos
- Houzeo Showings Service
- Contract to close consulting
- Licensed broker assistance
- Houzeo Offers for offer management
- Seller disclosures
- Mobile app
- Unlimited listing changes
- Unlimited open houses
- Houzeo IntelliList Management
That’s the same kind of support she’d expect from a full service sale, minus the full service price tag. Photos, showings, offers, paperwork and a licensed broker to lean on. Everything a seller needs, handled in one place.
Going Live on MLS
On January 21, 2025, her home went live on the MLS at $302,000.
The next part was refreshingly easy. Houzeo handled the agent assignment, so there was no scramble and no chasing people down.
“Houzeo made it easing assigning an agent, communicating with myself and the agent.”
Communication is where many sellers feel left in the dark. Charlene didn’t. Everyone stayed in the loop, and she stayed in charge.
The Waiting Game
Real estate doesn’t always move fast.
Her home stayed on the market for a little over four months. Spring arrived. Showings came and went. Charlene kept her cool, and her tools and team kept her informed.
Patience is part of the game. So is having the right support while you wait.
The Offer
On June 2, 2025, the home sold for $305,000.
That’s $3,000 above the asking price.
Here’s the part that surprises a lot of sellers. Paying a lower commission didn’t mean settling for a lower price. The home sold above asking, and the savings stayed in Charlene’s pocket.
Closing Day
The sale closed on July 7, 2025. Keys changed hands. Papers were signed. The second home became someone else’s first.
And Charlene walked away with a lot more than she expected.
The Numbers
Now for the math, because this is where the story really lands.
At 1% on a $305,000 sale, Charlene’s commission came to $3,050. Add the $429 listing fee and her total cost was $3,479.
A traditional 4% commission on the same sale would have been about $12,200.
That leaves an estimated savings of $8,721.
A former agent with a front row seat to the old way did the math and chose the new one. She didn’t have to settle for less service, less exposure or a lower price. She just paid less to get there.
“Saved me about $9k on my transaction.”
In Her Own Words
I found Houzeo on accident really. We had decided to sell our secondary home and since I was a former agent in another state I figured I can do this! Houzeo made it easing assigning an agent, communicating with myself and the agent and saved me about $9k on my transaction. Would definitely use them again on my next house.
Source: Google
The Takeaway
Charlene’s story comes down to this. She knew the traditional way better than most sellers ever will. She still chose Houzeo, loved the experience and said she’d use it again on her next house.
That says a lot. If someone who once worked inside the traditional system picks a different path, it’s worth asking why.
A flat fee MLS listing puts your home in front of the same buyers and agents as any traditional listing. The difference is what you keep at the end. You get the exposure, the tools and the support, and you skip the 4% commission check.
If you’re thinking about selling, start with a flat fee MLS listing and see how much you could keep.
