Selling a home for the first time can feel like taking on a second job. You have to price the property, get it on the MLS, manage showings, respond to buyers, review offers, and handle mountains of paperwork before you make it to the closing at last.
Kenneth Hoogstra was about to find that out for himself. He had never sold a home before.
When he decided to sell his Wisconsin property, he considered an option that most first-time sellers might hesitate to try: selling without a traditional listing agent.
However, Kenneth did his homework and chose Houzeo’s Flat Fee MLS service. He initially listed his home for $469,500.
The sale, however, didn’t go exactly as planned. After some weeks on the market, Kenneth was tired of the process and considered taking the property off the market. Then he got some local advice, stayed the course, and eventually revised his asking price. Two weeks later, the home sold for his exact revised asking price.
For Kenneth, the sale meant more than getting the house sold. It also meant keeping more of the proceeds. Based on a 3% traditional listing commission, he saved approximately $11,000.
By the end of it, Kenneth was “impressed with Houzeo services, tech & customer service.“
It Started With a Simple Question: Could He Do This Himself?
Kenneth had never sold a home before.
So, naturally, he had some doubts.
He describes selling a home without experience as an “uneasy endeavor.” Before making a decision, he talked to friends and family to see if anyone knew about Houzeo.
Not one person had heard of Houzeo.
That could have been enough to send Kenneth looking elsewhere. Instead, it made him research the company more closely.
He looked at the company, its founder, the technology, and the services available to sellers. He wanted to know what he was getting into before signing up.
That research eventually gave him enough confidence to move forward, and he did it without consulting a lawyer.
Why Kenneth Chose Houzeo
Kenneth wasn’t just looking for the cheapest way to put a house on the MLS.
He wanted to know who he was dealing with.
Kenneth learned that Houzeo was founded in 2017 by Amit Dhameja, a former JPMorgan executive and real estate investor who was inspired to start the company after encountering undisclosed fees during his own property purchases.
That resonated with Kenneth.
He also liked the idea of being able to sell his home himself while still having access to a local real estate professional when he needed one. That was ultimately what led him to the Gold Package.
Houzeo’s Gold Package: Support Without Giving Up Control
Kenneth signed up for Houzeo’s Gold Package in September 2024.
The package cost $479, but he received a $40 discount, bringing his price down to $439. It came with local broker assistance, contract-to-close consulting, Houzeo Offers, a personal concierge, and call forwarding.
For someone who had never sold a house before, having that backup mattered.
Kenneth wanted to handle the sale himself, but he also wanted to know there was someone on his side if he ran into something he couldn’t figure out.
On September 12, he put the home on the MLS for $469,500.
The Technology Actually Lived Up to the Promise
Kenneth isn’t shy about admitting that technology isn’t exactly his thing. “By all means I am not tech guru!” he says.
Yet the platform didn’t give him much trouble. He found it “very easy” and “user friendly“, particularly when it came to making changes to the listing.
He could change the property description and photos whenever he wanted. He did so frequently, giving buyers who kept watching the listing something new to see from week to week.
He could also:
- Complete and upload legal documents
- Change buyer-agent commission terms
- Schedule showings and open houses
- Reach customer service by phone, chat, or email
Kenneth also paid $50 for Houzeo Showings, which made it easier for buyer agents to schedule appointments. Once he added the service, he noticed more buyer interest.
For Kenneth, that was proof that the platform wasn’t just easy to use. It was actually helping move the sale forward.
His assessment was blunt: the technology “hands down lived up to” what Houzeo marketed, its claims about the service, and what he expected from it.
The To-Do List He Almost Ignored
One of Kenneth’s favorite parts of the platform wasn’t even the listing itself. It was the to-do list.
At first, though, the list was a little much. Kenneth was already busy learning how to navigate the system and manage the sale. He didn’t get around to everything right away.
One thing he put off was sharing his listing on social media. Eventually, he posted it on Facebook, LinkedIn, and X. That’s when he noticed something. The listing got much more attention.
He also liked that he could keep changing the photos and description. Instead of putting the listing together once and forgetting about it, he could keep adding information for buyers who were following the property.
For a first-time seller, those small lessons added up.
Soon After, Kenneth Almost Pulled the Listing
The home didn’t sell right away.
By late November, Kenneth was getting restless and needed a break. He also didn’t expect any success during the holiday season.
So he called the Houzeo customer support team. The response changed what happened next.
A Houzeo representative connected Kenneth with the company’s real estate broker in his area. The broker looked at the local listings and noticed there weren’t many homes available.
Instead of telling Kenneth to take the property off the market, the broker encouraged him to keep it listed through the end of January.
Kenneth decided to give it more time. He also revised his asking price.
Two weeks later, the decision paid off.
In the middle of the holiday season, during a cold Wisconsin December, Kenneth sold the home for $460,000, his revised asking price.
The sale closed on December 11, 2024. The seller who had been ready to pull his listing just weeks earlier had made it to closing.
The People Behind the Process
The technology helped Kenneth manage the sale, but he has just as much to say about the people who helped him through it.
He worked with Sam Noronha, Pat James, Ken L’Silva, and Vic Kolan during the transaction.
Kenneth says they “certainly amazed me” and “left lasting impression.“
By the end of the process, he says they had become like friends.
He particularly appreciated Vic, who would call from time to time to see how things were going and ask if Kenneth needed anything.
That meant a lot, especially when Kenneth was tired and ready to give up.
He says the team’s knowledge, expertise, and quick, friendly responses were “unmatched by any retailer I have ever dealt with in my daily living.” In fact, Kenneth says he “actually looked forward to talking to them” and tapping into their expertise and encouragement.
That’s a pretty strong endorsement from someone who started the process without knowing a single person who had used Houzeo.
The Savings Math
Here’s what the sale looked like financially for Kenneth.
| Transaction Details | Amount |
|---|---|
| Original Listing Price | $469,500 |
| Revised Asking Price | $460,000 |
| Final Sale Price | $460,000 |
| Traditional Listing Commission (3%) | $13,800 |
| Houzeo Gold Package Cost | $439 |
| Commission Paid at Closing | $2,300 |
| Showings Services Add-On | $50 |
| Total Amount Paid to Houzeo | $2,789 |
| Estimated Savings | $11,011 |
A 3% listing commission on Kenneth’s actual $460,000 sale price would have been $13,800.
Instead, his Gold Package and other Houzeo costs totaled $2,789. That puts the estimated difference at $11,011.
The original $469,500 listing price matters to the story because that’s where Kenneth started. But since he ultimately lowered his asking price to $460,000 and sold at that price, the $460,000 figure is the right one to use for the commission comparison.
What Kenneth Learned Along the Way
Kenneth’s experience taught him that selling by owner is not the same as doing nothing.
He had to learn the system, keep his listing updated, respond to buyers, manage showings, handle documents, and stay involved even when the process started wearing him down.
However, he also realized that he didn’t have to figure out every part of it himself. When he needed help, he contacted the Houzeo team.
When he wanted advice about whether to keep the home listed, he got it. When he needed someone to walk him through something, there was a person on the other end of the phone, chat, or email.
Kenneth’s advice to other sellers is simple: “Just reach out to them so they know you need help.“
What Kenneth Would Do Differently
Kenneth also walked away with a couple of lessons he’d pass on to the next seller.
The first involves the title company. He used the buyer’s title company because he thought it would simplify things. Looking back, he regrets that decision.
His advice?
“Use Houzeo title co after all Houzeo exists to save you money!“
His second tip is about photos.
Kenneth took his own listing photos, joking that he was “kneeling like pro photographers.” However, he wasn’t happy with the result and realized the error.
For sellers who want to improve their photos, especially when a home is empty, he recommends apps to enhance images or add furniture virtually.
In His Own Words
Chose Houzeo after research of top online platforms for homes sellers. Uneasy endeavor not having experience selling home. Consulted with friends/family but not one heard of Houzeo. Made decision to contract with Houzeo without consulting lawyer based on these factors: Co history. Nationwide based in USA founded by expert in banking/real estate market incorporated in 2017, important characteristics to me. Looked at net worth & rational for creating Co. Learned founder Amit Dhameja, was former JP Morgan executive & real estate investor, inspired to create Co. after noticing undisclosed fees on his property purchases. Tech. Very easy user friendly simplifies real estate txs & selling process giving option to list home for sale by owner without assist from local Houzeo real estate agent or with one for flat fee to obtain MLS listing. Chose Gold Pkg includes local Houzeo real estate agent serv. for nominal fee of only half percent. Tech allowed customer service availability by chat online & email (by phone as well), easy to change property description & photos quickly any time, easy to complete/upload legal docs, easy to make changes to buyer real estate commissions, easy to schedule showings & open houses (spend $50 for service Houzeo offers for buyer real estate agent to set up showings easily. When did, got more buyer agents scheduling showings). Tech hands down lived up to services Houzeo markets & its remarkable claims about services & my expectations. By all means I am not tech guru! Services. Loved resources & services offered but more specifically loved to-do list. Overwhelming at first, after listing property, busy learning & navigating system did not take advantage of certain services in to-do list such as listing on Facebook, LinkedIn, & X until much later & when did listing got much more attention selling property 2 weeks later. Loved could change property description/photos any time, frequently did, giving home buyers more info about property week after week to those tracking my listing. Chose Gold pkg & it provided added services needed to sell property & would choose again costing just half percent for local broker assistance. Found important to have real estate agent on my side. When seeking to remove property in Dec during holiday season contacted Houzeo & rep quickly got in touch with Houzeo real estate broker who looked at listings in my area & noted few listings encouraging me to keep listed until end of Jan & 2 weeks later it sold in Dec during holidays in cold Wisconsin at asking price. Customer Service. Reps assisted me from Sam Noronha, Pat James, Ken L’Silva, & Vic Kolan certainly amazed me & left lasting impression & most certainly became like friends thru whole process. I especially appreciate Vic who gave me call here & there to follow up to see where I was in process & ask if there was anything I needed. Vic & all others knowledge, expertise, quick & friendly responses with always goal to provide quality services was unmatched by any retailer I have ever dealt with in my daily living. Actually looked forward to talking to them & tapping in on their expertise & encouragement. All are remarkable people always staying on top of their game displaying, maintaining positive attitudes when home sellers giving up, getting exhausted from process like I got when home sale reached 8 weeks on market. Used buyer title co to simplify & regretted it. Use Houzeo title co after all Houzeo exists to save you money! Took photos myself kneeling like pro photographers. Suggest using Photo-Up to enhance photos or add furniture if home is emptied. Would not hesitate to hire Houzeo again. Impressed with Houzeo services, tech & customer service! Houzeo customer service responded to all my phone calls, chats & emails in professional timely manner & were positive reinforcements supporting me & becoming friends. Just reach out to them so they know you need help. Convinced I could never have sold my home alone without Houzeo & never realize the savings I did in commissions without Houzeo!
Source: Google
Would He Choose Houzeo Again?
Yes! In fact, Kenneth’s went on to say that he “Would not hesitate to hire Houzeo again.” That’s notable because this wasn’t an effortless sale.
He started with no experience. His friends and family couldn’t tell him anything about Houzeo. He had to learn the technology, manage the listing, and stay involved throughout the process. At one point, he was even ready to take a break.
Instead, he got some advice, stayed on the market, made changes to his listing, and sold his Wisconsin home during the holiday season. By choosing Houzeo’s Flat Fee MLS service, he saved over $11,000 compared with a 3% traditional listing commission.
Kenneth’s strongest takeaway came at the very end: “Convinced I could never have sold my home alone without Houzeo & never realize the savings I did in commissions without Houzeo!“
For Kenneth, that first sale wasn’t just about getting through the paperwork and reaching closing.
It was about finding out that he could take on something he’d never done before, get help when he needed it, and still keep thousands of dollars in his pocket.
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.
