The first thing every seller wants to know
What Do You Charge?
2.5%
of the sale price, as my standard residential listing fee.
No flat fees. No transaction fees. No administrative add-ons. The number you see is the number you pay, and it comes out of your proceeds at closing, not out of your pocket up front.
Will I negotiate?
The better question is what you'd like to offer. I don't discount the fee, because I don't discount the service. What I will do is listen to something of similar value, or structure my fee as a note, paid over time or from a future transaction, when that genuinely serves you.
What about the buyer's agent?
That's a separate line, and I'd rather you hear it from me now than at the closing table. My 2.5% is the standard residential listing fee only. Nearly every offer you receive will ask you to pay the buyer's agent as well, and on the Shore that request is usually 2.5% to 3%. It's negotiable, it's part of the offer, and it's your decision.
When I build your net sheet I plan for 2.5% on the buyer's side, so the number you see before we list already accounts for it. If an offer asks for more, you'll see exactly what that does to your net before you answer.
If I buy your home instead
No commission, no fees, nothing. A direct purchase has no listing fee and no buyer's agent. You'll see that number in writing, side by side with what a listing would likely net, and you choose. Compare both paths.
What 2.5% Buys You
I have a long resume, and this fee is what it costs. Here's what's inside it.
- 40+ years as a licensed Virginia real estate broker, and it's me on your file, not a team or an assistant
- Pricing built from real closed Shore sales, walked and adjusted for condition, not a modeled estimate
- A seller net sheet before you sign anything, and a fresh one on every offer
- Professional photography, drone, video, and a 3D walkthrough, with virtual staging where it helps
- Entry into both MLS systems: the Eastern Shore Association of REALTORS® MLS and BrightMLS, plus syndication to the major consumer sites
- Coming Soon midweek, Active on Saturday with the open house, and every showing managed through SentriLock
- Feedback after every showing and a weekly call at minimum
- Every offer analyzed on net proceeds and terms, and negotiated with four decades of contracts behind it
- Every deadline tracked through closing, inspection and appraisal issues handled as they come
- A licensed title agent's eye on your title and a Class A contractor's eye on your repairs
- Me in the room at closing, and a phone call answered a year later
You're paying a commission at closing for judgment as much as for work: 40+ years of watching what happens in a listing's first week on the market and knowing how to use it. Introducing a home to the market the right way the first time is the difference between top dollar in that first week and months of explaining. That judgment is what the fee buys. Here's why I don't rush the launch.
When my fee is different
The 2.5% applies to a standard residential listing. Short sales, bank-owned (REO) properties, and commercial property are different work, and the fee for each is agreed in writing before anything begins. There are never add-on, transaction, or administrative fees.
On a short sale, your lender approves my commission as part of the short sale approval, and it's paid from the sale proceeds at closing. You never write me a check. Separately, some lenders ask a homeowner who has other assets to contribute toward the loan shortfall at closing. That isn't a fee to me. It's a lender condition. If your situation makes it likely, I'll tell you early and negotiate it as part of the approval.
On a bank-owned property, the fee is set in the institution's listing agreement.
My guarantee
If at any point you're not satisfied, tell me right away so we can fix it. If we can't, I release you from the listing agreement with no fee due, as long as the home isn't under contract with a buyer. You are never stuck.
Now You Know the Number. Let's Talk About Yours.
A short conversation, both paths, both numbers in writing. No obligation is created by talking.
Call or text me directly: (540) 729-7801my cell, not a call center.
I take on a limited number of listings and purchases at a time. If you're thinking about selling this year, reach out early to get on the calendar.
Related Reading
- What You Actually Take Home: Why the Net Sheet Matters More Than the Sale PriceMost sellers focus on the sale price. The number that actually matters is the one that lands in your account after everything else is accounted for.
- Cash Offer or Listing? What Each Path Actually Nets an Accomack County SellerThe right way to decide between a cash offer and a listing isn't a gut feeling, it's the actual numbers side by side. Here's how I walk sellers through that comparison.
- Pricing Your Home Right in Accomack County: Avoid Price Reductions in Chincoteague & Captains CoveFirst impressions matter when selling your home in Accomack County. Overpricing often leads to price reductions, which can stall momentum and lower your final sale price.