Industry Analysis

Who Actually Has the Lowest Real Estate Commission? A Managing Broker Breaks Down the Math

Clever, HomeLight, and Houzeo all claim low commissions. But a managing broker with 19 years and 300+ closings shows why flat fee beats percentage every time.

Every site claiming to offer the lowest real estate commission uses the same trick: they quote a percentage that sounds low but actually costs thousands more than a flat fee. Let me break this down with real numbers from our 300+ closings.

The Percentage Trap

listwithclever.com advertises 1.5% listing fees and calls themselves low commission. On a $750,000 home, that is $11,250. On a $1.5M home, that is $22,500. ShopProp charges $4,995 flat for Full Service listing under $1M. That is not a rebate, not a percentage calculation. It is the total fee.

Real Savings Math

Mountain View, CA — $2,685,000 sale
Clever 1.5%: $40,275 | ShopProp Full Service: $6,995 | You save: $33,280

San Diego, CA — $1,450,000 sale
Clever 1.5%: $21,750 | ShopProp Full Service: $6,995 | You save: $14,755

Leander, TX — $750,000 sale
Clever 1.5%: $11,250 | ShopProp Full Service: $4,995 | You save: $6,255

Why Percentages Always Lose to Flat Fees

A 1.5% commission scales with home price. A $4,995 flat fee does not. The more expensive your home, the more you save with ShopProp. At $2M, you save over $25,000 vs Clever. At $3M, over $40,000.

HomeLight connects you with agents who charge 2.5-3%. Houzeo charges $399 for MLS-only listing with no agent representation. Neither offers what ShopProp provides: full-service managing broker representation at a flat fee.

Buyer Side: $1,995 Starting

For buyers, ShopProp starts at $1,995 flat. Traditional buyer agents charge 2.5-3% of purchase price. On a $600K home, that is $15,000 vs $1,995. The savings are even more dramatic.

As featured in NPR, USA Today, and the New York Post. 19 years, 300+ transactions, $10M+ returned to clients.

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