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Buyers & sellers · Anywhere in Texas · Handled remotely

Real Estate Essentials

If you already know how buying or selling works and you're willing to do the running around yourself, you shouldn't pay a full commission for it. I'll cover the parts that carry the money and the risk — what to price it at, the contract, the negotiation, and getting you across the closing table — for 1.49% + $595. I'm licensed statewide and this runs remotely, so it doesn't matter where in Texas you are.

Book a free call See what you'd save

What this saves you

A typical full-service listing runs 3% plus a transaction fee. Essentials is 1.49% plus $595. On most homes that's four to eight thousand dollars that stays with you instead of going to commission.

Run your own number

Drag to your home's price. This compares Essentials against a 3% + $595 full-service listing fee.

$400,000
Full service
$12,595
Essentials
$6,555
You keep
$6,040

This is my side of the commission only. On a sale you may still owe a buyer's agent fee, and every deal has closing costs — those are separate and I'll walk you through the whole picture on our call.

A few worked examples

Sale priceFull service (3% + $595)Essentials (1.49% + $595)You keep
$250,000$8,095$4,320$3,775
$350,000$11,095$5,810$5,285
$500,000$15,595$8,045$7,550
$750,000$23,095$11,770$11,325

One thing worth saying plainly: if we were introduced through a referral — from another agent or through my broker, Orchard — this fee structure may not be available on that transaction. I'll tell you that on the first call, not after you've signed something.

The Split

You do the legwork. I do the part that can cost you money.

🔑 Buying

You found the house. I make sure you don't overpay for it.

1.49% + $595 buyer's agent fee
This is normally written into the offer and paid from the seller's side at closing, same as a standard buyer's agent commission — so in most deals it doesn't come out of your pocket. The exception is a seller who won't cover any buyer's agent fee at all. That comes up during negotiation, before you're under contract, and I'll walk you through your options then.

You handle

  • Finding homes and going to see them
  • Open houses, listing-agent showings, builder model homes
  • Booking your own inspections (I'll give you my vendor list)
  • Day-to-day coordination once you're under contract

I handle

  • What the house is worth and what to offer
  • Writing and negotiating the contract
  • Reading the inspection and negotiating repairs or credits
  • Everything between contract and closing
Book a buyer consultation

🏡 Selling

For sale by owner, except you're not actually on your own.

1.49% + $595 listing fee
You keep more of your equity and still have a licensed agent on the contract and the negotiation, which is where most FSBO sellers get hurt.

You handle

  • Photos, the sign, and the lockbox
  • Writing your listing description
  • Approving or declining showing requests
  • Answering day-to-day buyer questions

I handle

  • A step-by-step guide so you know what happens next
  • Getting you on the MLS with ShowingTime set up
  • Pricing strategy from real comparable sales
  • Contract negotiation and everything through closing
Book a listing consultation

Why I'm The One To Do This

A cheaper fee shouldn't mean a weaker agent

The whole idea here is that you're paying me for judgment on the two or three moments in a transaction where thousands of dollars move. So it matters who's doing that part.

Certified Real Estate Negotiator designation

CREN — Certified Real Estate Negotiator

Negotiation is the core of what you're hiring me for here, so it's worth knowing I hold a designation specifically in it.

Graduate REALTOR Institute designation

GRI — Graduate REALTOR® Institute

An in-depth designation covering contracts, law, and ethics. A minority of agents complete it.

55 closed transactions

About $20.9 million in volume, from a $14,500 lot to a $1.24 million home, and a 5.0 rating across 11 Google reviews.

"He exemplified the concept of under promising and over delivering… He successfully negotiated every concession. On two occasions, he and I would agree on a figure. When he'd return from talking to the buyer he'd have secured an even better deal."
— Cabal O'Dell, seller · Google review

Working Remotely

How this works if I'm nowhere near you

1

One Texas license, 254 counties

A Texas real estate license isn't city-specific. I can legally represent you in Amarillo, El Paso, Houston, or anywhere else in the state.

2

Everything signs electronically

Listing agreements, offers, counters, amendments — all of it is done by e-signature. That's already how most Texas transactions run, whether your agent is local or not.

3

Mobile notaries come to you

Texas closings routinely use a mobile notary who meets you at your house or office. I'm a certified Texas notary myself, so I know exactly how that piece works.

4

You're my eyes on the property

This is the honest trade. I'm not walking the house, so you tell me what you see and I tell you what it means for price and for the contract.

Is This Right For You?

This isn't for everybody

I'd rather turn you away than take a fee for a service that doesn't fit your situation.

Good fit if you...

  • Have bought or sold before and know roughly how it goes
  • Have the time to run showings, scheduling, or listing logistics yourself
  • Mainly want an expert on the contract, the price, and the negotiation
  • Would rather keep the difference than pay for service you won't use
  • Are outside Central Texas and can't get me there in person anyway

Probably not if you...

  • Want someone to find homes for you and drive you around to see them
  • Are buying or selling for the first time and want your hand held
  • Don't have the bandwidth to manage your side day to day
  • Need a full marketing push — pro photos, staging, the works

If that right-hand column sounds like you, look at full service instead. It costs more because it is more.

Questions

Common questions

Is this legal? Does it really save me money?

Yes to both. Commission has always been negotiable between an agent and a client. This is a different scope of service at a different price, written into the agreement up front like any other representation deal.

What exactly will I pay?

1.49% of the sale price plus a $595 transaction fee, on either side of the deal. That's well under the 3% cap my brokerage allows. One exception: if we were introduced through a referral, from another agent or through Orchard, this fee structure may not be available on that transaction — and I'll tell you before anything moves forward.

As a buyer, will this come out of my pocket?

In most transactions, no. Buyer's agent fees are typically built into the offer and paid from the seller's proceeds at closing — the same mechanism as a traditional 3% buyer's agent commission. The exception is a seller who won't cover any buyer's agent fee. That surfaces during initial negotiation, before you're locked into anything, and we'll talk through what it means for you at that point.

What if I get in over my head?

We adjust. If the deal turns out to need more from me than this scope covers, I'll say so and we'll talk about what that looks like and what it costs before anything changes. I'm not going to disappear on you mid-transaction because of a fee structure.

Can I use this for the cash offer or Move First programs?

No — those need me on the ground, so they're Central Texas only and priced differently. If you're in Central Texas we can talk about all four options and pick. If you're elsewhere in the state, Essentials is what I can offer you.

Get Started

Grab a time that works for you

A free 20-minute call. We'll cover your situation, whether this is the right fit, and exactly what it would cost. If it isn't a fit, I'll say so and point you somewhere better.

Or Write First

Not ready to book? Send me a note.

Tell me where you're at and I'll give you a straight read on whether this fits.

Or reach out directly:

📧 davis.cook@orchard.com

📱 (512) 890-2642

📅 Book a call on my calendar

Licensed across Texas and set up to work remotely — no in-person meeting required, anywhere in the state.