Will this work for me?
Most sellers ask the same few questions before listing with us. Here are straight answers, with the numbers behind them.
01
Will I miss buyers without a traditional agent?
Short answer: No. Buyers find homes through their own agents and the home search sites, not through the listing agent.
- Your home is published to the MLS, the shared database every local agent searches, and sent out to Zillow, Realtor.com, Redfin, Homes.com and 100+ other sites.
- Nearly 9 in 10 buyers (88%) bought with their own agent or broker in 2025 (National Association of REALTORS®, 2025 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers). Those agents search the MLS for every home that fits their client.
- It's uncommon for one agent to represent both the buyer and the seller. In a 2026 Zillow analysis, it happened in about 4.7% of the sales studied.
- Fairkost is a full MLS member. Your listing shows up exactly like any other brokerage's listing.
02
Do I get a real, local agent?
Short answer: Yes. Every tier includes a licensed Tennessee broker based in Knoxville. You're not working with a call center or an out-of-state platform.
- Fairkost Real Estate is a licensed Tennessee brokerage (firm license #267388).
- Your broker reviews your listing before it goes live, prepares the required forms and disclosures, and is available for consultations (2 with Essential, 4 with Enhanced, 10 with Concierge).
03
Is this a do-it-yourself, flat-fee MLS listing?
Short answer: No. Fairkost is a technology-driven brokerage with a licensed broker on every file. It's not a list-it-yourself service.
- Many flat-fee services put your home on the MLS and then leave the rest to you. With Fairkost, a licensed Tennessee broker is responsible for your listing from the day it goes live to closing.
- Our technology handles the routine parts: your seller portal, showing requests, listing updates, documents and messages. That keeps our costs down, so your broker's time goes to the things that need a professional.
- That's why our pricing is a small upfront platform fee plus 1% at closing, not a one-time flat fee.
04
Do I have to deal with buyers or their agents myself?
Short answer: No. Your Fairkost broker is the listing broker of record and the point of contact on the MLS.
- Buyers' agents contact your broker, not you.
- Showing requests come to your seller portal so you can approve, decline or suggest a new time.
- Offers come to your broker, who presents and explains every one to you. You decide how to respond.
- Negotiation: how much your broker negotiates for you depends on your package (see "Who handles showings, offers and negotiation?").
- Unrepresented buyers: if a buyer without an agent reaches you directly, send them to your broker.
05
Will buyers' agents avoid my listing because my fees are lower?
Short answer: They're not supposed to, and their own Code of Ethics says so.
- Under the National Association of REALTORS® Code of Ethics, a REALTOR® must tell their buyer about every home for sale that meets the buyer's criteria. That holds even if the compensation offered is less than the buyer agreed to pay.
- The Code prohibits steering buyers toward homes because the REALTOR® will be paid more, or away from homes because they'll be paid less.
- A REALTOR® also can't tell a seller their home will be hidden from buyers unless the seller pays a certain amount of compensation.
- In Tennessee, any agent representing a buyer must act in their client's best interest. Ignoring a home that fits their client wouldn't do that.
- Your broker will talk with you about whether to offer buyer-agent compensation or concessions. It's always your decision, and it's negotiable.
Most local agents are REALTORS®, members of the National Association of REALTORS®, and bound by its Code of Ethics.
NAR consumer guide: REALTORS®' duty to put client interests above their own
06
Will I sell for less?
Short answer: Your sale price comes from the market, not from what you pay to list. What changes is how much of that price you keep.
- Enhanced and Concierge include a comparative market analysis prepared by a licensed broker, to help you price it right from day one.
- We can't promise a sale price or a timeline. No honest brokerage can.
07
Who handles showings, offers and negotiation?
Short answer: You choose how much help you want.
- Showings: approve, decline or reschedule requests from your seller portal.
- Offers: your broker explains every offer and the contract terms. Concierge includes full offer, counteroffer and negotiation support.
- Under contract: Concierge includes coordination with the title company, lender and inspector. On Essential and Enhanced, your consultations cover your questions along the way.
08
What will it actually cost?
Short answer: An upfront platform fee ($147, $447 or $1,097) plus 1% at closing. Buyer-agent compensation is separate and up to you.
- Example on a $400,000 sale with Enhanced: $447 + 1% ($4,000) = $4,447 in listing fees. A 3% listing fee on the same sale would be $12,000.
Example for illustration only. Commissions are negotiable and vary by brokerage. Actual costs depend on your agreement and sale price.
09
Is my listing agreement and paperwork handled properly?
Short answer: Yes. Your broker prepares your listing agreement and required Tennessee disclosures, and every listing is reviewed by a licensed broker before it goes on the MLS.
10
Do I have to pay the buyer's agent?
Short answer: That's your decision, and it's negotiable.
- Buyers now sign a written agreement with their own agent that spells out how that agent is paid.
- Some buyers will ask the seller to cover part or all of that cost in their offer. Others pay it themselves.
- Your broker will explain the options and how each choice might affect your offers, so you can decide what fits your sale.
11
Will my listing look any different on Zillow or Realtor.com?
Short answer: No. It shows the same photos, details and "listed by" information as any other MLS listing. Buyers see your home, not your fee.
12
Who handles the sign, lockbox, showings and open houses?
Short answer: It depends on your package.
- Essential: listed, syndicated and handled by a licensed broker. You approve showings from your portal.
- Enhanced: adds a professional yard sign and lockbox, professional photography, and open house scheduling.
- Concierge: adds a dedicated listing broker, 3D tour and drone photography where available, and full offer and contract-to-close support.
13
Can I change packages later?
Short answer: Yes, you can upgrade at any time. Starting on the right package matters most, though.
- A home gets the most attention in its first days on the market. Your photos, pricing and marketing at launch set the first impression for buyers and their agents.
- Some features, like professional photography, a 3D tour and launch-day marketing, do the most good when they're in place before the listing goes live.
- Not sure which package fits? Ask us to review your home and goals, and your broker will recommend a package before you list.
- Your broker will confirm what an upgrade costs before you make any change.
14
What if a buyer contacts me without an agent?
Short answer: Send them to your broker. Your broker will explain how Tennessee's agency rules apply, and how the buyer can be served without changing who represents you. You'll always know who represents whom before anyone signs.
15
When do I pay the 1%?
Short answer: At closing, from your sale proceeds. It's paid through the closing company along with your other closing costs. Your upfront platform fee is different: it's charged when our broker countersigns your listing agreement, not before, and it's earned and non-refundable once it's charged. There's no charge to cancel your listing. Your listing agreement and our Terms have the details.
16
My home needs work. Will this still work?
Short answer: Often, yes. Many homes sell as-is on the open market, and your broker can help you decide what's worth fixing. If you'd rather skip showings and repairs entirely, you can also request a cash offer review.
17
What if it doesn't work out?
There is no charge to cancel your listing. The upfront platform fee is earned and non-refundable once it is charged, and nothing is charged until our broker countersigns your listing agreement. Your listing agreement sets out the written scope of included and excluded services.
Sources
- National Association of REALTORS®, 2025 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers.
- Zillow Group, May 2026 analysis of dual-agency home sales.
- National Association of REALTORS®, Consumer Guide: REALTORS®' Duty to Put Client Interests Above Their Own.
- Figures are national and may differ in East Tennessee.