Sell Your House in Niceville and Keep More Money at Closing
Sell your house Niceville with a strategy that protects what you keep at closing (your money).
Would you still hire a traditional real estate brokerage if you knew it could cost $17,000 to $23,000 more in a typical $500,000 sale, without changing the MLS exposure and buyer pool you reach?
Most sellers don’t see the math until the closing statement. By then, it’s too late.
Call or Text: 850-499-2940
Jim Whatley, Broker Uber Realty LLC Licensed Florida Broker #BK3035506
19+ years | 500+ transactions | $2,000,000+ kept in seller pockets
Serving Niceville, Shalimar, Fort Walton Beach, Crestview, Navarre
Use our Seller Savings Calculator to see exactly how much you’ll keep.
Here’s where $17,000 to $23,000 of your money typically disappears
Most sellers think the only cost is commission. Wrong. Your money at closing usually gets drained in four places:
1) The listing fee premium
On a $500,000 home, many sellers pay about 3% on the listing side.
With Uber Realty, your listing fee can be 1% or 2%, depending on the service level you choose.
Typical difference: $5,000 to $10,000 in listing-side cost.
2) The inspection ambush and panic pricing
Buyer inspections uncover “end of life” HVAC notes, water heater issues, roof wear, electrical items.
When it happens under contract, you’re negotiating with deadlines. That’s when normal repairs turn into rush work and bigger buyer credits.
Typical loss: $2,000 to $8,000 (varies by condition and timing)
3) The days-on-market drag
A listing that sits starts to feel “stale.” Buyers get cautious. Price reductions show up.
Leak: variable, but often larger than sellers expect.
4) Concession creep (closing-cost creep)
Closing costs, rate buy downs, repair credits that stack up one request at a time.
Typical loss: $2,000 to $5,000
Total Typical Avoidable Loss: $17,000 to $23,000 on a typical $500,000 sale (example scenario)
This is preventable when you find and plan early, price correctly, and negotiate with your money in mind.
The math most brokerages never put side-by-side
Most traditional real estate broker presentations sound the same: exposure, marketing, and promises.
Almost none show you a clear net-at-closing comparison and a plan to prevent inspection-driven and concession-driven losses.
Traditional approach (common pattern):
Problems discovered during escrow when leverage is low
Repairs handled under time pressure
Pricing based on “let’s try it and see”
Negotiation goal: keep the deal together
Uber Realty approach:
Find issues early when you have time and options
Choose repairs strategically with competitive bids
Price with comps and neighborhood reality
Negotiate every item with one goal: protect what you keep
How Uber Realty helps you keep more money at closing
This is not doing less for less. This is doing the right work at the right time.
Before listing (where the money is protected)
Pre-listing inspection (typically $400 to $600)
Find issues before the buyer does
Decide what to fix, what to disclose, what to price in
Avoid last-minute credits and rush work
Strategic repairs and bids
Get 2 to 3 bids without deadline pressure
Fix deal-killers first
Keep documentation that reduces buyer fear
Insurance and inspection readiness
Roof age, wind mitigation, 4-point items
Handle problems before they become financing problems
Market-based pricing plan
Comparable sales analysis
Neighborhood buyer behavior patterns
Strategy that reduces days-on-market risk
During the sale
You get professional marketing.
Professional photography is standard
Drone and 3D tour with floor plan are used when they add value for your home and price point
MLS listing and syndication across major sites
What’s different is the plan and the negotiation. I negotiate to protect your net, not someone’s overhead.
At closing
You see it in black and white: more money wired to you.
Pick your path: 1% or 2% listing fee
The strategy is the same. The difference is how involved you want to be.
1% Listing Fee
Best for organized, tech-comfortable sellers who want maximum savings.
Digital-first communication and approvals
You handle prep with my guidance
You manage showing access through an automated system
I handle pricing, negotiation, and contract-to-close coordination
2% Listing Fee
More hands-on support with more in-person coordination.
Everything in 1% plus more face-to-face guidance
More on-site presence for inspections and appraisal
Hands-on coordination for access, vendors, and repair documentation
Traditional “full service” feel, without traditional overhead
Either way, you keep thousands more than the typical model. The only question is how involved you want to be.
Buyer agent compensation in Florida: what’s changed
Seller-paid buyer agent compensation is not required by law and it is fully negotiable.
MLS systems no longer display offers of compensation, but compensation can still be negotiated off-MLS as part of the transaction.
Real-world truth: Most buyers will still ask you to help pay their buyer’s broker fee.
That request becomes another negotiation point, like repairs, closing costs, and price. We choose a strategy based on your neighborhood, price range, and current demand, then negotiate to protect what you keep.
I’m not new to this
I’ve been helping homeowners negotiate for 19+ years across pricing, inspections, concessions, and closing costs.
I also completed the Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School, and I apply those principles where it matters: your net, your leverage, and your timeline.
Serving sellers across Northwest Florida
Niceville: Bluewater Bay, Rocky Bayou, Swift Creek, Magnolia Woods
Shalimar: Shalimar Pointe, Kenwood, Poquito Bayou, Elliott Point
Fort Walton Beach: Lake Lorraine, Cinco Bayou, Deer Moss Creek, Ferry Park, Overbrook
Also serving: Crestview, Navarre, Destin
Use our Seller Savings Calculator to see exactly how much you’ll keep.
Common Questions
Do I have to pay a buyer’s agent in Florida?
No. But be ready for many buyers to ask you to. That request is negotiable, and it becomes another point of negotiation in your deal.
What’s the difference between 1% and 2% at Uber Realty?
Same core strategy and negotiation. The 1% option is digital-first with more seller involvement in coordination. The 2% option includes more in-person support and hands-on coordination from list to close.
Should I get a pre-listing inspection before selling?
Often yes. It shifts leverage back to you by giving you time to plan, bid repairs, and price accurately instead of reacting under deadline.
Commissions are not set by law and are fully negotiable.