Flat-Fee Brokerage vs. Full-Service Realtor: What You're Actually Paying For

Published by Cash Flow Deals · Last updated 2026-08-03 · Reviewed by Camilo Palacio, Licensed Florida Real Estate Professional (License #3280644, REALTOR®), affiliated with Silver Door Realty, LLC (License #CQ1064903) · 4 min read

A full-service Realtor markets a house, hosts showings, and negotiates for a commission that became fully negotiable once the NAR Sitzer/Burnett settlement took effect on August 17, 2024. With Cash Flow Deals, you choose between the Fast Cash Offer, where we buy your house as-is and close, and the Premium Cash Offer, where a pre-approved FHA or conventional buyer we already have, ready to go, pays more and buys directly from you. On Premium, your home may be listed through Silver Door Realty, a licensed Florida brokerage, with a licensed agent and scheduled showings. We are paid as a separate line item on the closing statement.

Factor	Traditional Listing	Cash Flow Deals
Timeline	Full-service Realtor markets and shows the house; homes typically spend weeks on the market before going under contract, then more weeks to close.	You choose the Fast Cash Offer, where we buy as-is and close, or the Premium Cash Offer, where a pre-approved FHA or conventional buyer we already have, ready to go, pays more and buys directly from you, with closing dependent on that buyer's lender.
Repairs	Realtor negotiates repair credits on the seller's behalf after inspection, and commission tied to sale price can complicate that negotiation.	For both the Fast Cash Offer and the Premium Cash Offer, the number is agreed before any work starts, and it changes only if you agree. The one exception: if something structural surfaces that was not visible or disclosed before we signed — foundation issues, hidden moisture, old wiring, cast-iron drain failure — we re-cost it and bring the number back to you. You decide. You can walk away. We disclose what we know at offer time so this almost never happens. Fast Cash buys your house as-is. On Premium, only lender-required repairs get fixed, with costs settled from the sale proceeds out of our share and nothing out of your pocket.
Fees / Costs	Commission is negotiable since August 17, 2024, split between listing and buyer's agent, and paid at closing as a percentage of sale price.	Premium Cash Offer: disclosed upfront, paid as a separate line item on the closing statement rather than a percentage of price. Fast Cash Offer: no listing commission to us.

What a Full-Service Realtor's Commission Pays For

A full-service Realtor markets the property, schedules and hosts showings, fields offers, negotiates on the seller's behalf, and manages the paperwork and deadlines through closing. The commission pays for that labor and for access to the MLS. It is a percentage of the sale price, and since the Sitzer/Burnett settlement took effect, that percentage is negotiable between the seller and the agent, and separately between the buyer and the buyer's agent.

What Changed on August 17, 2024

The National Association of Realtors settled the Sitzer/Burnett antitrust litigation for $418 million, and the practice changes took effect nationwide on August 17, 2024. MLS listings can no longer include a field showing what the seller will pay a buyer's agent. Commission amounts are negotiable rather than fixed. Buyer's agents must now sign a written agreement with a buyer before touring homes, spelling out how that agent gets paid. Every full-service commission a Florida seller sees today is priced under these post-settlement rules, not the old fixed-percentage norm.

Cash Flow Deals' Process

Cash Flow Deals' process runs in four steps. 1. Request your written offers and compare the Fast Cash Offer with the Premium Cash Offer. Cash Flow Deals gives you an as-is offer where we buy your house and close, alongside a higher offer from a pre-approved FHA or conventional buyer we already have, ready to go, who buys directly from you. You choose. 2. Review your number before signing. The number is agreed before any work starts, and it changes only if you agree. The one exception: if something structural surfaces that was not visible or disclosed before we signed — foundation issues, hidden moisture, old wiring, cast-iron drain failure — we re-cost it and bring the number back to you. You decide. You can walk away. We disclose what we know at offer time so this almost never happens. 3. With Premium, Cash Flow Deals brings that real homebuyer, whose own lender funds the purchase. We cover repair costs, and we figure out a way, so nothing comes out of your pocket. Only what the buyer's lender requires gets fixed, with costs settled from the sale proceeds out of our share. With Fast Cash, we buy as-is, with no repairs for you to make. 4. With Premium, close with title transferring once, directly from you to your buyer. Your home may be listed through Cash Flow Deals' licensed brokerage partner, Silver Door Realty, with a licensed agent and scheduled showings.

How Your Agreed Number and Closing Costs Work

With Cash Flow Deals, you choose the Fast Cash Offer, where we buy your house as-is and close, or the Premium Cash Offer, where a pre-approved FHA or conventional buyer we already have, ready to go, pays more and buys directly from you. The number is agreed before any work starts, and it changes only if you agree. The one exception: if something structural surfaces that was not visible or disclosed before we signed — foundation issues, hidden moisture, old wiring, cast-iron drain failure — we re-cost it and bring the number back to you. You decide. You can walk away. We disclose what we know at offer time so this almost never happens. We cover repair costs, and we figure out a way, so nothing comes out of your pocket. On Premium, only what your buyer's lender requires gets fixed, and those costs are settled from the sale proceeds out of our share, not your agreed number. On Fast Cash, you sell as-is without making repairs. At closing, anything owed against the house is paid from the sale proceeds, then you receive your agreed number, and we are paid last from what remains, as a separate line item on the closing statement. If the buyer's loan falls through, that is our problem, not yours, and you can still take the Fast Cash Offer at its own number or choose the Premium Cash Offer if financing is available.

Which Fee Structure Actually Fits Your Sale

A full-service Realtor's commission fits you if you want active marketing, multiple showings, and a chance at competing offers on an open market. With Cash Flow Deals, you compare the Fast Cash Offer, where we buy your house as-is and close, with the Premium Cash Offer, where a pre-approved FHA or conventional buyer we already have, ready to go, pays more and buys directly from you. You choose which offer fits your needs. On Premium, your home may be listed through Silver Door Realty, a licensed Florida brokerage, with a licensed agent and scheduled showings. Compare what you receive after costs and who buys your home so you can judge each service on its terms.

Common questions

Did the NAR settlement eliminate real estate commissions in Florida?

No. The Sitzer/Burnett settlement, effective August 17, 2024, made commissions negotiable and removed compensation fields from the MLS. It did not set commissions to zero or ban them.

Is a flat fee always cheaper than a full-service Realtor's commission?

Not automatically. A flat fee is a fixed number set at signing, while a commission is a percentage of whatever the final sale price turns out to be. Which one costs less depends on the specific price and terms of each offer.

Who actually pays Cash Flow Deals' fee?

It is arranged through Silver Door Realty and shows up as a disclosed line item on the closing statement. It is not added on top of the seller's net price as a markup.

Can I still negotiate commission with a traditional Realtor in Florida?

Yes. Since August 17, 2024, commission has been negotiable by law between a seller and their agent, and separately between a buyer and their agent.

What if repairs are found after I sign with Cash Flow Deals?

The one exception: if something structural surfaces that was not visible or disclosed before we signed — foundation issues, hidden moisture, old wiring, cast-iron drain failure — we re-cost it and bring the number back to you. You decide. You can walk away. We disclose what we know at offer time so this almost never happens.