Properkey vs
Houwzer
Houwzer is a salaried-agent discount brokerage — now merged with Trelora under the Newfound umbrella — offering roughly 1% listings with in-house mortgage and title. Here's how it stacks up against Properkey's $0 listing fee, full MLS exposure and dedicated agent.
$0 listing fee and no listing commission. Properkey listings close through Properkey Escrow, a non-independent broker escrow operated under Properkey's DRE license; escrow fees are standard closing costs on any home sale. Properkey may also receive compensation from other parties to the transaction.
What would you keep?
Drag the slider to your home's value and compare the listing-side cost of selling with Houwzer versus Properkey, or read the table below.
Assumes Houwzer: ≈1% listing fee. Buyer-agent compensation (negotiable and optional) and standard closing costs are separate and apply to every sale. Figures are illustrative; verify current pricing with each provider.
| Home price | Houwzer listing cost | Properkey listing fee | You keep |
|---|---|---|---|
| $500,000 | $5,000 | $0 | $5,000 |
| $750,000 | $7,500 | $0 | $7,500 |
| $1,000,000 | $10,000 | $0 | $10,000 |
| $1,500,000 | $15,000 | $0 | $15,000 |
| $4,000,000 | $40,000 | $0 | $40,000 |
Properkey vs Houwzer, feature by feature
The side-by-side that matters: what you pay, what you get, and who does the work.
| Feature | Properkey | Houwzer |
|---|---|---|
| What you pay to list | $0 listing fee, no listing commission | ≈1% / flat-fee listing (Newfound family) |
| Service model | Yes: Full-service brokerage with a dedicated agent | Yes: Full service via salaried agents |
| MLS & portal exposure | Yes: Full MLS + syndication to Zillow, Realtor.com, Redfin and hundreds more | Yes: Full MLS + portals |
| Pricing strategy & negotiation | Yes: Handled by your agent | Yes: Included |
| Contracts & disclosures | Yes: Contracts and disclosures prepared and managed for you | Yes: Included |
| Fees at closing (listing side) | Yes: No listing-side fees at closing | No: ≈1% listing fee at close |
| Cancel anytime | Yes: Cancel anytime — no lock-in contracts | Partly: Per listing agreement |
| Financing, escrow, insurance & management | Yes: Financing, escrow, insurance & property management in one platform | Partly: Mortgage & title in-house (Newfound) |
| Where they operate | California and Idaho (real estate) | East-coast metros + Newfound markets |
| Who you deal with | Yes: One point of contact from listing to close | Partly: Team-based |
Why sellers choose Properkey over Houwzer
-
$0 beats any percentage
A discounted commission is still thousands of dollars of your equity. Properkey's listing side is $0 — not 1%, not 1.5%, zero.
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One agent who owns your sale
Discount brokers often run team models — a different person at every step. Properkey gives you a single dedicated agent.
-
No minimum fees
Low advertised rates usually hide dollar minimums. Properkey has no listing fee to put a minimum on.
-
More than a brokerage
Search, financing, escrow, insurance and property management in one platform — most discounters stop at the sale.
Where Houwzer stands out: a fair look
- Salaried agents remove the commission-chasing incentive.
- In-house mortgage and title echo Properkey's one-roof idea.
We'd rather you compare with clear eyes. When you do, $0 with a dedicated agent is hard to argue with.
The bottom line
Houwzer (with Trelora, under Newfound) is one of the closer models to Properkey's — integrated services, low fees. The difference is the last step: they still charge about 1% to list. Properkey doesn't.
Frequently asked questions
Yes — Houwzer merged with Trelora and HomeRise under the Newfound umbrella and continues to offer roughly 1% listings with salaried agents. Properkey's model goes further on the fee: $0.
It's close, and it validates the one-roof idea. The difference is the last line of the bill: Houwzer charges about 1% to list; Properkey's listing fee is $0.
Because Properkey isn't built on listing commissions. The platform spans the whole transaction — search, financing, escrow, insurance and property management — so we don't need to take 2.5–3% (or even a flat fee) from your sale to run a great listing. You get full MLS exposure and a dedicated agent; the listing side costs you $0.
There's no listing fee and no listing-side commission — ever. Like every home sale (including FSBO), standard transaction costs still exist: escrow, title and recording fees apply no matter who you sell with. Properkey listings close through Properkey Escrow, a non-independent broker escrow operated under Properkey's DRE license, at its published escrow rates — the same category of fee you'd pay any escrow company on any sale. Properkey may also receive compensation from other parties to the transaction. Buyer-agent compensation remains optional and negotiable.
Yes. Properkey listings go on the local MLS and syndicate to Zillow, Realtor.com, Redfin and hundreds of other sites — the same exposure a traditional 3% listing gets.
Buyer-agent compensation is negotiable and entirely your call — with Properkey and with everyone else, under the rules in place since 2024. The difference is the listing side: $0 with Properkey.
Cancel anytime. There's no lock-in contract and no cancellation fee — if Properkey isn't earning your business, you can walk away.
Compare more alternatives
The Proper Way to Sell Your Home.
Full MLS exposure. A dedicated agent. A $0 listing fee. See exactly what you'd keep.
Properkey is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Houwzer. All trademarks, brand names and logos are the property of their respective owners and are used for identification and comparison purposes only. Competitor pricing, features and availability are based on publicly available information as of September 2026 and may have changed; please verify details directly with each provider. Savings examples are illustrative, assume the fee structures shown, and exclude buyer-agent compensation (negotiable and optional in all cases), taxes and standard closing costs, which apply to every sale regardless of brokerage. $0 listing fee and no listing commission. Properkey listings close through Properkey Escrow, a non-independent broker escrow operated under Properkey's DRE license; escrow fees are standard closing costs on any home sale. Properkey may also receive compensation from other parties to the transaction. Photography and the 3D tour are free when your home sells with Properkey. If it doesn't sell with us, you repay the media cost. See your listing agreement for the full terms. This page is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Properkey's real estate brokerage is licensed in California and Idaho. Equal Housing Opportunity — Properkey is committed to the Fair Housing Act.
