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Comparison

FLYP vs. selling conventionally — which one nets you more?

Short answer: A conventional sale costs you 5–6% in agent commissions, weeks to months on market, and a buyer-side discount because the home isn't move-in ready. Most homeowners net 70–80% of the renovated value. FLYP renovates first, lists at full market value, and is repaid only at closing. On a typical Pacific Northwest home, FLYP nets the seller $80K–$200K more than a traditional as-is listing — with $0 out of pocket either way.
Choose FLYP when…
  • Your home would benefit from $25K–$90K of cosmetic / value-add work before listing.
  • You can wait 8–14 weeks total (4–8 weeks reno + 2–4 weeks listing).
  • You want the highest possible sale price without writing a check upfront.
  • You'd rather have a project manager than personally coordinate contractors.
Choose Conventional sale when…
  • Your home is already in top-of-market condition (recently renovated, neutral finishes, no deferred maintenance).
  • You need to list within the next 2–3 weeks and can't wait for a renovation.
  • Your local market is so hot that as-is homes sell at full value with no discount.
  • You enjoy managing showings, repairs, and staging yourself.

Side-by-side comparison

FLYP
Conventional sale
Listing price
Full renovated market value
As-is or lightly prepped value
Agent commission
Standard 5–6% — paid at closing
Standard 5–6% — paid at closing
Pre-list repairs / prep cost
$0 — FLYP funds the renovation
$2K–$15K typical (paint, repairs, staging) out of pocket
Buyer-side as-is discount
None — home is move-in ready
5–15% typical reduction for needed work
Time to list
5–9 weeks (renovation period)
1–3 weeks
Days on market (after listing)
Typically 7–21 days at full price
30–60+ days, often with price drops
Total signing-to-closing time
8–14 weeks
4–10 weeks
Showings while you live there
After renovation only — staged and ready
Continuous, often during peak life moments
Project management overhead
FLYP handles contractors and design
Homeowner self-manages any prep work
Net on a $500K home (PNW typical)
≈ $495K (renovated, after FLYP fee)
≈ $410–$440K (as-is, after agent + repairs)
Risk if home doesn't sell
$0 owed — FLYP shares the risk
Out-of-pocket prep costs are gone
The bottom line

Conventional listing is the right answer when the home is already at top of market — recently renovated, neutral finishes, no deferred maintenance. For everything else, the math overwhelmingly favors renovating first. Buyers discount tired homes by 5–15% in any reasonably normal market, which is roughly 2–3x what a FLYP-managed renovation costs. The conventional path looks cheaper because there's no big invoice — but the discount and the days-on-market drag are silent six-figure costs.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a conventional sale really cost me?

Most homeowners undercount the cost of a conventional sale. The visible costs are agent commissions (5–6%) and closing fees (~1%). The hidden costs are bigger: pre-list repairs and staging ($2K–$15K out of pocket), the buyer-side as-is discount (5–15% off market value because the home isn't move-in ready), and the carrying cost of weeks-to-months on market. On a $500K home those hidden costs typically run $50K–$80K — none of which appear on a settlement statement.

Why don't I just paint and clean and list?

You can, and that's often the right call for already-updated homes. But for any home with original kitchens, dated bathrooms, or 10+ year-old flooring, paint and clean only closes a fraction of the as-is gap. Buyers in 2026 strongly prefer move-in ready and discount aggressively for projects they have to manage themselves. The cosmetic-only path leaves most of the renovation upside on the table.

Doesn't the agent commission make FLYP and conventional roughly equal?

No — both paths pay the same 5–6% agent commission to the listing and buyer agents. FLYP doesn't replace the agent; FLYP renovates the home so the agent has more to work with. The math difference is the renovated-vs-as-is sale price gap (typically 20–30% in the PNW), not the commission.

Will my home sell faster with FLYP or as-is?

Total elapsed time is similar (8–14 weeks for FLYP vs. 4–10 weeks for as-is) but FLYP-renovated homes typically sell in 7–21 days once listed, often above asking. As-is listings often sit 30–60+ days with one or more price drops. The FLYP timeline trades a few weeks of upfront renovation for a much faster, higher-priced listing.

Can I use FLYP if my home is already updated?

If the home is genuinely top-of-market — fully renovated within the last 5 years, neutral finishes, no deferred maintenance — FLYP probably isn't the right fit and a conventional sale is fine. We turn down projects where the math doesn't justify the renovation. The free assessment will tell you in 24–48 hours.

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