A new real estate brokerage model is shaking up the traditional way homes are bought and sold, and it’s all thanks to a Green Creek native who has returned home with a bold vision. With a focus on saving consumers money and modernizing the industry – free of mysterious fees and the high costs associated with listing a home– Mike Maher, alongside co-founder Kevin Baird, is offering locals fresh alternatives with two new online brokerage services: Houwzer and HomeRise.
How Can Houwzer Save Me Money?
Houwzer represents significant savings for the seller through an easy online listing service in addition to a large support team that works one-on-one with homeowners looking to sell their homes.
Log on to either Houwzer and HomeRise and you’ll be presented with several options, all of which can get your house listed to the local MLS professionally without the hassle of the traditional listing model and without the uncertainty of self-listing. The costs are clear, and sit significantly lower than the traditional realtor-commission model.
Houwzer is the full agent experience without the cost. Houwzer takes photos for you, lists your home, and gives you access to salaried – not commissioned – agents committed to selling your home. Those who list with Houwzer save, on average, 50% on fees when compared to a traditional brokerage model.
Houwzer gives sellers direct access to an agent with just a 1% selling fee. Houwzer agents are salaried, so their focus is on helping you sell your home instead of negotiating the highest possible commission fee. Houwzer agents help you schedule unlimited private showings, enlists experienced negotiators on your behalf, and makes sure that their agents are available seven days a week to help you.
What is HomeRise?
HomeRise is for the DIY-minded individual looking to absolutely maximize their savings. HomeRise works in four steps and saves customers an average of $20,000 per listing.
- Decide your price, with no pressure. Add photos, and choose how much help you need.
- Work directly with a Homerise Listing Assistant to coordinate the listing. They. Will collect any info they need for the MLS, answer any questions you have, and schedule your listing activation.
- HomeRise connects you directly with buyers, lists your home on Trulia, Zilllow, Homes.com, and more, with no time limit on the market.
- Get offers! Sit back and watch, and accept the best offer.
Since its launch in 2015, Houwzer has secured over $10 billion in home sales and purchases while saving clients more than $500 million collectively through reduced fees and commissions. Real estate agents still help Houwzer clients through the listing process, but because every agent at Houwzer is salaried and doesn’t collect commission, the focus is purely on the client.
Maher’s commitment to transforming the home buying and selling process stems from his own experiences. “My wife and I had bought a couple of homes and were frustrated with the cost structure,” he recalls. After meeting his co-founder, a home builder equally disillusioned with the buying process, they set out to revolutionize real estate.
“Cape May County has always been a target market for us, but the timing was never right,” Maher explains. “I was born and raised here, so launching here has always been a goal of mine.” With the experienced leadership of Trish Gesswein – a broker and lead agent at Houwzer’s Avalon location – Maher believes the time is perfect to introduce Houwzer’s disruptive model to the Cape.
Delivering Savings to South Jersey
Houwzer and HomeRise can help people list their homes no matter the price. “We’ve saved over $500 million for consumers since we launched,” Maher said.
With an office in Avalon and plans to expand across South Jersey, Maher is excited to bring Houwzer back to his hometown. “I want locals to experience what we offer and give us a shot,” he says.
Whether you’re a first-time homebuyer or a seasoned seller, the promise is clear: a better experience, more control, and substantial savings thanks to Houwzer and HomeRise.
3101 Dune Drive, Avalon
