Every question sellers ask before listing with Fortify

Fortify Listings is a licensed Florida brokerage that offers flat fee MLS listing services for home sellers. Instead of paying a percentage-based listing commission, you pay a single flat fee — due at closing only if your home sells.

The process starts with your address. We prepare a broker-reviewed listing preview at no cost and no commitment, so you can see exactly what your listing would look like before choosing a plan or signing anything.

A traditional listing agent charges a percentage-based commission — typically 2.5–3% of your sale price — and manages most decisions on your behalf. Fortify charges a flat fee and puts you in control of pricing, showings, and negotiation decisions, with licensed broker support available at the level you choose.

On a $450,000 home, a 3% listing commission is $13,500. Fortify Pro is $2,495 — due only at closing.

Fortify works best for sellers who are comfortable being actively involved in their sale — coordinating or approving showings, reviewing offers, and communicating with buyer agents. Experience with a previous home sale helps, but isn't required, especially with Pro or Elite plans.

Fortify is probably not the right fit if you want a traditional agent to manage every step of the process on your behalf with minimal involvement from you.

• First-time sellers who want guidance — consider Elite, which provides broker support at every decision point
• Experienced sellers comfortable with the process — Essentials or Pro handles everything you need
• Sellers who want to be fully hands-off — a traditional agent may be a better fit

No. You enter your address and receive a broker-reviewed listing preview before creating an account, selecting a plan, or signing anything. The preview shows you exactly what your listing would look like on the MLS and on Zillow, Realtor.com, and Redfin. You move forward only if you like what you see.

Our team pulls public property data for your address and prepares a draft MLS listing — formatted exactly as it would appear to buyer agents and on major real estate sites. A licensed broker reviews it before you see it. You receive your preview typically the same day.

From there you can review it, ask questions, choose a plan when you're ready, and move through the listing process at your own pace. Nothing is due and nothing is committed until you sign your listing agreement.

Fortify offers three plans. All are $0 today — the flat fee is due only at closing if your home sells.

• Essentials — $995 at closing. MLS listing, syndication, 25 photos, a written broker price opinion, and email support. For confident self-directed sellers.
• Pro — $2,495 at closing. Everything in Essentials plus electronic lockbox, ShowingTime scheduling, unlimited edits, and priority support. Most sellers choose this.
• Elite — from $3,995 at closing. Everything in Pro plus pricing strategy & active price management, professional photography, offer strategy, negotiation guidance, and closing guidance.

No. Your Fortify flat fee is disclosed in full before you sign your listing agreement and is due only at closing. There are no listing deposits, no retainers, and nothing due at any point before closing.

You can also walk away at no cost: cancel your listing before you accept an offer and you owe nothing, and if your listing term ends without a sale, you owe nothing either. The only charges that can ever apply are a lockbox replacement fee if Pro/Elite hardware isn't returned within 14 days of cancellation or expiration, and — under the standard Florida protection-period rule — your plan fee if your home sells shortly after cancellation to a buyer introduced during your listing.

Essentials covers the professional listing fundamentals — MLS entry, full syndication, broker review, and email support. You manage showings directly with buyer agents and handle offers independently.

Pro adds the tools that make a seller-led listing operate like a traditionally-listed home: an electronic lockbox for agent access, ShowingTime for automated showing requests, unlimited listing edits, and priority support. Most sellers choose Pro because it removes the friction of coordinating showing access manually.

Elite adds active broker involvement at the highest-stakes moments — pricing strategy and active price management, offer review and response guidance, negotiation support, inspection and appraisal guidance, and closing guidance. It's the plan for sellers who want full strategic guidance without paying a percentage-based commission.

Yes — anytime, with no penalties and no upgrade fees. Many sellers start on Essentials and upgrade to Pro once showings begin and they want the scheduling automation. Others upgrade from Pro to Elite when an offer arrives and they want broker guidance reviewing it. You're never locked into the plan you started with.

You can upgrade to Elite at any time — even after an offer arrives — for the difference in fee. Elite guidance applies from the date of upgrade forward; it does not include review of, or responsibility for, pricing decisions, offers, or contract terms executed before the upgrade.

Elite fees are capped by final sale price to keep the cost predictable regardless of your home's value.

• Up to $600,000 → $3,995
• $600,001 – $1,000,000 → $5,495
• $1,000,001 – $2,000,000 → $6,995
• $2,000,001 – $3,000,000 → $8,995

Elite eligibility is based on list price (homes listed up to $3,000,000). Your Elite fee is set by the final sale price band at closing — if your home sells into a lower band than it was listed in, you pay the lower band's fee. Even at the highest tier, the savings compared to a percentage-based commission at that price point are substantial.

You pay nothing. Fortify's flat fee is due only upon a successful closing. If you cancel before accepting an offer, you owe nothing. If your listing expires or you withdraw before any offer is accepted, no flat fee is owed.

After you've reviewed your preview and selected a plan, we'll ask you for the details public records don't give us. This is a guided process — not a long form. Most sellers complete it in under fifteen minutes.

• Your asking price
• Buyer-agent compensation amount (your decision)
• Property photos (up to your plan's photo limit)
• Required seller disclosures
• Showing preferences and property access instructions
• Any property features or details you want highlighted

The preview is built from public property records, which aren't always perfectly current. Square footage, bedroom and bathroom count, and property features sometimes differ from what's on record. You'll have the opportunity to correct anything once you're in the platform. Nothing goes to the MLS until you've reviewed and approved the final version.

Yes — always. Every Fortify listing is reviewed by a licensed broker for MLS compliance, required disclosure completeness, listing field accuracy, and photo quality before it's submitted to the MLS. If anything needs attention, we'll reach out before posting. Nothing goes live until you've given your final approval.

Yes. Essentials includes a limited number of edits after going live. Pro and Elite include unlimited listing edits subject to your local MLS rules — price changes, description updates, photo swaps, and more can typically be made within 24 hours of your request.

You set your own price. Essentials sellers are responsible for their own pricing research — your dashboard gives you access to listing status and you can adjust your price at any time. Pro and Elite sellers receive a broker pricing and positioning review before going live, including a comparative market analysis to inform your initial price.

If you're uncertain about pricing on Essentials, you can always upgrade to Pro or Elite before your listing goes live.

Yes. Fortify listings are entered into the MLS by a licensed broker using the same fields, same format, and same syndication as any other listing. On Zillow, Realtor.com, Redfin, and every other site, your listing is indistinguishable from a traditionally-listed home. Buyer agents see the same listing they see for every other property in the MLS.

Yes. Your listing appears in the same MLS search every buyer agent uses. There's nothing in the MLS that identifies it as a Fortify listing — it looks identical to every other active listing. Buyer agents are incentivized to show listings that offer buyer-agent compensation, which you control.

Your listing is entered into your local Florida MLS board and syndicated automatically to major real estate sites including Zillow, Realtor.com, Redfin, Homes.com, and more than 100 additional sites where buyers search. Syndication happens automatically — you don't need to submit your listing to each site individually.

Most listings go live within approximately 24 hours of your final approval. Broker review typically completes within a few hours during business hours. Once your listing is active in the MLS, syndication to Zillow and other sites usually follows within a few hours, though some sites can take up to 24–48 hours to reflect the new listing.

How showings are managed depends on your plan.

Pro and Elite: Showing requests are handled through ShowingTime (or equivalent). Buyer agents request a showing time through the system, you receive a notification, and you approve, decline, or suggest an alternative time. The electronic lockbox handles agent access automatically for approved showings.

Essentials: You coordinate showings directly with buyer agents by phone, text, or email. You manage access to your home yourself — a lockbox is recommended but you source and set it up independently.

An electronic lockbox is a secure key storage device that attaches to your property and allows buyer agents with an authorized key fob or smartphone app to access your home for showings. It logs every entry automatically.

Pro and Elite plans include a Supra eKey-compatible electronic lockbox — the standard used by agents throughout Florida. Essentials sellers manage their own access arrangements. A lockbox of some kind is strongly recommended for any listing because agents expect to be able to schedule and access showings without direct coordination with the seller every time.

Yes. When you set up your showing preferences, you specify your available windows and any notice requirements. Pro and Elite sellers configure this through ShowingTime, which enforces those preferences automatically. Essentials sellers communicate their preferences directly to buyer agents who contact them.

A professional yard sign is available as a flat-fee add-on for any plan. You can order it after your listing is accepted and live. Yard signs are optional but recommended — they generate walk-by interest and signal to neighbors and passersby that the home is for sale.

Offers are delivered to you electronically — typically via email and through your seller dashboard — along with all relevant documents including the purchase and sale agreement, any addenda, and proof of financing. Pro and Elite sellers also have broker support available to help review and interpret what they've received.

Price is one factor. The full picture of an offer includes:

• Financing type — cash, conventional, FHA, VA — and strength of proof of funds or pre-approval
• Contingencies — inspection, financing, appraisal — and their timeframes
• Closing timeline and whether it aligns with your needs
• Earnest money deposit amount
• Any special terms or requests — seller concessions, closing cost contributions, included items

Elite sellers receive broker guidance evaluating each of these factors and advising on response strategy. Essentials and Pro sellers review and decide independently.

Yes — you can accept, reject, or counter any offer. Countering typically involves responding with revised terms — price, closing date, contingency modifications, or other conditions. Negotiations can go back and forth until both parties agree or one party decides not to proceed.

Elite sellers have broker guidance throughout this process. Essentials and Pro sellers handle counteroffers directly with the buyer's agent.

Yes. If multiple offers arrive, you can review them simultaneously and respond to each one, run a highest-and-best scenario, or accept the one that best meets your needs. Florida real estate law permits sellers to handle multiple offers — you're not obligated to respond to them in order of receipt.

Elite sellers can get broker guidance on how to structure a multiple-offer situation to maximize their outcome.

Once you accept an offer, the transaction moves into the contract phase. This typically includes:

• Inspection period — the buyer schedules and conducts inspections, and may request repairs or credits
• Financing and appraisal — the buyer's lender orders an appraisal if applicable
• Title and escrow — a title company opens escrow and begins the closing process
• Meeting contractual deadlines — there are specific timeframes for each phase that must be respected

Elite sellers have broker guidance tracking deadlines, responding to inspection requests, and navigating issues that arise. Essentials and Pro sellers manage this process independently, coordinating directly with the buyer's agent, title company, and any other parties.

Inspection repair requests are negotiable. You can agree to make repairs, offer a credit at closing, reduce the price, or decline. The right response depends on the nature of the items requested, how they compare to your sale price, and how motivated you are to close with this buyer.

Elite sellers receive broker guidance evaluating repair requests and determining the best response strategy. Essentials and Pro sellers negotiate directly with the buyer's agent.

A low appraisal can be handled several ways — you can reduce the price to the appraised value, negotiate a split between you and the buyer, challenge the appraisal with comparable sales data, or if the buyer has a financing contingency, allow them to exit the contract. Elite sellers get broker guidance working through appraisal gaps. This is one of the situations where the difference between plans is most pronounced.

Your Fortify flat fee is settled at closing as part of the transaction — it appears on your closing disclosure and is paid from your sale proceeds, exactly like a buyer-agent commission. You pay nothing before closing, and nothing at all if your home doesn't sell.

Closing is coordinated by a title company or closing attorney. You'll review and sign the closing disclosure, which itemizes all costs including the Fortify flat fee and any buyer-agent compensation you offered. Most Florida closings are handled at a title company office, though remote or mail-away closings are increasingly common.

Elite sellers have closing guidance — we walk you through what happens, when, and what to sign, with reminders at every contractual milestone. Essentials and Pro sellers work directly with the title company.

Yes. You can cancel your listing at any time before you accept an offer, and you owe nothing. Once you've accepted an offer and are under contract, cancellation is governed by the terms of your purchase and sale agreement with the buyer — at that point it's a contract matter between you and the buyer, not a Fortify matter.

Fortify currently serves select Florida MLS markets. Active counties include: Alachua, Broward, Charlotte, DeSoto, Flagler, Hillsborough, Lake, Marion, Martin, Miami-Dade, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Pasco, Polk, St. Lucie, Sarasota, Sumter, and Volusia.

Enter your address to confirm your county is currently covered — coverage continues to expand.

Fortify Listing Services LLC holds active broker licenses in Florida, Arizona, and Tennessee. Florida is our primary active market today. Arizona and Tennessee expansion is in progress — contact us if you're interested in listing in either of those states and we'll let you know when coverage becomes available in your area.

Fortify handles residential properties — single-family homes, condominiums, townhomes, and similar residential listings. Elite plan pricing caps apply to homes listed up to $3,000,000. If you have a property outside these parameters, contact us before starting and we'll confirm whether Fortify is a good fit.

Yes. Fortify Listing Services LLC is a licensed Florida brokerage. Every listing is submitted to the MLS under active broker supervision and complies with all MLS rules and Florida real estate law. Our license is verifiable at MyFloridaLicense.com. A sample listing agreement is available on our website before you enter your address — no fine print revealed at checkout.