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Kempner: Goofy? $5K for Atlanta real estate agent who never visits

By Matt Kempner
Oct 2, 2015

Who would hire a real estate agent who never bothers to see their home? A new Atlanta startup has launched to convince you to do just that, hoping to tap into our urge for more affordable options when we buy or sell a home.

Virgent Realty is just among the latest attempts to shake up the real estate industry. For a flat fee of $5,000 Virgent says sellers can hire its agents to handle virtually everything online. That includes suggesting a listing price based on the owner's description of the home, area sales and tax records, but no tour inside the house.

Co-founder Ben Kubic says sellers get a personalized online dashboard to manage everything from showings to responses to purchase offers.

But are Americans overall making headway in avoiding real estate commissions or even hiring an agent at all? Find out more in my latest Unofficial Business column on myAJC.com.

AJC columnist Matt Kempner is looking for change in how we buy and sell homes.
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AJC columnist Matt Kempner is looking for change in how we buy and sell homes.

About the Author

Matt Kempner is an award-winning journalist who seeks out intriguing twists about people and subjects beyond what the AJC might typically cover. A former columnist and editor, his past assignments have included business investigations, energy, the economy, entrepreneurs, big business, consumer spending, politics, government and the environment.

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