Texas homeowners and buyers now have a compelling new alternative to the traditional 3% real estate commission model. TurboHome, a California-based real estate brokerage that has already helped clients save over $5 million in commissions, officially expanded into the Lone Star State in October 2025, bringing its flat-fee, full-service model to major metro areas including Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, Austin, and San Antonio. The expansion represents a significant shift in how Texans can approach buying and selling homes, offering the same professional service they’ve come to expect from licensed agents, but at a fraction of the traditional cost.
Disrupting the Traditional Commission Model
The timing of TurboHome’s Texas launch couldn’t be more strategic. Following the landmark National Association of Realtors settlement in 2024, which fundamentally changed how buyer’s agents are compensated, consumers across the country have begun questioning the traditional commission structure that has dominated residential real estate for decades. TurboHome positions itself as the answer to that questioning, a modern alternative built for an industry in transition.
“Our mission is simple: give homeowners the same great service while letting them keep more of their hard-earned equity,” said Ben Bear, CEO of TurboHome. This straightforward philosophy has already resonated strongly in California, where the company launched in 2024, and now Texas homeowners will have access to the same value proposition.
The company’s model is refreshingly uncomplicated: instead of charging the traditional 2.5% to 3% commission on transactions, TurboHome operates on a flat-fee structure while providing comprehensive, full-service support. This includes everything buyers and sellers have come to expect from real estate professionals,professional marketing, skilled negotiation, transaction management, and guidance through every step of the process, but without the percentage-based commission that can add tens of thousands of dollars to the cost of buying or selling a home.
The Economics of Savings
The financial impact of TurboHome’s model is substantial. According to the company, clients have received an average of $30,000 in commission rebates, money that would otherwise have gone to paying traditional agent commissions. In Texas specifically, where home values have grown by more than 520% since 1981, the traditional percentage-based commission structure means that transaction costs have increased proportionally, making alternative models increasingly attractive.
For buyers, TurboHome offers a particularly innovative approach: clients can choose how to use their commission rebate. Options include boosting their offer price to make it more competitive in multiple-offer situations, taking cash back at closing, or applying the savings toward lowering their mortgage rate through the company’s buydown program. This flexibility gives buyers strategic options that can make the difference between winning or losing in competitive markets.
Real-life examples illustrate the impact: One buyer named Arnab increased his offer by $23,000 using his TurboHome rebate, which helped him win the deal in a competitive situation. Another client, Jeff, received a check for $82,000 at closing. Jennifer used her rebate to buy down her mortgage rate to 4.8% in the first year, significantly reducing her monthly payment burden.
For sellers, the value proposition is equally compelling. TurboHome clients reportedly save 80% on real estate agent commissions compared to traditional brokerages. On a typical Texas home sale, this can translate to savings of $15,000 to $25,000 or more, money that stays in the seller’s pocket rather than going to commission payments.
Full Service Without the Full Price
A critical distinction sets TurboHome apart from bare-bones discount brokerages that have come and gone over the years: this is genuinely full-service representation. The company’s salaried agents handle everything a traditional buyer’s or seller’s agent would manage, from the initial consultation through closing and beyond.
For buyers, services include unlimited access to TurboHome’s AI-powered search assistant, which helps identify properties matching specific criteria; private home tours (with the first 15 included at no cost, and additional showings available for $75-125 depending on the region); offer strategy meetings to maximize competitiveness; comprehensive contract negotiation; inspection coordination; and complete transaction management from contract to closing.
For sellers, TurboHome provides professional photography and marketing, MLS listing syndication to major platforms like Zillow and Realtor.com, showing coordination, expert negotiation on behalf of the seller, and full transaction management. The technology-enabled approach streamlines processes without sacrificing the personal touch and expertise that complex real estate transactions require.
This combination of human expertise and technology integration addresses a common concern about discount brokerages: that cutting costs means cutting corners. TurboHome’s model demonstrates that technology can enhance efficiency without diminishing service quality, allowing the company to charge less while still delivering comprehensive representation.
A Texas-Based Team with Local Expertise
Central to TurboHome’s Texas expansion is the assembly of a local team with deep market knowledge. Leading the charge is Jake Shuler, the company’s Texas General Manager and a licensed Realtor with over ten years of experience in the state’s real estate markets.
“Texas real estate has always been dynamic, and that growth has also made the costs of moving higher than ever,” Shuler explained. “Being here on the ground, I know how much this market needs a fairer option. TurboHome gives Texans a way to move smarter, with the same service and a lot more savings.”
This emphasis on local expertise is crucial. While TurboHome leverages technology and a modern business model, the company recognizes that successful real estate transactions still require professionals who understand local market conditions, neighborhood nuances, pricing strategies specific to different metros, and the regulatory environment in which they’re operating. Licensed Texas-based agents joining TurboHome bring this essential knowledge while adopting the flat-fee model that benefits consumers.
The company is now fully operational statewide, with a particular focus on Texas’s four largest metropolitan areas, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, Austin, and San Antonio, which collectively represent some of the nation’s fastest-growing and most dynamic real estate markets.
Why the Traditional Model Is Being Questioned
TurboHome’s expansion comes at a moment when the traditional real estate commission structure faces unprecedented scrutiny. Several factors have converged to create demand for alternatives:
The NAR Settlement Impact: The 2024 settlement fundamentally changed industry practices around buyer’s agent compensation. Previously, sellers typically paid commissions for both their own agent and the buyer’s agent, with the total often reaching 5-6% of the sale price. Now, buyers may need to pay their own agent’s commission, making the cost more visible and spurring consumers to seek better value.
Dramatic Home Price Appreciation: As home values have increased dramatically up 520% in Texas since 1981, the dollar amount of percentage-based commissions has grown proportionally, even though the work required to sell a home hasn’t necessarily increased at the same rate. A 3% commission on a $200,000 home equals $6,000; on a $600,000 home, it’s $18,000. This disconnect has led many to question whether the percentage model still makes sense.
Technology Enablement: Modern technology has streamlined many aspects of real estate transactions that previously required significant manual effort. Digital signatures, virtual tours, online document management, AI-powered property searches, and instant communication tools have changed the efficiency equation, making it possible to deliver excellent service at lower cost.
Increased Price Transparency: Today’s consumers have access to unprecedented information about home values, market conditions, and transaction costs through websites like Zillow, Redfin, and Realtor.com. This transparency has made consumers more aware of what they’re paying and more willing to seek alternatives.
The Competitive Advantage for Buyers
An interesting dimension of TurboHome’s model is how it creates competitive advantages for buyers in multiple-offer situations. According to the company, TurboHome buyers win 50% of all transactions, a success rate attributed to the economic advantage their pricing structure provides.
Here’s how it works: When a buyer saves thousands in commission through TurboHome’s flat-fee structure, they can allocate those savings toward a higher purchase price, making their offer more attractive to sellers without actually spending more of their own money. In competitive markets where homes regularly receive multiple offers, this can be the difference between winning and losing.
Consider a scenario where a traditional buyer’s agent charges 2.5% commission on a $500,000 home, that’s $12,500. If TurboHome charges a flat fee of, say, $5,000, the buyer saves $7,500. That buyer could increase their offer to $507,500, matching or beating competing offers, while still spending less overall than they would have with a traditional agent. The seller receives a higher price, the buyer gets the home, and both parties benefit from the more efficient model.
Licensing and Legitimacy
A common concern about discount brokerages is whether they’re properly licensed and legitimate. TurboHome addresses this directly: the company operates as a fully licensed real estate broker in both California (DRE #02292670) and Texas (TREC #744106), meeting all regulatory requirements in both states.
In other states where TurboHome isn’t directly licensed, the company works with partner agents who are properly credentialed, allowing the company to serve clients nationwide while maintaining compliance with each state’s real estate regulations.
Importantly, TurboHome’s agents are required to follow the same professional standards, ethical guidelines, and continuing education requirements as agents at traditional brokerages. The difference isn’t in credentials or standards; it’s purely in the compensation model.
Flexibility in Representation
TurboHome also offers flexibility that traditional brokerages often don’t. The company doesn’t require clients to sign an exclusive buyer’s agent representation agreement. Instead, TurboHome represents buyers specifically for offers initiated through their platform. This means if another agent finds you a home and manages that transaction, you don’t owe TurboHome anything.
This approach recognizes that modern homebuyers often explore properties through multiple channels, open houses, online searches, recommendations from friends, and traditional agents. TurboHome’s model accommodates this reality rather than trying to force exclusivity.
Looking Ahead
TurboHome’s Texas expansion represents more than just one company entering a new market. It signals a broader transformation in how real estate services are delivered and compensated, a shift driven by technology, regulatory changes, and consumer demand for better value.
For Texas buyers and sellers, the practical implications are clear: they now have a viable alternative to traditional commission structures that can save substantial money without sacrificing service quality. Whether this model ultimately becomes the new standard or remains a value-focused alternative alongside traditional brokerages, its presence creates competition that benefits consumers.
As Jake Shuler noted, Texas real estate has always been dynamic. Now, with TurboHome’s arrival, that dynamism includes innovation in how services are priced and delivered. For a state that prides itself on entrepreneurship, free markets, and questioning conventional wisdom, a disruptive new approach to real estate brokerage feels entirely appropriate.
The question isn’t whether Texans will embrace this model; early indications suggest strong demand, but rather how quickly traditional brokerages will adapt to this new competitive landscape. For now, Texas homeowners have a new option that promises the same service at a fraction of the cost, backed by local expertise and modern technology. In a market where every dollar counts, that’s an option worth considering.
