Ownli’s Blake O’Shaughnessy on Unbundling Real Estate and the Startup Challenging Traditional Commis

Why It Matters

Only’s flat‑fee, data‑driven platform challenges the entrenched commission model, offering consumers sizable savings and signaling a shift toward DIY real‑estate transactions that could disrupt traditional brokerages.

Key Takeaways

• Commission rates remain flat despite home price inflation, feeling like a tax.
• Only offers a DIY platform that unbundles selling and buying services.
• Flat‑fee pricing replaces traditional 5‑6% commission on transactions.
• Platform provides data‑driven pricing, contract automation, and partner marketplace.
• Early traction in Texas, California, Florida shows consumer appetite for lower fees.

Summary

The podcast features Blake O’Shaughnessy, founder of Only, who argues that the real‑estate commission model has stayed static while home prices have surged, turning the fee into a de‑facto tax. He positions Only as a technology‑first solution that unbundles the traditional brokerage, letting sellers and buyers manage listings, pricing, showings, offers, and contracts themselves.

Only’s model charges a flat fee instead of the industry‑standard 5‑6 percent commission. The platform pulls public‑record data to generate real‑time pricing ranges, flags outlier prices, and offers a marketplace of vetted third‑party services—lenders, inspectors, title companies—so users can add support only when needed. The service is marketed as “FSBO on steroids,” providing software‑driven guardrails while keeping the consumer in control.

O’Shaughnessy cites early traction in high‑volume markets such as Texas, California, and Florida, with several listings already attracting thousands of views. He notes that Only accesses over 500,000 public listings across 43 states, leveraging the same data sources as Zillow and Redfin, and is currently building syndication to broader portals. The founder emphasizes that the platform is bootstrapped, with plans to raise capital for national marketing.

If successful, Only could force traditional brokerages to rethink flat‑fee or a la carte pricing, especially as buyers and sellers become more data‑savvy post‑NAR settlement. The model promises significant cost savings for mid‑range homes, potentially reshaping consumer expectations and accelerating the unbundling trend across the real‑estate industry.

Original Description

In this episode of the Real Trending podcast, Tracey Velt sits down with Blake O’Shaughnessy, founder of Ownli, a platform aiming to rethink the traditional real estate transaction by removing agents entirely. Built around the idea that “search got modern, but pricing didn’t,” Ownli offers sellers a DIY platform where they can list homes, manage showings, negotiate offers and complete contracts without paying traditional percentage-based commissions.

O’Shaughnessy argues that the post-NAR settlement environment has accelerated consumer skepticism around commission structures, especially as home prices continue climbing while fees remain tied to a percentage of the sale price. Ownli positions itself as a software-driven alternative, combining public listing data, pricing tools, contracts and third-party service providers into one platform.

The conversation explores whether consumers are truly ready to handle transactions themselves, how Ownli plans to scale nationally, and where technology can — and can’t — replace traditional agents. While O’Shaughnessy acknowledges the emotional and relationship-driven aspects of real estate still matter, he believes the future of the industry is increasingly “unbundled,” with consumers choosing only the services they actually need instead of paying for full-service representation by default.

Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:

Ownli removes agents and replaces them with software-driven transaction tools.

The platform charges flat fees instead of percentage-based commissions.

O’Shaughnessy says consumers are questioning traditional commission structures.

Ownli  launched nationally with access to more than 500,000 listings.

The company believes the future of real estate is “unbundled.”

Related to this episode:

Blake O'Shaughnessy's LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/in/blakeo/

Ownli

https://myownli.com/