Real Estate Insiders Unfiltered Will AI Replace Realtors? Flat Fees, UBI & The Future Debate
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Mar 2, 2026 Jon Minerick, Marine veteran-turned-technologist and CEO of HomeCoin, outlines his flat-fee a la carte MLS model and why many proptech firms failed. He talks about who uses flat-fee listings, HomeCoin’s hourly agent approach, and the AI features they are building. The conversation widens to AI’s role from pricing to contract-to-close and the societal questions around automation and UBI.
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Flat Fee MLS With A La Carte Services
- Jon Minerick runs an a la carte flat-fee MLS model that lists sellers on MLS and sells add-ons like lockboxes and hourly agent help.
- Core offer: MLS listing for about $150 plus optional services; Jon operates as broker in 36 states and wraps listings with software automation.
5,000 Listings Last Year Came Mostly From Investors
- Jon says HomeCoin handled just over 5,000 listings last year and most clients are investors, builders, or experienced sellers rather than true FSBOs.
- He notes many customers use only MLS exposure while experienced flippers and builders repeatedly rely on their platform for frequency-driven needs.
Stop Treating Flat Fee Firms As Your Direct Competitor
- Agents should stop seeing flat-fee services as their primary competitor and instead compete with nearby agents in their office for full-service clients.
- Jon: flat-fee firms mainly compete with FSBOs and frequent sellers, so ask a flat-fee operator about their client type before panicking.
