Are you ready to sign your life away? Even though many people associate homeownership with success, the actual process of buying a house can be brutal. And selling a house can be even more of an ordeal than buying. You have to deal with all of the stress, paperwork, low-ball offers, more stress, disclosures, and, to top it all off, a 6 percent fee for your agent. A startup company named Houzeo is aiming to automate this process and make it digital wherever possible, therefore making it easier and cheaper for people to sell their own homes.
The 6 percent agent fee can add up to almost $15,000 for a home at the median list price of $245,000, according to data from Zillow. Because of this cost, roughly one in four sellers are choosing to go the “for sale by owner” route. Houzeo is targeting this market — people who want to sell their homes without paying an arm and a leg in commission fees.
While some of its services are available free of charge, the startup charges $399, plus an additional “success fee” of $599. These fees do not include costs for things like photographers, attorneys, escrow companies, and title companies, as they may bill for their charges separately.
Houzeo breaks the home-selling process into six steps:
Automating as many steps as possible, and having the seller complete other steps digitally, makes the process easier and more cost effective. Also, by having a platform where the seller follows along with each step, and constantly sees where they are in the process, it eliminates the need for an agent or broker to walk the seller through the process. Houzeo is currently is its beta phase.
Outdoor security cameras are not always practical if you live in an apartment or rental. Drilling into an exterior wall may be off-limits, while pointing a regular indoor camera through a window can create another problem once reflections start showing up after dark.
Baseus is trying to solve both issues with the new PrimeSentinel W1, a $69.99 security camera designed specifically to monitor the outdoors through glass. It mounts directly to a window without drilling and uses a 4K Starlight sensor with an F1.0 aperture for full-color monitoring during the day and at night.
This post is brought to you in paid partnership with Best Buy.
Technology evolves every day, transforming how we live and work. Our devices are becoming more than tools we use. They are increasingly capable companions that help streamline day-to-day routines and spark creative ideas. If you have been waiting for the right moment to upgrade your tech setup, the Discover Samsung Shopping Event offers an opportunity to explore what connected, AI-powered living can look like.
With AI progressing so fast, it's only a matter of time before we start getting AI companions like the ones we used to see in movies like R2-D2, Wall-E, or Baymax. Now, Singapore-based OKA Technology has unveiled Mori, a cute little AI companion that looks less like a conventional home robot and more like someone turned the Pokémon Foongus into a table lamp.
Mori isn't meant to clean your house or control your smart home, but to serve as what OKA calls a "Nature Companion." It uses subtle movements, warm lighting, nature-inspired sounds, and small reactions to make its presence around the house feel calming rather than distracting. Mori can sit quietly while you read, sway along to music, welcome you when you enter a room, or encourage you to slow down for a moment without requiring a screen or a conversation.