FAQs
FAQs
FAQs
Answers to common questions about Shay and self-representation.
Answers to common questions about Shay and self-representation.
Answers to common questions about Shay and self-representation.
Create Free Account
What is Shay?
Shay is a software platform that helps home buyers represent themselves in a real estate transaction as opposed to working with a traditional real estate agent. When a user creates an account, Shay creates a customized task list that outlines all the steps they need to take to purchase a house–from securing financing to completing the close. With Shay, users are able to access over 20 different homebuying guides and advanced tools that leverage AI to help them with some of the trickier processes, like generating offers or preparing for negotiation.
How much does Shay cost?
Shay is free to use for all users. Homebuyers can get a free account and access all of our guides at no cost. To leverage some of our advanced AI-powered tools, users must upgrade to Shay Surge for $500.
Is Shay a real estate agent?
Nope! Shay is not a real estate agent or brokerage. We offer technology that helps homebuyers represent themselves in a real estate transaction.
Do I need a real estate agent to buy a house?
Nope! While homebuyers have traditionally had a real estate agent, it’s never been a requirement to use one. Following the NAR settlement, many homebuyers will be forced to pay directly for their agent, a cost that will be very expensive. Self-represented buyers will stand to benefit by reducing their costs.
What is the NAR settlement and why is it important?
In 2023, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) and many of the large brokerages were found liable for anti-competitive behavior related to commission sharing that was common throughout the industry. Previously, it was common practice for sellers to cover the commission fees for the buyer’s agent and these sellers were forced to advertise how much they were willing to cover on the databases that realtors used to share new home listings. Following the settlement stemming from the lawsuit, sellers are no longer forced to advertise or commit to offering this cooperative compensation. As a result, we are seeing many sellers refuse to cover the homebuyer’s commission. Homebuyers working with an agent will need to prepare to pay for their agent’s commissions directly without relying on the seller to cover these fees.
What does Shay include?
Shay is a technology platform that helps homebuyers self-represent themselves in a real estate transaction. We offer the following solutions: Personalized Tasks: When you first login to Shay, we will ask you a few questions to understand more about your homebuying journey and will personalize a list of tasks that walk you through every step needed to buy a home successfully. Comprehensive Guides: We have over 20 different guides that cover various topics that are related to your homebuying journey. We want to make sure you understand everything that you need to know and are confident throughout the process! AI-Powered Tools: We leverage AI-powered tools to help equip you with the tools to replicate some of the work traditionally done by an agent. These include offer generation, local due diligence, negotiation scripting, and agreement review functionality.
Where can I use Shay?
Shay is available in all 50 states.
Do I need to sign a Buyer Representation Agreement to use Shay?
No. Shay is not a real estate agent or broker. We enable you to self-represent yourself in a transaction and do not require a Buyer Representation Agreement.
Why does Shay encourage me to use a lawyer?
When buying a house and drafting legal documents, it’s critical that you make sure you are protected. We recommend that all homebuyers (whether using an agent or not) use a lawyer to review final legal documents. In fact, in some states, lawyers are required to be involved in the transaction close.
Can I use Shay and still use a realtor?
While Shay is designed to support self-represented buyers, many buyers using a realtor still find Shay’s platform valuable in helping them navigate the homebuying process.
If I use Shay but later decide I want to use a realtor, can I still use one?
While we would be sad your experience didn’t live up to our standards, you can always engage a realtor at any time. There’s no harm in trying Shay and moving onto traditional representation models if it turns out Shay or self-representation isn’t for you.
How much does my home budget need to use Shay?
Anyone can benefit from using Shay! Whether you are buying your first starter house or a $5M+ home, Shay can help you save tens of thousands.
What is Shay?
Shay is a software platform that helps home buyers represent themselves in a real estate transaction as opposed to working with a traditional real estate agent. When a user creates an account, Shay creates a customized task list that outlines all the steps they need to take to purchase a house–from securing financing to completing the close. With Shay, users are able to access over 20 different homebuying guides and advanced tools that leverage AI to help them with some of the trickier processes, like generating offers or preparing for negotiation.
How much does Shay cost?
Shay is free to use for all users. Homebuyers can get a free account and access all of our guides at no cost. To leverage some of our advanced AI-powered tools, users must upgrade to Shay Surge for $500.
Is Shay a real estate agent?
Nope! Shay is not a real estate agent or brokerage. We offer technology that helps homebuyers represent themselves in a real estate transaction.
Do I need a real estate agent to buy a house?
Nope! While homebuyers have traditionally had a real estate agent, it’s never been a requirement to use one. Following the NAR settlement, many homebuyers will be forced to pay directly for their agent, a cost that will be very expensive. Self-represented buyers will stand to benefit by reducing their costs.
What is the NAR settlement and why is it important?
In 2023, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) and many of the large brokerages were found liable for anti-competitive behavior related to commission sharing that was common throughout the industry. Previously, it was common practice for sellers to cover the commission fees for the buyer’s agent and these sellers were forced to advertise how much they were willing to cover on the databases that realtors used to share new home listings. Following the settlement stemming from the lawsuit, sellers are no longer forced to advertise or commit to offering this cooperative compensation. As a result, we are seeing many sellers refuse to cover the homebuyer’s commission. Homebuyers working with an agent will need to prepare to pay for their agent’s commissions directly without relying on the seller to cover these fees.
What does Shay include?
Shay is a technology platform that helps homebuyers self-represent themselves in a real estate transaction. We offer the following solutions: Personalized Tasks: When you first login to Shay, we will ask you a few questions to understand more about your homebuying journey and will personalize a list of tasks that walk you through every step needed to buy a home successfully. Comprehensive Guides: We have over 20 different guides that cover various topics that are related to your homebuying journey. We want to make sure you understand everything that you need to know and are confident throughout the process! AI-Powered Tools: We leverage AI-powered tools to help equip you with the tools to replicate some of the work traditionally done by an agent. These include offer generation, local due diligence, negotiation scripting, and agreement review functionality.
Where can I use Shay?
Shay is available in all 50 states.
Do I need to sign a Buyer Representation Agreement to use Shay?
No. Shay is not a real estate agent or broker. We enable you to self-represent yourself in a transaction and do not require a Buyer Representation Agreement.
Why does Shay encourage me to use a lawyer?
When buying a house and drafting legal documents, it’s critical that you make sure you are protected. We recommend that all homebuyers (whether using an agent or not) use a lawyer to review final legal documents. In fact, in some states, lawyers are required to be involved in the transaction close.
Can I use Shay and still use a realtor?
While Shay is designed to support self-represented buyers, many buyers using a realtor still find Shay’s platform valuable in helping them navigate the homebuying process.
If I use Shay but later decide I want to use a realtor, can I still use one?
While we would be sad your experience didn’t live up to our standards, you can always engage a realtor at any time. There’s no harm in trying Shay and moving onto traditional representation models if it turns out Shay or self-representation isn’t for you.
How much does my home budget need to use Shay?
Anyone can benefit from using Shay! Whether you are buying your first starter house or a $5M+ home, Shay can help you save tens of thousands.
What is Shay?
Shay is a software platform that helps home buyers represent themselves in a real estate transaction as opposed to working with a traditional real estate agent. When a user creates an account, Shay creates a customized task list that outlines all the steps they need to take to purchase a house–from securing financing to completing the close. With Shay, users are able to access over 20 different homebuying guides and advanced tools that leverage AI to help them with some of the trickier processes, like generating offers or preparing for negotiation.
How much does Shay cost?
Shay is free to use for all users. Homebuyers can get a free account and access all of our guides at no cost. To leverage some of our advanced AI-powered tools, users must upgrade to Shay Surge for $500.
Is Shay a real estate agent?
Nope! Shay is not a real estate agent or brokerage. We offer technology that helps homebuyers represent themselves in a real estate transaction.
Do I need a real estate agent to buy a house?
Nope! While homebuyers have traditionally had a real estate agent, it’s never been a requirement to use one. Following the NAR settlement, many homebuyers will be forced to pay directly for their agent, a cost that will be very expensive. Self-represented buyers will stand to benefit by reducing their costs.
What is the NAR settlement and why is it important?
In 2023, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) and many of the large brokerages were found liable for anti-competitive behavior related to commission sharing that was common throughout the industry. Previously, it was common practice for sellers to cover the commission fees for the buyer’s agent and these sellers were forced to advertise how much they were willing to cover on the databases that realtors used to share new home listings. Following the settlement stemming from the lawsuit, sellers are no longer forced to advertise or commit to offering this cooperative compensation. As a result, we are seeing many sellers refuse to cover the homebuyer’s commission. Homebuyers working with an agent will need to prepare to pay for their agent’s commissions directly without relying on the seller to cover these fees.
What does Shay include?
Shay is a technology platform that helps homebuyers self-represent themselves in a real estate transaction. We offer the following solutions: Personalized Tasks: When you first login to Shay, we will ask you a few questions to understand more about your homebuying journey and will personalize a list of tasks that walk you through every step needed to buy a home successfully. Comprehensive Guides: We have over 20 different guides that cover various topics that are related to your homebuying journey. We want to make sure you understand everything that you need to know and are confident throughout the process! AI-Powered Tools: We leverage AI-powered tools to help equip you with the tools to replicate some of the work traditionally done by an agent. These include offer generation, local due diligence, negotiation scripting, and agreement review functionality.
Where can I use Shay?
Shay is available in all 50 states.
Do I need to sign a Buyer Representation Agreement to use Shay?
No. Shay is not a real estate agent or broker. We enable you to self-represent yourself in a transaction and do not require a Buyer Representation Agreement.
Why does Shay encourage me to use a lawyer?
When buying a house and drafting legal documents, it’s critical that you make sure you are protected. We recommend that all homebuyers (whether using an agent or not) use a lawyer to review final legal documents. In fact, in some states, lawyers are required to be involved in the transaction close.
Can I use Shay and still use a realtor?
While Shay is designed to support self-represented buyers, many buyers using a realtor still find Shay’s platform valuable in helping them navigate the homebuying process.
If I use Shay but later decide I want to use a realtor, can I still use one?
While we would be sad your experience didn’t live up to our standards, you can always engage a realtor at any time. There’s no harm in trying Shay and moving onto traditional representation models if it turns out Shay or self-representation isn’t for you.
How much does my home budget need to use Shay?
Anyone can benefit from using Shay! Whether you are buying your first starter house or a $5M+ home, Shay can help you save tens of thousands.