What a flat fee saves in Birmingham (September 2026)
By Caroline McMeans · Updated September 6, 2026
In Birmingham, AL, the median home sold for $332,750 over the trailing 90 days — a traditional 3% listing commission would run $9,983, while Homepoint's flat $5,000 fee saves sellers $4,983.
| Metric | Birmingham |
|---|---|
| Median sold price (trailing 90 days) | $332,750 |
| Homes sold | 3,372 |
| Median days on market | 58 |
| Traditional 3% commission | $9,983 |
| Homepoint flat fee | $5,000 |
| Savings | $4,983 |
| Average real savings across 23 closed Homepoint deals in AL | $7,335 |
Method: Based on homes sold in Birmingham in the last 90 days, as of 2026-09-06. Figures use the median, not the average, for sold price and days on market, so a handful of unusually high or low sales can't skew the number.
What this means for sellers
If you list a home near Birmingham's current median of $332,750, a traditional agent charging a 3% listing-side commission would cost about $9,983. Homepoint charges a flat $5,000 at closing regardless of price, for the same full-service support — MLS listing, professional photography, marketing, negotiation, and closing coordination. That's $4,983 that stays with you instead of going to commission.
What this means for buyers
A traditional buyer's-side commission is baked into the price of a home whether or not you negotiate it separately — on a $332,750 home in Birmingham, that's roughly $9,983 at a typical 3% rate. Homepoint's buyer pricing starts at $5,000, and the difference doesn't disappear — it becomes buying power you can put toward your offer, rate buydown, or closing costs. (This is buying power, not a rebate — the exact figure depends on your transaction.)
Birmingham neighborhood guides
Is there more incentive in new construction right now?
New construction was 15% of sales in Birmingham over the trailing 12 months, at a median $365,965 versus $311,750 for resale.
What builders are advertising most
Preferred lender incentive (5.2% of active listings): An extra credit or rate discount available only if you finance through the builder's in-house or preferred lender — which can also mean not shopping your loan against other lenders for a better overall deal.
General incentive (4.8% of active listings): A catch-all term builders use for any concession bundled into the deal — could be a rate buydown, a closing credit, or something else entirely. Worth asking exactly what it means before treating it as a discount.
Closing cost credit (3.1% of active listings): A credit toward the cash you bring to closing — title fees, lender fees, prepaid taxes and insurance. It reduces what you need up front, not your purchase price or your monthly payment.
Homepoint's buying power works out to $4,353 on the median resale price and $5,979 on the median new-construction price (when the builder pays a buyer-agent commission, which isn't guaranteed on every community). On new construction, it stacks on top of whatever incentive the builder is separately advertising — it doesn't replace it.
New construction runs about 17% above resale in Birmingham, and incentive mentions aren't common enough here to assume one will close that gap.
See the full Birmingham new construction vs resale comparison