Boulder startup Ridley aims to revolutionize home sales with AI
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A screengrab from the Ridley platform. Photo: Courtesy of Ridley
A Boulder entrepreneur who chronicled selling his own house without a real estate agent — and went viral doing it — is launching a startup Tuesday to help others do the same.
Why it matters: Real estate commissions, typically 5%-6%, remain stubbornly high, even after last year's landmark antitrust settlement was supposed to shake up how agents get paid.
Driving the news: Mike Chambers is debuting his AI-fueled agent-free platform Ridley in Colorado.
- He made national headlines earlier this year when he successfully sought to prove he could sell his house without an agent after taking to social media with the handle @realtorshateme to document the DIY process.
- He says most sellers don't need an agent — just the right tools. Ridley aims to be that toolkit.
What he's saying: "The No. 1 mission of this company is to empower consumers to take control of this process on their own and save tens of thousands of dollars in unnecessary fees in the process," Chambers told Axios Denver.
How it works: Ridley's desktop-only platform breaks the home-selling process into stages with checklists, AI guidance and human support. Tools include:
- Pricing guidance using AI that factors in upgrades, defects, features and market data.
- A property page builder for direct offers and showings.
- MLS access via partner brokerages, plus syndication to Zillow, Redfin and Realtor.com.
- A document center with smart pre-filled forms and highlighted explanations.
- A vendor scheduler via Thumbtack for photographers, inspectors and more.
By the numbers: It's $999 for the base service, with add-ons available for MLS access and legal support.
Between the lines: Despite his cheeky Instagram handle, Chambers insists he's not "anti-agent" — just anti-system.
- He's also not naive. He "100%" expects industry backlash.
What's next: Chambers plans to expand Ridley to other states. He's also building out an agent mode for professionals who want to use the same tools or offer à la carte services to sellers who still want a hand.
- Already, Chambers said, more than $30 million worth of homes have been listed on Ridley.