Retiree Saves $16,000 Selling Colorado Condo with AI Platform Ridley

Lorraine Schwarz, a 70-year-old retiree, successfully sold her two-bedroom condo in Westminster, Colorado, in October 2025. Instead of engaging a traditional real estate agent, Schwarz utilized Ridley, an AI-powered online platform, for the transaction. This approach allowed her to save approximately $16,000 in commission fees.

Schwarz has a long history of buying and selling properties, including a co-op in Park Slope, Brooklyn; two houses in Westchester, New York; a house in Madison, Wisconsin; and another property built in Colorado before acquiring her condo. Throughout these experiences, she developed a strong dislike for paying real estate commissions and felt confident in her ability to manage the selling process herself, including property pricing based on comparable sales.

She described the traditional real estate sector as lagging in technological advancement compared to industries like finance, where transaction costs have significantly decreased. Schwarz believes the internet has transformed how individuals search for homes, reducing the need for extensive agent-led tours and empowering sellers with more information.

Ridley, founded by Mike Chambers, is designed to help homeowners sell their properties without incurring traditional agent commissions. The platform facilitates listing properties on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), which in turn ensures visibility on major real estate websites such as Zillow and Redfin. Schwarz noted that Ridley's pricing guidance for her condo was accurate and aligned with her own assessments.

According to Business Insider, Schwarz's experience highlights an alternative approach to real estate transactions, leveraging technology to reduce costs for sellers.