About Commonplace
1. What is Commonplace and how does it work for selling a car?
Commonplace is a managed resale marketplace that handles the hard parts of selling a car privately: finding buyers, negotiating, verifying ownership, managing payment, and transporting the vehicle to the buyer. You list your car for free, Commonplace does the rest, and you never have to meet a stranger in a parking lot or hand your keys to someone you found on the internet.
2. Is Commonplace available in my state?
Yes. Commonplace operates nationwide across all 50 states. A seller in Miami can sell to a buyer in Phoenix without either party arranging logistics. Commonplace handles transport from pickup to delivery, anywhere in the country.
3. How much does it cost to list my car on Commonplace?
Listing is completely free and there is no obligation until you accept an offer. Commonplace charges a fee at the time of sale, which comes out of the proceeds. If you want broader exposure, there is an optional promotion for 2% of the listing price that distributes your listing across Google, Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, and OfferUp, reaching buyers up to 1,000 miles away.
4. How long does it take to sell a car on Commonplace?
It depends on the pricing and condition of your vehicle. Some cars sell the same day. Others take up to a month. Vehicles priced accurately for their condition and mileage tend to move fastest. Commonplace handles all buyer communication in the meantime, so the wait requires no effort on your part.
5. What happens after I create a listing?
Commonplace verifies your ownership against the title, runs a Carfax report on the vehicle, and begins handling all incoming buyer inquiries on your behalf. You only hear from Commonplace when there is an offer worth reviewing. Everything in between is managed by the team.
Pricing and Value
6. Will I get a better price selling through Commonplace than a dealership?
Almost certainly yes, and often by a significant margin. When you sell to a dealership, they buy your car at wholesale and resell it at retail. That spread can be $8,000 to $10,000 on a single vehicle. Commonplace never takes ownership of your car, which means that spread stays between you and the buyer instead of going to a middleman. A car worth $20,000 on the open market might fetch $12,000 from a dealer. On Commonplace, that same car negotiates between real people and typically closes much closer to its actual value.
7. How does Commonplace compare to CarMax or Carvana on price?
CarMax and Carvana make instant offers, which sounds convenient until you see the number. Their business model depends on buying low and selling high. The offer you receive reflects wholesale value, not what your car is actually worth to a private buyer. Commonplace connects you with real buyers paying real market prices, with all the safety and logistics that make a private sale actually workable.
8. How much does Commonplace charge?
Commonplace charges a tiered fee based on the sale price, taken from proceeds at the time of sale:
- 20% for vehicles that sell under $20,000
- 15% for vehicles that sell between $20,000 and $50,000
- 10% for vehicles that sell over $50,000
Even after the fee, most sellers net more than they would from a dealer or instant-offer service, because the starting price is set by the actual market rather than a wholesale algorithm. On a $20,000 car, a dealer might offer $12,000 and keep everything above that. On Commonplace, that same car might negotiate to $17,000, and after a 15% fee the seller walks away with $14,450. That is still more money, with none of the hassle.
9. Can I set my own asking price?
Yes. You set the listing price and Commonplace brings you offers from real buyers. You decide whether to accept, counter, or decline. No offer is binding until you agree to it.
10. What happens if I don’t like the offer I receive?
You are under no obligation to accept any offer. Your listing stays active until you accept a deal you are satisfied with. Commonplace will continue handling inquiries and bringing you new offers in the meantime.
Payment and Security
11. How do I get paid when I sell my car on Commonplace?
Once you accept an offer, the buyer pays the full purchase amount into a Commonplace escrow account. Funds are held securely during transport and released to you once the vehicle is delivered and received by the buyer. Payment is sent via wire transfer or bank transfer directly to your account.
12. Is it safe to sell my car through Commonplace?
Yes, and meaningfully safer than any private sale platform. You never meet the buyer in person. All communication goes through Commonplace. Payment is held in escrow before the car moves anywhere. Ownership is verified before the listing goes live. The risks that make Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist car sales uncomfortable, including scams, fake payments, and strangers at your home, are removed from the process entirely.
13. How does the escrow process work?
After you accept an offer, the buyer deposits the full purchase amount into a Commonplace escrow account before the vehicle is picked up. Commonplace holds those funds securely throughout the transport process and releases them to the seller once the buyer confirms delivery. Neither party can access the funds during transit, which protects both sides.
14. When exactly do I receive my money?
Upon confirmed delivery of the vehicle to the buyer. Once delivery is confirmed, Commonplace releases the escrowed funds to you via wire or bank transfer.
15. What payment methods are accepted from buyers?
All buyer payments go through the Commonplace escrow system. Sellers receive their proceeds via wire transfer or bank transfer. There is no cash, no Venmo, no personal checks, and no exposure to the payment fraud that is common in private car sales.
Vehicle Eligibility
16. What types of cars does Commonplace accept?
Commonplace accepts sedans, SUVs, trucks, luxury and exotic cars, and classic or vintage vehicles, provided they have 100,000 miles or fewer on the odometer.
17. Does Commonplace accept cars with over 100,000 miles?
No. Commonplace only accepts vehicles with 100,000 miles or fewer. This threshold protects buyers and maintains the quality standard that makes Commonplace listings more trustworthy than a typical private sale post.
18. Can I sell a car that still has a loan on it?
Yes. This is one of the situations where Commonplace adds the most value. Once the buyer completes the escrow payment, Commonplace pays off the outstanding loan directly to the lienholder. The bank releases the title, which is then shipped to the buyer via FedEx with tracking and signature required. The remaining proceeds after the loan payoff and Commonplace fee come to you. You do not need to pay off the loan out of pocket first or coordinate between a lender and a buyer on your own.
19. Can I sell a leased vehicle through Commonplace?
Yes. Commonplace can buy out the lease from the bank or financing company as part of the transaction. The process is similar to selling a car with a loan: the buyer completes escrow payment, Commonplace handles the lease buyout, and the title is transferred to the buyer. If you are in a lease and want to exit it while getting fair market value for the vehicle, this is one of the cleaner ways to do it.
20. Does my car need to be in perfect condition to list?
No. Commonplace accepts vehicles in a range of conditions. What matters is that the condition is accurately represented. Every vehicle is thoroughly inspected by Commonplace at the time of pickup, so the condition will be documented regardless. Accurate listings close faster and generate fewer disputes, so it is in the seller’s interest to be straightforward about any issues upfront.
Logistics and Transport
21. Do I need to deliver the car to the buyer myself?
No. Commonplace picks up the vehicle from your location on a trailer and delivers it directly to the buyer. You do not arrange transport, hire a shipper, or coordinate with the buyer about logistics. That is handled entirely by Commonplace.
22. Can I sell my car to someone in another state?
Yes. Commonplace’s transport is fully nationwide. Geography is not a limitation. Your listing reaches buyers across the country, and Commonplace handles delivery regardless of the distance between seller and buyer.
23. How does Commonplace transport the vehicle?
Commonplace picks up the vehicle on a trailer from the seller’s location. The car is transported enclosed or open depending on the vehicle type and distance, and delivered directly to the buyer’s location. The vehicle is thoroughly inspected by Commonplace at the time of pickup, before transport begins.
24. Do I need to be present when the car is picked up?
Yes. The seller must be present at pickup. This is required for the handoff, the inspection, and to confirm the condition of the vehicle before it leaves your possession.
25. How long does delivery take once a deal is agreed?
Delivery typically takes 3 to 7 days from the time the vehicle is picked up, depending on the distance between the seller and buyer. Commonplace will provide tracking and timeline information once transport is underway.
Paperwork and Legal
26. How does the title transfer work?
The title is shipped directly from the seller to the buyer via FedEx with tracking and signature required. Keeping the title separate from the vehicle during transport creates a clean paper trail and ensures the legal document only changes hands once the transaction is fully settled. If there is a loan or lease on the vehicle, the title is released by the bank or financing company after Commonplace pays off the lien, and then shipped directly to the buyer.
27. What do I need to have ready before listing?
You will need the vehicle title, a valid photo ID that matches the name on the title, a few clear photos of the vehicle, and basic details including make, model, year, mileage, and an honest description of condition. That is all that is required to get a listing live.
28. Does Commonplace handle the DMV paperwork?
Commonplace coordinates the title transfer between seller and buyer. DMV registration and any related state paperwork remains the responsibility of the buyer and seller, as it does in any private vehicle sale. Requirements vary by state, and Commonplace can guide you on what is needed for your specific situation.
29. What verification does Commonplace require from sellers?
Commonplace verifies that the seller’s identity matches the name on the title, confirming legal ownership of the vehicle before the listing goes live. This protects buyers from fraud and gives Commonplace listings a level of credibility that no self-reported Marketplace post can match.
30. What is a Carfax check and why does Commonplace run one?
A Carfax report pulls the full documented history of a vehicle: accidents, previous ownership, service records, odometer readings, and title status. Commonplace runs a Carfax on every listed vehicle so buyers have verified information rather than relying solely on a seller’s description. It protects both parties, reduces back-and-forth during negotiation, and tends to support stronger and faster offers since buyers have less uncertainty to price in.
The Bottom Line
Every other way to sell a car asks you to choose between convenience and value. Dealers and instant-offer services are easy but pay you wholesale. Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist let you set your own price but put all the risk, friction, and logistics on you.
Commonplace is the first option that offers both. You set the price. Real buyers compete for your vehicle. Commonplace handles everything else: verification, communication, escrow, transport, and title transfer. You get paid fairly, safely, and without meeting a single stranger.
List your car on Commonplace for free
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