Door County Deals · Payment

Paying with Zelle

We use Zelle to keep payments simple and direct, with no card processing fees. Here's how it works and why we do a small test first.

What is Zelle?

Zelle is a free way to send money directly between U.S. bank accounts, usually within minutes. It's built into most major banking apps (Chase, Bank of America, Wells Fargo, and many more), so there's nothing extra to download — you send to an email address or U.S. mobile number from the bank app you already use.

Where to send

For your security, we don't post the Zelle address publicly. The owner will send you the exact Zelle address by email once your offer is accepted, so you're always paying the address that came directly from them.

The $1 test first

When an offer is accepted, you'll be asked to send $1 first. This is a deliberate safety step: it confirms the Zelle address is entered correctly before any real money moves. If the address were mistyped, a $1 mistake is easy to sort out — a full payment to the wrong place is not. Once the $1 is confirmed, you send the rest.

Step by step

Once your offer is accepted, the owner emails you the Zelle address.
Open your bank's app and find Zelle (often under "Send money" or "Payments").
Send $1 to that address as a quick test.
The owner confirms by email that it arrived.
Send the remaining balance of your agreed offer the same way.
Closer to arrival, the owner sends a final balance email for any pet fee and 13.5% tax.

Good to know

Zelle has no standalone app — do not download a "Zelle" app. Zelle is built into your own bank's app; that's the only place you use it. You can read more at zelle.com/get-started.
Your dates are not reserved until payment is received and confirmed.
Zelle payments are typically instant but can take a little longer the first time you send to a new recipient.
Prefer another method? Other payment types add 5% to the total.

Have a question about payment? Add it to the message box when you submit your offer, and the owner will answer by email.

There is no obligation on anyone to accept an offer, and no agreement exists until payment is made. Door County Deals charges no fee and is not a party to any transaction — it simply puts you in direct contact with the property owner.

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