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Edited by Kristen Klempert
Written by Dennis Shirshikov
Edited by Kristen Klempert
Top Pennsylvania flat-fee MLS companies | Best for a stress-free sale | Best for homes likely to sell quickly | Best for showcasing your house | Other alternatives | Frequently asked questions
In a typical Pennsylvania home sale, a seller hires a real estate agent to list a property. As part of this process, the agent adds the home to the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), which is the largest and most comprehensive local database of properties for sale. Agents also market the property in other ways, arrange showings, negotiate with buyers, and help get the home sold.
Sellers pay handsomely for these services. A Pennsylvania homeowner can expect to pay a 6% commission split between a listing agent and buyer’s agent.
Some homeowners who don’t want to pay these high fees will attempt to sell without a realtor. While this can save money on a listing agent’s commission, you’ll likely still have to pay a buyer’s agent. You’ll also need to take care of all the tasks an agent would normally handle like marketing, showing, and negotiating.
If you want to avoid overpaying for realtor fees but still want hands-on support from your agent, we recommend checking out Clever Real Estate. Clever negotiates flat 1.5% listing fees with top Pennsylvania agents from trusted brands like Keller Williams and RE/MAX. You’ll get guaranteed full service from a great local agent, but pay a fraction of the typical price.
💰 Find top local agents, get a flat 1.5% listing fee now!
Who are Pennsylvania flat fee MLS listings best for?
Flat fee MLS listing services are best for home sellers who have lots of experience with real estate transactions and are comfortable selling without a realtor. You’ll need to be confident that you can handle almost every aspect of the sale that a real estate agent would typically take care of.
If you’re determined to list your house “for sale by owner,” it’s worth investing in a basic flat fee MLS listing. This ensures that as many buyers see your listing as possible.
But selling your home without a realtor is a big time and work commitment. You’ll have to handle a lot of tasks, including pricing, listing descriptions, photography, marketing, showings, and negotiations. And remember that even though you won’t pay a traditional listing fee, you’ll still probably be on the hook for the buyer’s agent commission, which typically runs between 2-3%.
The average Pennsylvania home seller is better off working with a flat fee real estate agent or discount realtor who charges reduced listing fees but still offers the same basic services and support as a typical realtor. You’ll still save thousands of dollars on realtor fees, but you’ll avoid the hassle and frustration of trying to sell by owner.
Top 3 Pennsylvania flat fee MLS listing companies
This gets tricky when it comes to putting your property into the local MLS, because individuals can’t just add a home to it. The good news is, a flat-fee MLS service can get your home into this database for a small fee. Here are three of the top flat-fee MLS services in Pennsylvania that you may want to consider working with.
Top Flat-Fee MLS Companies in Pennsylvania
🥇 Simple Choice Realty: Best for a stress-free sale
🥈 XFlatFeeMLS: Best for homes likely to sell quickly
🥉 Houzeo: Best for showcasing your property
| Simple Choice Realty | XFlatFeeMLS | Houzeo | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $399-$1,999 | $69-$189 | $249-$1,099 |
| Number of Photos | 25 | 6 | 6 to Max Allowed |
| MLS Listing | 6 months | 1 month to Until Sold | 3 months to Until Sold |
| Pricing Assistance | ❌ | ❌ | 💰 |
| Negotiation Support | 💰 | ❌ | ❌ |
| Yard Sign | ✅ | 💰 | 💰 |
| Open Houses | ✅ | 💰 | ❌ |
Worried about selling your house on your own? Our friends at Clever can connect you with a full-service agent and save you thousands. Find out more!
🥇 Simple Choice Realty: Best for a stress-free sale
Sellers looking for solid customer service, unlimited listing changes, and a timely listing can find it with Simple Choice Realty. Past reviewers described the company as extremely responsive and indicated they received top-notch support by phone, text, and email.
Simple Choice Realty’s packages
| Package | Price | Professional Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| MLS Listing Only | $399 | With this package can list your property for six months and include 25 photos on the MLS. Most sellers find this provides plenty of time to find a buyer — especially since you can change your listing at any time as needed if you aren’t seeing much interest. |
| Contract Review | $699 | This package includes 1 contract review, which can be extremely important. But know if your sale is complicated or goes through several rounds of counteroffers, each additional review costs $100. |
| Negotiations Assistance | $1,999 | This package is a costly one. However, it includes comprehensive support throughout your sale, including negotiation help and assistance with inspections and property settlement. Sellers who need more hand-holding will find this to be a bargain given the level of assistance they receive |
Other considerations about Simple Choice Realty
- Some a la carte services available
- It costs $25 to include your contact information on your Zillow listing
Whether you just need a basic package or more assistance, Simple Choice Realty has created an easy process to help you list and sell your home.
🥈 XFlatFeeMLS: Best for homes likely to sell quickly
If you expect your home will sell quickly, you’ll appreciate that XFlatFeeMLS differentiate their packages based on the length of the listing term. Pricing is also extremely affordable, and XFlatFeeMLS promises to beat competitor pricing by 10%.
For sellers strapped for cash, the ability to pay part of your fees at closing is also beneficial, although exercising this option comes at an additional cost.
XFlatFeeMLS’s packages
| Package | Price | Professional Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 month | $69 | This package only offers 6 photos and only lasts for 1 month. Unless you're in a hot market, this probably won't be enough time to find a buyer. |
| 6 months | $99 | Includes all the same features and service as the basic package, but for 6 months, which is a more realistic timeframe. |
| 12 months | $139 | If you're in a colder market or an inexperienced seller, you could benefit from the longer listing term of this package. |
| Until sold | $189 | This package is best for hard-to-sell homes that could take more than a year to find a buyer. |
Other considerations about XFlatFeeMLS
- A la carte services are available
- Prices and services can vary across Pennsylvania
If your house is in a hot market, you can get the essential services you need for an extremely affordable price with XFlatFeeMLS
🥉 Houzeo: Best for showcasing your property
Houzeo makes it easy to list your property as it can autofill some of the information once you’ve entered your address. A simple-to-use online dashboard allows you to quickly and conveniently get your property onto the MLS. You’ll also have your choice of affordable packages, most of which include 2D and 3D tours to help show off your home’s best features.
Houzeo’s packages
| Package | Price | Professional Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| Bronze | $249 | While this package is affordable, it limits you to six pictures. That’s not enough to attract buyers. You’ll also be charged $25 for any listing changes. |
| Silver | $329 | This 6-month package will be a good fit for most sellers. You’ll also be able to attract more buyers with the 24 included photos and the option to add a 2D or 3D tour. |
| Gold | $399 | This package adds access to seller disclosure forms, which the Silver package doesn’t provide. However, those forms can be obtained free online from other sources and are likely not worth the extra money. |
| Platinum | $499+$600 at closing | While more expensive, this package may be worth it for sellers looking for more support. A broker will review your sales contract, and you’ll also get access to ShowingTime to automate showing scheduling. If your home could take longer to sell, you’ll also appreciate that the listing lasts as long as it takes to sell your house. |
Other considerations about Houzeo
- With the Silver, Gold, and Platinum packages, the first 10 listing changes are free. After that, each change costs $25.
If your house is in a competitive market, the virtual tours included with all of Houzeo’s packages can help your listing to stand out.
Alternatives to flat-fee MLS companies in Pennsylvania
Working with a flat-fee MLS company is not the right move for every home seller. If you’re worried about all the responsibility you’ll need to take on to list your house, you might want to consider other options. Otherwise, your home might sell for significantly less, or not at all.
Another way to save money on listing commissions is by hiring a discount agent. These realtors are full-service but work for a reduced rate, typically 1.5-2% (plus a buyer’s agent commission). Compared to working with a traditional agent, you’ll still save money but won’t have to deal with the stress of selling your house on your own.
Want to save money selling your home, but want more support than a flat-fee MLS company will offer? We can’t recommend Clever Real Estate enough. Learn more about their agent-matching service and 1.5% commission savings now!
FAQs about flat-fee MLS companies in Pennsylvania
What is the best flat-fee MLS provider in Pennsylvania?
Simple Choice Realty is one of the best flat-fee MLS providers in Pennsylvania because it's highly rated and provides great support at affordable rates. However, there are some downsides to its services that all flat-fee MLS providers share. Read our complete guide to flat-fee MLS services to learn more about it.
How much do flat-fee MLS services cost in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania flat-fee MLS services can cost as little as $100 for a basic package and go as high as $2,000 for more comprehensive packages. Sellers that want more support, but still want to save money, should consider working with a full-service discount agent instead. See how discount real estate companies compare with flat-fee MLS services.
Are flat-fee MLS companies in Pennsylvania worth it?
Yes, working with a flat-fee MLS company such as Simple Choice Realty or XFlatFeeMLS can be worth it, if all you want is to list your property on the MLS. However, For Sale By Owner (FSBO) properties often sell for less than those sold with the help of an agent, which is why working with a 1% agent can be a better choice. Learn more about 1% commission realtors in Pennsylvania.
What is a flat-fee MLS company?
A flat-fee MLS company helps home sellers who don’t have a real estate agent representing them. Only real estate agents can list properties on the MLS, so those who decide to work without an agent need to work with a flat-fee MLS company to ensure their property is seen by the widest pool of potential buyers.
Having your home listed on the local MLS is essential because real estate agents rely on these databases to find properties, and online websites buyers use to search for homes als pull their data from them.
How do I tell if a flat-fee MLS company is legit?
There are two primary sources of information you can rely on to determine if a flat-fee MLS company is legitimate. The first is the contract the company provides and the second is reviews from past clients.
The contract can help you determine if there are any hidden fees, which is a common complaint from sellers who use unscrupulous services. Past reviews can help you to determine if the service was professional and responsive. If most past clients have had issues with a flat-fee MLS service, chances are good the same problems could occur in your sale.
Do you need to pay a buyer’s agent commission with flat-fee MLS?
In a traditional real estate sale, a seller pays a commission of 2.5% to 3.0% to a buyer’s agent. Most home buyers are represented by agents, who expect to be paid the customary fees.
As a result, if you are unwilling to offer a commission, you would need to find a buyer who doesn’t have an agent or who is willing to pay their agent’s commission themselves. This would be difficult since most buyers have agents and it’s not customary for buyers to pay agent’s directly.
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