Selling your home without a realtor? Getting your property on the MLS is key to maximizing visibility and attracting serious buyers. As someone who recently sold a condo using a flat fee MLS service—and with a background as a real estate agent—I can tell you firsthand how effective this strategy can be.
I used a flat fee MLS service to sell my Mom's condo and saved nearly $9,000 in commissions compared to traditional agent fees. By listing on the MLS for just $400, I gained exposure on major real estate sites like Zillow and Realtor.com, received multiple showings, and secured an offer that met our target price.
In this guide, I’ll walk you through how to list on the MLS as a for-sale-by-owner (FSBO) seller, share the benefits of MLS listings, and provide insights from my successful flat fee MLS experience.
Looking to sell? Real Estate Witch can help. We offer the reach of the MLS plus expert guidance for just a 1.5% commission—well below the national average of 2.74%. With no upfront fees and the flexibility to change your mind anytime, we provide a low-risk, high-reward solution. Fill out this short quiz to get connected to a top local agent today!
Why listing on the MLS is crucial
According to the National Association of Realtors, 90% of all sellers list on the MLS, making it the top choice for getting the exposure you need.[1] Another study found that in a three-year period (2019-22), 83% of all home sales transactions took place on-MLS and sold for an average of 13.0% more than comparable homes sold off-MLS.[2]
Skipping the MLS when selling your home is like missing your website from the top search engine results. Your visibility and traffic will be drastically reduced.
But, being on the MLS isn’t enough to catch a buyer’s eye. Your listing must stand out, requiring high-quality photos and a compelling description to draw potential buyers. The initial online listing is often the first and last chance to impress a buyer, making the presentation of your home crucial.
This is where the advantage of partnering with a real estate agent becomes clear. An agent can provide the professional touch needed for your listing, from stunning photographs to captivating descriptions.
MLS benefits
The MLS offers significant advantages for home sellers. Once a listing gets on the MLS, it’s shared with local buyer’s agents and broadcast across major real estate websites like Zillow and Realtor.com.
Getting posted on these websites is crucial in today’s market. One study found that every home buyer begins their search online, making the visibility provided by the MLS invaluable.[3]
For sellers, this widespread exposure results in a quicker and more profitable sale, as the listing reaches a vast audience immediately. Buyers benefit too, gaining access to the most current property listings. They can even receive new listings via email the moment they’re posted on the MLS, often before these properties appear on popular websites.
Steps to get listed on the MLS without an agent
Flat fee MLS services are your gateway to placing your home on the MLS, ensuring it gets the attention it deserves from a wide audience.
For a one-time fee ranging from $100 to $1,000, depending on the level of service you choose, these companies will list your home on the MLS on your behalf. Opting for more expensive packages generally means accessing a broader range of services. The most basic options start at around $100.
5 steps to list on the MLS
Here’s how to find and compare flat fee MLS services to pick the best one for your situation.
1. Find a local service. Since MLS databases are regional, search for a flat-fee MLS service in your area. This will ensure that your listing is seen by local buyers and real estate agents.
That’s exactly what I did when selling a condo in Charleston, SC. I found a local agent, Behren Kitrell with Charleston Flat Fee Real Estate, who provided flat fee services at a low cost. This approach allowed me to list the property on the right MLS and reach the right audience, all while keeping my expenses down.
2. Check service offerings. Different services offer varying levels of support during the selling process. It's crucial to understand what's available, as some may provide extensive help, making the process smoother.
3. Consider extra features. Many flat fee MLS services offer extra features to enhance your listing, including:
- Professional photography and 3D tours to showcase your home.
- Comparative market analysis for accurate pricing.
- “For Sale” signs for yard placement.
- Automated services for scheduling showings and minimizing disruptions.
- Marketing help for broader exposure on social media and other home-search websites.
- Negotiation help and help with reviewing legal paperwork upon receiving offers
Remember that while these features can benefit your selling process, they often come at an extra cost beyond the basic listing fee.
4. Analyze packages. Review the packages offered by various flat fee MLS services to determine what's included. Assess your needs carefully. If you opt out of additional services like professional photography or negotiation help, be prepared to handle these aspects yourself.
5. Weigh the costs. Extra services like professional photography, 3D tours, and targeted marketing can enhance your listing's appeal and add to your expenses. As these costs accumulate, the gap between using a flat fee service and hiring a full-service agent may diminish.
This is where a platform like Real Estate Witch comes into play. By offering connections to full-service agents at a discounted commission rate, Real Estate Witch presents a compelling alternative. The value of such a service extends beyond mere savings, providing comprehensive support and expertise that can be crucial for navigating the complexities of selling a home.
For those set on selling FSBO, exploring top-rated flat fee MLS services in your state or area is a good starting point. This research can help you find a service that balances cost savings with the level of support you're comfortable with.
Flat fee MLS listings: Pros and cons
Pros
- Cost savings
- Greater sale control
Cons
- Increased responsibilities
- Lower sale price potential
- You still pay buyer's agent
Pros
Opting for a flat fee MLS listing can lead to big cost savings compared to the standard listing agent commission of 2.74%. With fees for basic listings starting under $100, sellers have a cheaper option at their disposal. In my example, I paid just $400 (instead of 2.5-3%, or roughly $9,000), and I only had to cover the buyer's agent fee (2.5%).
Beyond financial benefits, this method offers sellers greater control over the sale process. It's particularly helpful for those with a buyer lined up or those with prior real estate experience who prefer to oversee their sale, allowing for a more hands-on approach to selling their home.
Cons
Despite its advantages, the flat fee MLS listing approach requires sellers to manage most selling tasks, which can be challenging without a real estate agent's full suite of services. This might result in the property selling for less than it could with professional assistance.
According to the National Association of Realtors, FSBO homes sell for about $55,000 less than agent-assisted sales.[4]
Additionally, while sellers save on the front end by not paying traditional real estate agent commission fees, they often still need to compensate the buyer's agent, which averages 2.58% nationwide and reduce your savings.
🤔 Why do sellers still pay the buyer's agent?
Most buyers still work with their own agents, who help them find homes, arrange visits, and handle negotiations and paperwork. These agents are typically paid a fee for their work, and historically, the fee has been paid by the home seller.
Even though some rules about agent commissions have changed due to the recent NAR settlement, including when and where commission rates are disclosed, the seller paying the buyer’s agent is still a common practice.[5]
This arrangement helps ensure buyers receive the professional assistance they require without any financial burden, which is crucial as they often face significant home-buying expenses like down payments and closing costs.
My flat-fee MLS listing experience
I sold our Mom's vacant, two-bedroom condo in Charleston, SC, in September 2024, and it cost just $400 to list on the MLS. Our only other expenses were house cleaning and purchasing a lockbox ($30) to hold the house key.
Ultimately, I opted for a local MLS service because I wanted personalized support, and my experience confirmed that the decision was right. Behren Kitrell and her service, Charleston Flat Fee Real Estate, were incredibly responsive and professional. They answered all my questions promptly and ensured the property was listed accurately on the right MLS.
The results
I emailed in my own photos and a custom listing description, and then Behren's service pushed the listing live, and later appeared on all the major real estate websites.
Within 10 days, we had three showings and received one offer after I dropped the price by $5,000.
Initially, the offer came in low ($295,000), but after some negotiation, we accepted a final offer that met our target ($320,000), with some concessions ($8,000, or 2.5% of the sale price), which covers the buyer's agent fee. So, our only real estate commission cost was 2.5%, far lower than the national average of 5.32%.
Here's a closer look at the savings on a $320,000 sale price:
| My flat fee MLS sale | Average costs | |
|---|---|---|
| Commission (%) | 2.5% | 5.32%* |
| Commission ($) | $8,000 | $17,024 |
| Other fees | $430 | $0 |
| Total costs | $8,430 | $17,024 |
Therefore, we saved close to $9,000 by using a flat fee MLS company and selling FSBO, compared to using a listing agent.
The process was smooth, especially with tools like ShowingTime, which made managing showing requests and receiving buyer feedback much easier than manually coordinating everything through a calendar.
My experience with a flat fee MLS service highlights how sellers can achieve great results while keeping costs low. The MLS listing looked identical to those managed by traditional agents, and I even had the flexibility to switch to a commission structure with full representation if needed.
Consider your experience level
Remember that my real estate background made the process easier for me than it might be for someone without that experience. I could easily set the right listing price, write a compelling listing description, negotiate with buyer's agents, and fill out the required paperwork. Many sellers struggle with those tasks.
For those who aren’t as confident in their ability to manage an FSBO sale or for homes that might take longer to sell (like fixer-uppers), hiring a discount broker at a 1.5% fee might be the better route. This way, you can still save on traditional commissions while getting the added support needed to navigate the process successfully.
Real Estate Witch offers a solution by connecting you with full-service agents adept at making MLS listings shine; these agents are experienced in attracting serious buyers and offer their services at a competitive commission rate.
Related reading
How to sell your house without a realtor. Our guide offers strategies and tips for homeowners looking to sell their property independently, bypassing traditional realtor channels to potentially save on commission fees.
Zillow for sale by owner fees. This article provides an overview of the costs associated with listing a property as FSBO on Zillow, detailing any fees, the benefits of using the platform, and how it compares to other selling methods.
Best FSBO websites ranked. A comparison and ranking of top websites catering to For Sale By Owner listings, highlighting features, user experience, and how each platform can maximize exposure for sellers going the FSBO route.