Published
-
Written by
Written by Steve Nicastro
What is ListingSpark?
ListingSpark is a flat fee MLS listing service that offers FSBO plans to homeowners in select Texas markets. The company offers two plans: Spark ($1,499) and Premium ($2,999). Both plans cost significantly more than most MLS listing services but include essential services that could justify the price.
Key takeaways
- We rate it 4.5/5
- MLS listing and title and escrow services
- Expensive plans
Bottom line: Is ListingSpark worth it?
Yes, we think ListingSpark is worth considering for some sellers who aim to sell a house without a realtor. However, if you want only a simple MLS listing — without all the extras — we recommend looking at other companies that offer more basic plans. (Learn more about our methodology.)
Quality of service
ListingSpark offers a ton of essential services. Not only do you get full exposure (MLS and all major real estate sites) but you also get a fully integrated sellers platform, photography, closing assistance, a 150-point marketing plan, and title and escrow services. The Premium plan goes further and will help you price your home, get premium photography, and connect with an agent.
Marketing
ListingSpark will put you on the MLS, Zillow, Trulia, and other major listing sites. They’ll also use advanced software to run 150 marketing plays to locate potential buyers for your home. Both plans come with professional photography, but the Premium plan will also put your listing in a review process that will help you craft the right description and get the best photos of your house.
Cost
ListingSpark is one of the most expensive MLS listing services we’ve reviewed. The cheapest plan starts at $1,499 and the Premium plan is $2,999. You’ll also pay a cancellation fee if you decide to hire an agent, as well as a $350 “transaction facilitation fee” if your buyer approaches you without a real estate agent.
Customer experience
Previous customers were very pleased with ListingSpark’s seller dashboard and the customer service. The biggest frustrations, however, were around the FSBO process itself. Even with ListingSpark’s intense marketing strategy, some users had trouble selling their homes and ended up hiring a real estate agent to do it for them.
User friendliness
The seller dashboard is clean, easy to use, and organized. Selling your home is as simple as following some guided steps. If you need help, ListingSpark has a well furnished library of FSBO literature.
ListingSpark vs. top competitors
| FFMLS company | Locations | Avg. customer review | Listing fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beycome | AL, CA, CT, FL, GA, MN, NC, SC | 4.4 | $99-499 + 1% |
| Fizber | Nationwide | 3.9 | $295 |
| Homecoin | CA, FL, GA, MI, MO, NY, NC, SC, TN, VA, WI | 4.9 | $95+ |
| Houzeo | Nationwide | 4.9 | $399-999 + .50-1% at closing |
Quality of service
| What we like: | Possible drawbacks: |
|---|---|
|
|
ListingSpark offers FSBO sellers just about everything they need to sell their homes — above all, listing to MLS and real estate websites. A couple noteworthy ones:
📸 ListingSpark will hire a photographer and send them to your home. The premium plan comes with HD photography.
🔑 Spark Title will cover your title insurance and escrow. The downside is that Spark Title (owned by ListingSpark) may or may not be your best service provider, and you won’t have the flexibility to shop around.
Under the premium plan, you’ll also get help from a licensed real estate agent, pricing assistance, and an editorial review of your listing and photography. Plus, you’ll get help scheduling house showings and signs for an open house.
Marketing (how it works)
| What we like: | Possible drawbacks: |
|---|---|
|
|
ListingSpark will give you maximum exposure. Your home will be listed on a local MLS and over 1,000 different listing and real estate sites including Zillow, Trulia, Redfin, and Realtor.com.
ListingSpark also uses marketing software to connect your property listing with qualified buyers. The software reviews 150 key features in your property (such as square footage and number of bedrooms) to match it with buyers who are looking for the same criteria.
Cost
| What we like: | Possible drawbacks: |
|---|---|
|
|
ListingSpark is significantly more expensive than most MLS listing services we’ve seen. Flat fee MLS companies typically charge $189 to $299, and ListingSpark’s base plan ($1,499) is five times that.
👀 FSBO pros: If you only need to list your home on the MLS, you might be better off with another company. You won’t get all the bells and whistles (like professional photography and title and escrow services), but you won’t also pay a premium for them.
» Best flat fee MLS companies in Texas
If you need a comprehensive FSBO toolkit, the Spark Plan does offer enough services to justify the cost. The fact that title services are included could make the $1,499 worth it. Title insurance usually costs 0.62% of your home’s sale price, and escrow services can cost $350–700.
The Premium plan, however, doesn’t add much value. You get help from a licensed agent and pricing assistance. But you’re still doing the majority of the work yourself. At nearly $3,000, you’re paying only slightly less than working with a full-service agent who charges a 1.5% commission.
Warning: ListingSpark has hidden fees
ListingSpark will charge you a “transaction facilitation fee” of $350 if your buyer finds your listing without an agent. You also won’t get refunded if you decide to cancel your listing on ListingSpark without selling your home.
Customer experience
| What we like: | Possible drawbacks: |
|---|---|
|
|
Most clients are satisfied with ListingSpark’s platform and customer service team. The company has a 4.5 rating on Google. There were only a few negative reviews (below two stars), many of which were from at least two years ago.
We decided to run these reviews through an AI program that detects emotional language. Here’s what we found:
| ✅ Positive themes | ❌ Negative themes |
|---|---|
|
|
These themes suggest that reviewers had no problems with ListingSpark itself. They loved the seller dashboard and praised the customer service team’s ability to handle complicated questions.
The biggest frustration, however, was around actually selling a house FSBO. Those who left negative feedback were often unsuccessful with selling their homes by themselves. Many had to hire an agent, even after upgrading to ListingSpark’s Premium Plan.
» LEARN: FSBO statistics you need to know
User friendliness
| What we like: | Possible drawbacks: |
|---|---|
|
|
ListingSpark does an excellent job guiding you through the FSBO selling process. All the steps are listed on the left column, and if you get stuck, you can always watch the explanatory videos displayed to the right.
The seller dashboard is clean and organized. You can see how many showings you’ve done, how many homes you’ve sold, and all your active properties. The only feature that’s lacking is the option to see your scheduled showings directly from the dashboard.
Finally, ListingSpark has a comprehensive library with articles and literature on all FSBO topics.
Next steps
If you’re set on selling without an agent, then ListingSpark’s basic plan “Spark Plan” might be worth your money. You’ll get everything you need from a listing service, including MLS and Zillow exposure, professional photography, and a platform to view and respond to offers. In addition to these, you get a marketing plan and escrow and title services.
Because the price for even the most basic plan is high, be 100% sure you’re ready to sell your home FSBO before signing up. For a cheaper listing service, you can browse our list of best FSBO websites, or view the best flat fee MLS listing services in Texas.
Related reading
Top Low Commission Real Estate Agents + Companies. If your goal is to reduce the costs associated with selling your home, there are alternatives beyond just flat fee MLS services. Discover which companies are known for their low commission rates.
Best FSBO Websites Ranked. Interested in selling your property yourself? Explore the top websites that offer competitive prices and services for those looking to sell their homes without an agent.
Zillow FSBO Fees Breakdown. Wondering if listing your home as FSBO on Zillow is beneficial? Learn about the actual costs of Zillow’s FSBO fees, get tips on enhancing your listing, and more.
Methodology
We evaluated the value and quality of FFMLS and FSBO listing services based on five core criteria.
Quality of service
FFMLS companies should provide basic services, including:
- Listing to your local MLS
- Pushing listings to sites like Zillow and Trulia
- Maximum allowable photos
- Unlimited free listing changes
- Keeping a listing active until you cancel or close on your home
We noted add-on services that actually help you sell and manage your sale, like professional photography or an online dashboard. We didn’t give credit for fluffy offerings, such as video tours that are just photo montages or listings on Craigslist.
Marketing
We assessed how each company’s services actually makes your listing visible to buyers, compared with the MLS, which is the baseline. Additional marketing services (via social media, digital ads, etc.) count to higher visibility, as does the company’s website traffic.
Cost
We compared pricing tiers for services with baseline national averages and other brands.
Customer experience
Our evaluation…
- Aggregated customer reviews from across the web and created a weighted average rating
- Ran reviews through a sentiment analysis program to identify key themes
- Checked for complaints with the Better Business Bureau
User friendliness
We checked how easy the company app or portal was to use, and how easy it was to upload and manage the listing.
Leave a Reply