Sunshine Realty is a flat fee MLS company based in the greater St. Louis area. It provides full service and charges sellers $399 upfront, plus 0.5% at closing.
This listing package offers significant savings over the standard 2.5–3% commission that conventional agents charge.
However, Sunshine Realty is also a small office of only 2–3 full-time agents, so they may not be able to offer customers as many resources as larger brokerages can.
Should you use Sunshine Realty?
Sunshine Realty is a solid choice if you're looking for traditional real estate agent services at a lower cost. It can also benefit you if you need local market expertise.
The company's listing fee of $399 upfront plus 0.5% at closing is much lower than the average Missouri realtor commission of 2.97%. This can translate to thousands or tens of thousands of dollars in savings for the typical seller. And its focus on the St. Louis area means your agent will know how to market your home to local buyers.
However, Sunshine Realty may not be right for you if you want a wide selection of agents to choose from. When we contacted Sunshine Realty, an agent there told us that Sunshine is a small company with only 2–3 agents.
With limited resources, the company may also not be the best fit for an unconventional property that needs a sustained marketing push to find a buyer. In this case, you might be better off with a major brokerage.
Bigger brokers like Clever Real Estate help you easily compare multiple vetted, top-performing agents in your area. Clever also guarantees a low listing commission of only 1.5% (half the usual rate). To get tailored recommendations for low-cost agents, simply fill out a short form and look through the agent profiles sent to your inbox.
Sunshine Realty alternatives
Discount brokers
Working with a discount broker is another way to save on commission fees. The top companies offer full service for a low 1.5% listing fee. This rate is higher than Sunshine Realty's, but it's ideal for sellers who want expert guidance without committing to upfront costs (like Sunshine Realty charges).
Discount brokers like Clever Real Estate and Redfin have a large selection of agents. This gives you a better chance of finding an agent with the right experience and expertise for your home sale, which could lead to a higher sale price.
» View more discount brokers in St. Louis.
Other flat fee MLS companies
Sunshine Realty is in the slightly more expensive tier of flat fee MLS companies like Unreal Estate or Houzeo, which also charge an upfront fee plus a smaller percentage-based fee at closing. But unlike those companies, Sunshine offers a full-service agent experience at that price point.
Cheaper alternatives charge only a flat fee — companies like List With Freedom and Fizber. But these companies offer very few services other than an MLS listing. They’re probably only a better fit for experienced sellers who have an appealing property that doesn’t need a lot of marketing or agent support.
» View more flat fee MLS alternatives in Missouri.
Sunshine Realty reviews: What customers say
Sunshine Realty reviews are mostly positive. Reviewers often said they received excellent service from Sunshine, describing agents who stuck with them through years-long home searches, helped them handle last-minute complications, and responded to their messages promptly. Other recurring themes were fast, easy sales and big savings compared to full commission.
Negative reviews are rare. Unhappy Sunshine Realty customers usually said their house either didn’t sell or didn’t sell for as much as they were expecting. Although replies from Sunshine Realty suggest the full picture is more complicated than that.
Here are some examples of common themes:
✅ Committed agents
Satisfied Sunshine customers often mentioned that their agent went above and beyond to help them close their deal. This reviewer praised the agent for sticking with them through a home search that lasted over two years.
“We couldn't be happier with Sunshine Realty company and our realtor, Evelyn. We've been looking for over two years and she's never lost patience.”
— Gina A., 2024, Google
✅ Full service at a discount
Sellers are sometimes concerned that if they pay less in listing fees they'll receive fewer services. Many Sunshine Realty customers went out of their way to say that they received a full-service agent experience even though they paid less than the average commission rate.
“We have worked with several realtors on sales and purchased over the last 14 years. Evelyn is the perfect example of what a great realtor should be. She is no nonsense, on your side, and doesn't try to control your decisions. With the sales commission set up she offers, you still get full service, you can't go wrong."
— Zoe S., 2022, Google
✅ Highly responsive agents
Many Sunshine Realty reviews mention great communication and fast responses from agents. This is a high priority for most buyers and sellers, who want to be kept in the loop during a fast-moving negotiation.
“She was readily available and willing to answer any and all questions. Our house had MULTIPLE offers in its first day on the market and was sold within the first three days. She works diligently to make sure you are ready, excitedly when your offers start coming in, and very timely in all responses.”
— Shannon S., 2022, Google
❌ Low-quality service
A few reviewers mentioned that their Sunshine Realty agent put in subpar effort to sell their home, linking this low level of effort to the low price.
One reviewer said their home was listed for “over 100 days” without selling. The reviewer below described an unsuccessful sale attempt during which they received less-than-satisfactory service. They were able to sell quickly after relisting with another agent.
“[Agent] took our $400+ listing fee and did almost nothing to try to sell our house. She hired a good photographer, but our property description was a sloppily written mess. In a seller’s market like this we expected our updated new town property to go quickly. She advised us to reject a reasonable offer and some low-balled offers. We were told to expect feedback from showings yet got almost none. She wouldn’t provide the new town for sale sign for our property, any open houses, or any creative thought towards selling strategy. We relisted with another agent and sold above asking quickly.”
— Bhrett O., 2022, Google
Sunshine Realty replied to this review, saying that the agent conducted 26 showings, which led to 3 offers, 2 of which came in the first 48 hours.
How Sunshine Realty works
Sunshine Realty fees and listing package for sellers
Sunshine Realty offers only one package, priced at $399 upfront plus 0.5% at closing.\
When we talked to a Sunshine Realty agent, they stressed that they offer all the services that a typical full-priced brokerage offers. Here's what's included:
- Comparative pricing analysis (CMA)
- Pricing guidance (with comps)
- Staging advice (advice only; Sunshine doesn’t provide staging services)
- Professional real estate photography
- Full listing on the local Greater St. Louis regional MLS
- Dissemination of your listing, through Listhub, to all major real estate websites like Zillow, Realtor.com, and Redfin
- “For Sale” lawn sign
- Lockbox for showings (through Supra)
- Help with showings as well as showing feedback from buyers
- Counsel through due diligence and offer negotiation
- Full support through closing
Your initial contact with Sunshine is a free, no-obligation sit down to go over what you can expect if you work with the company. The agent we spoke to stressed that they place a high priority on making sure the customer has a good connection with their agent — and that they encourage customers to interview several agents from competing brokerages to make sure Sunshine Realty is a good fit.
If you decide to sign a listing agreement with a Sunshine Realty agent, you’ll have an official consultation during which your listing agent will go over comps (similar properties that have sold recently), suggest staging or pre-sale repairs that might help your sale, arrange for photos, and discuss the general sale strategy. You’ll pay your Sunshine agent a $399 upfront fee at this time.
Sunshine Realty will use Listhub to distribute your listing to real estate websites like Zillow and Redfin, market the home using its network, and market on its Instagram and Facebook accounts.
Your Sunshine Realty agent will help field offers, advise you through negotiations, and guide you through closing. At closing, you’ll pay them 0.5% of the final sale price.
Services for buyers
For buyers, Sunshine Realty offers a fairly typical full-service package. Your realtor will assist with your home search, take you to showings, and help negotiate the purchase.
Although its website says “WE DO NOT CHARGE A BUYERS FEE TO ANY OF OUR BUYERS,”[1] the Sunshine agent we spoke to acknowledged that the recent NAR lawsuit settlement meant that sellers are no longer required to pay the buyer’s agent commission — meaning buyers could be responsible for paying their share of the commission out of pocket. However, they said that agents are often able to negotiate for the seller to cover the buyer’s commission as a concession.
How much can I save with Sunshine Realty?
Sunshine Realty's fee of $399 upfront plus 0.5% at closing represents significant savings in real estate fees compared to the average listing commission of 2.74%. Sellers who use Sunshine Realty instead of a conventional agent stand to save thousands or tens of thousands of dollars, depending on how much their home sells for.
Here's an example of how much you could save on a $400,000 home sale:
| Sunshine Realty’s listing fee ($399 + 0.5%) | $2,399 |
| Nationwide average listing fee (2.74%) | $10,960 |
| Amount saved with Sunshine Realty | $8,561 |
These numbers represent only the listing commission, not the realtor fees for the buyer's agent, which sellers have typically covered. Buyer’s agent commission averages 2–3%.
A recent NAR lawsuit settlement changed how buyer’s agent commission is paid. This fee is now the buyer's responsibility, though a good buyer's agent can often negotiate for the seller to cover part or all of it as part of the sale agreement.
Sunshine Realty reviews: The bottom line
Sunshine Realty’s $399 plus 0.5% fee package offers potential savings of thousands or tens of thousands of dollars compared to full commission. Although the company's modest size could limit the service bandwidth it can offer clients, its reviews are generally positive, and it could be a great fit if you have a desirable property.
It’s important to compare options to find the best agent for you. Your agent will be your close advisor and collaborator throughout your sale, so you need to be on the same wavelength. Experts recommend interviewing agents from several brokerages to find the best value and fit for your situation.
