When homeowners list on an MLS flat fee, they are paying a one time fee to a MLS listing provider for the opportunity to cut their real estate agent commission and maintain freedom to sell their property on their own. The homeowner provides their information and photos to the MLS listing provider which will then post them on the MLS. This allows the home seller to be seen by all participating real estate agents and brokers in their local market.

The provider will usually also provide a website that the home seller can use to monitor activity on their listing and receive buyer inquiries. Some flat fee MLS providers offer additional services such as yard signs and lockboxes that can help with marketing. The service is typically much cheaper than hiring a full commission real estate agent to sell the property and may save the seller over half of the traditional realtor commission.

How to List on MLS with a Flat Fee Service

Upon signing up for the service, the flat fee MLS provider will typically send the homeowner forms to fill out via the Internet to capture their home information for proper data entry into the MLS. Once the home details are captured, the listing will appear on the MLS and often hundreds of other real estate websites.

Some flat fee MLS providers claim that they are taking on the role of the buyer’s agent and working to negotiate and conduct showings with buyers on behalf of their clients. If a represented buyer is found, the FSBO seller must still pay the buyer’s agent their agreed commission per the REBNY RLS broker database.

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