Table of Contents
There are several options for homeowners who wish to sell their homes: you can go the traditional route and appoint a real estate agent on commission to take care of the entire sales process, or you can use discount real estate brokers who will do the major tasks associated with selling your home, for a discounted charge. But if you are not interested in involving an agent, you can go the FSBO or For Sale By Owner route. Of course, if you do not have any prior experience in selling homes, you might run into several problems that might even cost you a good buyer. So, how do you compromise? By going the flat fee MLS route, of course! There are several advantages in choosing flat fee MLS companies in North Carolina. But first, let’s see what exactly flat fee MLS is and why everyone is so hyped about it.
What is flat fee MLS?
When you decide to sell your house or property, one of the first tasks you must do is get it listed on the local MLS. The MLS or Multiple Listing Service is a common database that stores all pertinent information related to properties on sale. And why must you list on the MLS? Almost all potential buyers, not to mention online companies and other real estate agents all look through the local MLS for properties to buy. So, if you are listed on the MLS, your house will get nationwide exposure to potential buyers. However, there is one snag – only licensed real estate agents can list a house on the MLS. So, does this mean you cannot go the FSBO route if you want to increase the chances of a quick sale? Not at all! You can just appoint a flat fee MLS company or agent to list your property on the MLS, and the rest of the sale can be handled on your own. A flat fee real estate agent will charge you a fixed fee that is determined before the sale which is much cheaper than appointing a traditional agent on commission.
What are the advantages of flat fee MLS?
Less expensive – the most obvious advantage is that hiring flat fee real estate agents are much less expensive than hiring traditional real estate agents. Traditional agents are paid almost 3% of the final sales price as their commission. That is a hefty amount to be shelling out of your budget. Flat fee agents only charge a small fixed amount that is determined before the sale.
Listing Service – flat fee real estate agents can help in listing your house or property on the local MLS. You can decide whether to allow them to complete the entire listing or to just list the basic features and let everything else like description and special features be done by you.
Additional Services – almost all flat fee MLS North Carolina companies offer you additional services along with listing services, and that too for no extra cost! You can get their help in taking professional photographs of your house, managing an open house, or scheduling viewings. Some companies also offer marketing assistance like printing up flyers and deciding on the optimal listing price. And unlike discount real estate brokers, flat fee MLS companies also offer services a la carte which means you can choose the services that you need the agent to help with, allowing you to manage everything else.
Plan Your Budget – not many people realize this, but since the fee charged by the flat fee real estate agent is fixed in advance and not dependent upon the sale, you can plan your budget as well. This is particularly helpful for those people who are on a strict budget.
The FSBO advantage – despite the presence of a real estate agent, you get to manage the entire sales process like a For Sale By Owner (FSBO) sale. This includes negotiating with clients and settling on a deal. However, the agents are always present if you need some quick assistance anytime during the sale.
Top Flat Fee MLS Companies in North Carolina
Carolina Realty Solutions – They offer different packages for a price range of $375 to $475, and this includes extending your listing for up to 2 years (the usual period is not higher than 6 months at a time) for no extra cost! Even their cheapest package comes with a yard sign and key lockbox. However, if you are looking to sell your house in Alexander, Caldwell, Burke, Catawba, or Cleveland counties, you’re going to miss out since the company currently does not offer flat fee services in these areas.
Clickit Realty – This company will be your best bet if you are still unsure about the FSBO route. They guarantee you a refund if you decide to hire a traditional agent, and will also refer you to a discount broker! And if you find any of their competitors offering the same services at lower costs, they will match the lower price. Now that’s loyalty to customers! However, they also come with a distinct disadvantage: their premium services like posting open houses on your MLS listing are offered only on advance packages like the platinum package.
List With Freedom – This company is the optimal choice for those experienced sellers who know exactly the kind of services they need and those that they don’t. Their price range is between $89 and $295. While they will not charge any cancellation fee for live listings, they also do not offer pricing support and home valuation.
Houzeo – This company is perfect for those sellers looking for a lot of a la carte options. They are also technically very advanced: you can fill out, sign, and submit all your paperwork through their app, and once you fill in your address, Houzeo will auto-fill all publicly available data for your property. However, they do demand extra charges for pricing assistance.
United Brokers LTD – This company offers affordable listing services to budget-conscious sellers. They offer basic packages worth $99 to premium packages worth $875. They offer free changes to your pricing, status, and description on the MLS in all packages. However, for any other changes, you will be charged extra.
