Flat-fee MLS, state by state
The Multiple Listing Service, or MLS, is the database every agent works from, and it is what feeds Zillow, Redfin and Realtor.com. A flat-fee listing gets you into it for a few hundred dollars instead of a percentage of your house.
Pick your state
Transfer taxes and title customs vary enormously. These are the costs you pay regardless of who lists the house.
Real estate transfer tax · $450 on a $450k sale
Among the cheapest states to sell in
Among the cheapest states to sell in
Real estate transfer tax · $1,485 on a $450k sale
Documentary transfer tax · $495 on a $450k sale
Realty transfer tax (your half) · $23 on a $450k sale
Real estate transfer tax · $4,500 on a $450k sale
Realty transfer tax (your half) · $9,000 on a $450k sale
Documentary stamp tax · $3,150 on a $450k sale
Real estate transfer tax · $450 on a $450k sale
Real estate transfer tax · $450 on a $450k sale
Among the cheapest states to sell in
Realty transfer tax (your half) · $225 on a $450k sale
Among the cheapest states to sell in
Real estate transfer tax · $720 on a $450k sale
Among the cheapest states to sell in
Real estate transfer tax · $450 on a $450k sale
Among the cheapest states to sell in
Realty transfer tax (your half) · $990 on a $450k sale
Realty transfer tax (your half) · $2,250 on a $450k sale
Real estate transfer tax · $2,052 on a $450k sale
Real estate transfer tax · $3,870 on a $450k sale
Real estate transfer tax · $1,485 on a $450k sale
Among the cheapest states to sell in
Among the cheapest states to sell in
Among the cheapest states to sell in
Real estate transfer tax · $1,012 on a $450k sale
Real estate transfer tax · $1,755 on a $450k sale
Realty transfer tax (your half) · $3,375 on a $450k sale
Real estate transfer tax · $3,315 on a $450k sale
Among the cheapest states to sell in
Real estate transfer tax · $1,800 on a $450k sale
Real estate transfer tax · $900 on a $450k sale
Among the cheapest states to sell in
Real estate transfer tax · $450 on a $450k sale
Real estate transfer tax · $675 on a $450k sale
Among the cheapest states to sell in
Realty transfer tax (your half) · $4,500 on a $450k sale
Real estate transfer tax · $3,375 on a $450k sale
Real estate transfer tax · $1,665 on a $450k sale
Real estate transfer tax · $450 on a $450k sale
Among the cheapest states to sell in
Among the cheapest states to sell in
Among the cheapest states to sell in
Among the cheapest states to sell in
Real estate transfer tax · $450 on a $450k sale
Real estate transfer tax · $6,075 on a $450k sale
Real estate transfer tax · $990 on a $450k sale
Real estate transfer tax · $1,350 on a $450k sale
Among the cheapest states to sell in
More states are being added. Every rate we publish is sourced and linked, which is slower than copying the other guides and the reason this list is short.
Why this option exists at all
For decades the practical way onto the MLS was to hire a listing agent at a percentage. Flat-fee brokers unbundled that: they perform the one function that requires a license, entering your listing, and leave the rest to you.
The National Association of Realtors (NAR) settlement made this materially more attractive. Buyer-agent commissions are no longer advertised on the MLS and are negotiated separately, so the old assumption that a seller pays both sides no longer holds. That is a second lever, on top of the listing commission you already save.
Who it suits, and who it does not
It works best when the house will sell itself: a desirable area, reasonable condition, a seller who is organized and comfortable negotiating. It works badly when the property is unusual, the timeline is tight, the situation is emotionally difficult, or you simply do not have the hours. An agent earning 2.5% on a difficult sale can be worth every cent.
Run the calculator and look at the dollar figure rather than the percentage. Sometimes the saving is life changing and sometimes it is two weeks of stress for less than you thought.