What Is Flat Fee MLS in Real Estate?

A Flat Fee MLS listing lets homeowners list their property on the local Multiple Listing Service (MLS) for a low, fixed rate instead of a 6% commission. A licensed broker, such as Brokerless, handles the MLS entry and provides syndication to major real estate websites like Realtor.com and Zillow for added visibility. Sellers may privately choose to offer compensation to a buyer’s agent as part of their negotiation, but this is entirely optional and never published or offered through the MLS.

✅ How Flat Fee MLS Works (Crucial Update)

When you list through a Flat Fee MLS service, you hire a licensed “entry-only” or limited-service broker to legally post your property on the MLS. You stay in full control of pricing, showings, and negotiations—keeping your equity and avoiding traditional commission structures.

  • Choose a plan: Select a flat fee MLS package that fits your property and goals.
  • Your home is listed: We enter your property data and photos into your local MLS for maximum regional exposure.
  • Buyers contact you directly: All inquiries and offers go straight to you—you manage the sale, not an agent.
  • Buyer’s Agent Compensation: Completely optional and 100% controlled by you. No compensation is required or published through the MLS. Any commission is a private negotiation between you and a buyer’s agent—outside the four corners of the MLS and separate from your listing agreement.
  • Pay no listing commission: You pay zero commission to Brokerless for representing your side of the sale.

This model provides freedom and transparency. Following the NAR commission settlement, compensation discussions now happen privately—ensuring sellers decide if, when, and how any agent is paid.

💡 Why Flat Fee MLS Matters for Sellers

The MLS is the foundation of modern real estate marketing. Every major site—Zillow, Realtor.com, Redfin—receives data from local MLS systems, giving your listing the same visibility as agent-listed properties. A Flat Fee MLS listing helps you reach buyers while maintaining control and saving thousands.

  • Appear on all major MLS-syndicated platforms
  • Stay in control of pricing, photos, and showing schedules
  • Work with your own title company or attorney at closing

📋 How the Flat Fee Model Differs from Full-Service Listings

With a Flat Fee MLS listing, the broker’s role is limited to legally posting your property on the MLS. You, the seller, manage inquiries, showings, and negotiations—saving the typical 3% listing commission charged by traditional agents.

  • Full-Service Agent Model: The buyer’s agent commission is usually built into the listing agreement between the seller and their broker. The seller authorizes that broker to offer compensation on their behalf as an incentive to cooperating agents—but this remains a private contractual arrangement, not mandated by the MLS.
  • Brokerless Flat Fee Model: Your listing is placed on the MLS by a licensed Brokerless network agent who handles the legal entry process. However, your Brokerless listing agreement does not pre-set or include any buyer’s agent compensation. That decision remains a separate, private discussion between you and any buyer’s agent who brings an interested buyer.

This distinction is crucial. Following the NAR commission settlement, buyer-agent compensation must be negotiated outside the MLS, giving sellers full control over if—and how—any agent is paid.

📍 Flat Fee MLS vs. Full-Service Agents

A Flat Fee MLS listing eliminates the traditional 6% commission charged by full-service agents. Instead of paying tens of thousands, sellers using Brokerless pay a small upfront cost—typically under $200—while keeping control of pricing, showings, and negotiations. Most homeowners save $10,000 or more in equity and retain the choice to offer a buyer’s agent commission only if desired.

❓ Flat Fee MLS FAQs

Is Flat Fee MLS legal?

Yes. Flat Fee MLS is legal in all 50 states and allows sellers to meet MLS requirements through a licensed broker without hiring a full-service agent. Read the full legal overview →

Will my listing appear on Zillow and Realtor.com?

Yes. Listings entered into the MLS typically syndicate to major sites such as Zillow, Realtor.com, Trulia, and Redfin, depending on your MLS’s data feed agreements.