✍️ Editor’s Note: Houzeo.com is America’s most advanced Flat Fee MLS platform. Home owners listed $3.5 billion worth of properties on Houzeo.com in 2021. This guide compares Flat Fee MLS companies in California on metrics we think are the most important for a successful sale.
California home prices have increased 20% in the past year to reach an average of $700,000. And it’s a hot seller’s market in most of the state. That’s all the reason you need to use technology to sell your home and save at least $21,000 in real estate agent commissions!
» In this guide, we’ll cover:
- Rankings of California Flat Fee MLS Companies
- How Much Does Flat Fee MLS Listing Cost?
- Detailed Reviews of the Best Flat Fee MLS Listing Services in California
- Final Word
- Frequently Asked Questions About Flat Fee Multiple Listing Service in California
Rankings: Flat Fee MLS Listing Services in California
| Flat Fee MLS Service | Price | Additional Fees | 100% Online | Offer Management | Showing Management | 5-star Reviews | Mobile App |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Houzeo.com | $199-$399 | None | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| 2. Congress Realty | $299 | $50-$800 | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| 3. Beycome | $299-$599 | None | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
| 4. Yager Realty | $299-$999 | None | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| 5. MLS Town | $99-$295 | $300 | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| 6. Homecoin | $95 | 🚩 High Hidden Fees | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| 7. Flat Fee Guru | $595-$3995 | None | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
Beware: California Flat Fee MLS Companies have High Hidden Fees
The biggest issue with California Flat Fee MLS services is that they have a lot of hidden fees that they don’t disclose on their pricing pages. These hidden fees don’t just make your sale more expensive than you budgeted for, they will also ruin your experience with all the nickel and diming. SELLER BEWARE!
📣 REMEMBER: Houzeo discloses all its fees upfront
Reviews: 7 Best Flat Fee MLS Listing Services in California
1. Houzeo.com
🔥 BEST FLAT FEE MLS LISTING SERVICE
- Listing Fee: $249 to $399
- Available nationwide
4.9/5
(out of 2,726 reviews)
4.9/5
(out of 2,726 reviews)Houzeo, an online real estate tech company, provides an unbeatable combination of maximum savings, cutting-edge technology, and 5-star customer support.
💰 Save Thousands on Commission: Houzeo’s plans are typically a small flat fee. This will save you thousands. If your buyer is unrepresented, you save the buyer agent commission as well.
📣 Maximum Exposure: Listings get syndicated to the MLS, Zillow, Realtor.com, Redfin, Trulia, and hundreds of other websites. Houzeo also has nifty social media sharing tools. No other platform gives you this much exposure.
⚡ Fast Listing & Changes: Houzeo is 100% online. Listing is easy and changes are fast. So you can focus on what is most important – your sale.
⭐ 5-Star Customer Support: Home sellers across America have rated Houzeo 4.9 out of 5 stars on major review sites like Google and Trustpilot. There is comfort in the fact that when you call, there is a live person picking up the phone on the other line.
📱 Cutting-edge Technology: Houzeo is the most powerful real estate website. Its advanced features include:
- IntelliList Listing Management System: Lets you manage your listing 100% online.
- Houzeo Showings: Manage showing appointments online.
- Houzeo Offers: All offers are summarized online. You can view and compare offers, or counter an offer. In a multiple-offer situation, you can also call for highest and best offers.
- Buyer Search: Buyers can contact you directly on Houzeo.com instead of going through a real estate agent.
- Houzeo Settlement Agent Platform: Guides you to your closing.
👉 Our Take: Houzeo.com is our top pick because it delivers an unbeatable combination of savings, tech features, and service of any flat fee MLS listing service website we’ve reviewed.
»SAVE: Start your free listing on Houzeo.com today!
- Nationwide coverage
- Listings get syndicated to Zillow, Realtor.com, Trulia, Redfin, and 100s of other sites
- Quick listing (within a day with concierge)
- Savings on commissions
- 100% online – easy listing, fast changes, online showings, and online offers
- Mobile app availability
Houzeo has a 4.9 out of 5 rating on Google & Trustpilot.
Houzeo is available nationwide.
Introducing the Houzeo Mobile App!
- View your listing
- Manage your showings online
- Review and compare offers
- Counter an offer
- NEW! Buyers can now search your property and save it in “Favorites”
2. Congress Realty
👍 CUSTOMIZABLE PACKAGE
- Listing Fee: $299 Upfront
- List within 48 hours
- 4.9/ 5
(out of 48 reviews)
Congress Realty offers a lot of good services at an affordable flat fee of $299. The fee is low because they only give you the basic necessities and in case you need more services then you can add them on an à la carte basis.
They have a basic listing that allows you to upload 4 photos only. Many other Flat Fee MLS listing services in California allow more photos than that. They have only 1 package to choose from, and the rest of the services cost extra. Though they have limitations on photo upload in their basic California MLS listing package, they allow unlimited changes to your listing. Upon request, you can also get a comparative market analysis report as that will help you to price your home right.
They also have a phone system which will forward you all the offers you receive on your home. However, they charge an additional $150 for this service. If you want a full-service MLS listing, then you have to pay $299+0.5% at the time of closing.
»SAVE: How to List on MLS For Sale By Owner
Pros
- Customizable package, perfect for home sellers who know which service to spend on
- Listing syndicated to other websites like Zillow, Trulia, Realtor.com
- Free Comparative Market Analysis report on request
- Unlimited changes to your listing
Cons
- Only one package, which is slightly expensive than their competitor’s basic package
- Additional costs for adding more photos and phone forwarding services
- No features for buyers i.e. directly making an online offer, buyer search features, etc.
Congress Realty has a 4.9 out of 5 rating (48 total reviews) on popular review site Google Reviews.
Congress Realty covers all of California.
3. Beycome
💻 ADVANCED TECH
- Listing Fee: $99 - $599
- 4.4/5.0
(248 reviews)
4.4/5.0
(248 reviews)Based in Miami, Florida, Beycome is a technologically-advanced real estate company and makes it easy for home sellers to list their home on the California MLS as an FSBO. Through their seller dashboard, you get to access advanced features like managing your listing, organizing offers, and showing schedules.
They offer three flat fee MLS listing service packages in California:
$99 Basic Package: With this package, you get to upload maximum pictures on the MLS and make unlimited changes to your listing. They even provide an open house scheduler and a tool to manage home visits. In addition to receiving all the leads directly, you also receive online offers and get to access all legal forms & disclosures.
$399 Enhanced Package: With all the features of the Basic Package, this package includes a yard sign, a featured listing on Beycome’s website, flyers and brochures, and one key lockbox. Additionally, you also get the option to add a virtual tour video to your listing.
$599 Concierge Service: This is essentially a full-service package that includes start-to-finish assistance. They charge 1% of the sale price at closing with this package.
With their 90-day money-back guarantee, you can cancel your purchase if you don’t sell or receive at least two offers in that timeframe.
Pros
- Maximum photos can be uploaded on the MLS with all the packages
- Unlimited changes can be made to the listing at no extra cost
Cons
- Comparative Market Analysis provided only with Concierge Package
- You will rely on the agents to bring you buyers, no “search homes” feature for buyers
- Only one MLS listing flat fee package, the other two are full-service options and are priced higher
Beycome has a 4.4 out of 5 rating (248 total reviews) on popular review sites like Google Reviews.
Available in Florida, Minnesota, Georgia, Rhode Island, California, South Carolina, North Carolina and Alabama.
4. Yager Realty
🏆 Affordable Listing
- Listing Fee: $399 Upfront
- List within 48 hours
- 4.8/5
(out of 45 reviews)
4.8/5
(out of 45 reviews)Yager Realty offers 3 attractive packages namely Bronze, Silver and Gold.
Bronze Package – $299: This is Yager Realty’s basic package and includes 15 photos, 6-month listing, and only email support. This plan does not offer any forms, contracts, or disclosure documents. Most importantly, there is a $125 cancelation fee.
Silver Package – $399: Now, you can get their best best flat fee MLS California plan for just $399.They offer Contracts, Forms, Disclosure Documents, and property flyers in addition to the Bronze package. And guess what, it has no cancellation fee.
Gold Package – $999: With Yager’s Gold Package you can ‘Hire a Coach’ at $999! The package allows you to upload a maximum of 35 photos. It offers phone and email assistance but has admin closing fees of $150.
Yager Realty also offers full services at $699 +0.75% closing charges.
Pros
- Multiple customizable packages
- Excellent for sellers who know everything about California real estate
Cons
- No substantial support for sellers with base package
- Cancellation fees too high
Yager Realty has a 4.8 out of 5 rating (45 total reviews) on popular review site Google Reviews.
Yager Realty covers most of California.
5. MLS Town
🏆 BUDGET-CONSCIOUS
- Listing Fee: $95-$295 Upfront
- List within 48 hours
- 4.9/ 5
(out of 45 reviews)
MLS Town is a hybrid Flat Fee realtor in California that offers three Flat Fee MLS packages and one Full Service Listing package for listing your property on the Northern California Multiple Listing Service.
Basic Package – $95: MLS Town’s basic package allows 8 images and a 3-month listing period. Furthermore, you are unable to make any alterations or set up Open Houses. An agent or other assistance will be charged if needed!
Best Value Pack – $295: You can list your home for a year with this option and add up to 16 photos. Listing support is free for the first 30 minutes, after which you’ll have to pay $75/30 min, $75/30 min for offer negotiation, and $50 for MLS Market Analysis (CMA).
Premium Package – price will depend on the level on customization: You can get unlimited Listing Changes, MLS Market Analysis (CMA), and Offer Negotiation & Support, as well as a year listing term or until sold or cancelled and $75/30 minutes after the initial 30 minutes. Coverage in the local MLS, Realtor.com, Zillow, etc., and a maximum number of photo uploads on MLS’
Apart from these they offer a full service listing broker package for which they charge 1% commission.
For all Northern California real estate listings, MLS Town is the ideal option as it offers basic services that save you money.
Pros
- Hybrid flat fee MLS packages
- Budget-conscious sellers savor base package
Cons
- Support for listing, offer negotiations is chargeable
- Only available in select markets for Northern California real estate listings
MLS Town has a 4.9 out of 5 rating (45 total reviews) on popular review site Google Reviews.
Covers 24 counties in Northern California.
6. Homecoin
🚩 HIDDEN FEE ALERT
- Listing Fee: $95 Upfront
- List within 24 hours
- 4.7/ 5
(out of 32 reviews)
Homecoin’s biggest attraction is the California MLS listing for a flat fee of $95. But when you sign up, you’re faced with a clunky online dashboard which makes listing your home a chore that can take hours. Homecoin charges a very significant amount ($450) for state-required seller disclosures. Since sellers are required to file disclosures, this fee is mandatory.
Homecoin told us that disclosures are provided for free, but the proof that they sent in was blogs that were just updated. The Multiple Listing Service California pricing page does not reflect any disclosures provided for free. In addition, sellers related to Houzeo have sold properties on Homecoin.com, but they were refused seller disclosures and had to pay extra for them.
In addition to this, various options are significantly more expensive with Homecoin. Yard signs are advertised as free, but that’s deceptive. Yard signs are only available with post rentals – so you can’t really get one for free. For a $49 utility, you’ll end up paying $97 just for a rental yard sign. In addition, you have to worry about sending the yard sign post back because it is a rental.
For showings, Houzeo provides free Showing Management service. Homecoin provides Realtor lockboxes, so an unrepresented buyer can never view your property without engaging an agent. Additionally, these lockboxes are expensive rentals at $125 + a $120 deposit. And again, these are rentals so you have to send them back or forfeit your deposit.
Pros
- FSBO listing
- Covers all Northern California Multiple Listing Services
Cons
- Extra charges for state disclosures
- Hidden fees
Homecoin has a 4.7 out of 5 rating (32 total reviews) on popular review sites like Google.
Covers California, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia
7. Flat Fee Guru
🏆 DUAL SERVICE
- Listing Fee:$595 Upfront
- List within 48 hours
- 4.9/5
(out of 23 reviews)
Flat fee Guru offers varied attractive services in 2 flat fee MLS listing California packages- basic and premium.
Basic Sale – $595: For six months, you can put your home on the market. It’s the best provider of Flat Fee MLS in California, if you think photos can sell your home! You can include up to 20 photos of your property in the listing.
Premium Sale or Rental – $2,495: You can get your property listed until sale. They offer includes:
- Advice and Coaching throughout
- Draft, Negotiate & Process Offer
- Listing Good Until Sold
- Full E-Signature Management
- Full Transaction Coordination
- Handle All Emails and Calls
Private Sale Full- Service Package: Flat Fee Guru also provides a $3,995 full-service package. They will represent both you and the buyer, and you will not be charged a buyer’s agent commission.
Pros
- FSBO listing
- Up to 20 photos with basic package
Cons
- Extra charges for property space exceeding 3,000 sqft.
Flat Fee Guru has a 4.9 out of 5 rating (23 total reviews) on popular review site Google Reviews.
Flat Fee MLS listing services only in California
What is Flat Fee MLS?
The MLS or Multiple Listing Service is an online database or marketplace of houses available for sale. This gives your property maximum exposure, which in turn increases the chances of sale. The MLS is operated and managed by state-licensed real estate agents and affiliate professionals and only they can access the portal to list homes, browse for properties, or procure data. However, if you go through a real estate agent to sell a house, you have to pay high commission fees.
On the other hand, a Flat Fee MLS listing service, is an MLS entry-only service that lists your home on the local MLS for a pre-set amount through a flat rate realtor. This way, you retain all the rights to sell your home as an FSBO, and can otherwise, enjoy other real estate services (with the help of a flat fee real estate broker) depending on the chosen package.
How Does Flat Fee MLS Listing in California Work?
Once you decide to list your home on the MLS through a low cost real estate listing company and choose one of the packages offered by them. After receiving all the required details of your house, the fixed fee listing agent will make your listing live on the MLS and other real estate websites. Subsequently, the buyer agents will be able to view your property on the MLS and recommend it to prospective buyers.
Final Word
California is a hot market currently and homes are moving nearly 46% faster in 2022. From March 2021 to October 2021, the average time on the market was only 8 days! And not just that, houses are selling quickly with minimal price reduction. The statewide sales-price-to-list-price ratio was 102.2 percent in March 2021. If it’s above 100%, the home sold for more than the list price. And if it’s less than 100%, the home sold for less than the list price. Source: www.noradarealestate.com
You can expect to pay a flat fee between $200-$400 on average for an MLS listing in California. On the lower side, you can buy an MLS listing package for $100 and on the higher side, a comprehensive MLS listing service package can cost as much as $1,300. Each package comes with a multitude of features like enabling more photographs, a-la-carte services and some even offer help with paperwork. You can buy as per your requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions About Flat Fee Multiple Listing Service in California
What are the best Flat Fee MLS listing services in California?
Houzeo is far and away the #1 Flat Fee MLS listing service in California. Congress Realty and Yager realty are a distant #2 and #3.
Is Flat Fee MLS legal in California?
Flat Fee MLS is legal all over the United States, including in California. In fact, the US DOJ just updated their bulletin highlighting the benefits of Flat Fee MLS for For Sale By Owner home sellers.
How long will it take for my MLS listing to go live?
Typical stipulated time to list is 2 business days after you’ve completed all your tasks accurately and the broker doesn’t have any questions for you. But most California MLS listings can be up in 4 to 8 business hours (Central Time). To avail of this expedited listing, email support@houzeo.com with the subject line “Please Expedite My Listing: “. Do this only after you’ve complete all the tasks your broker has assigned to you. Make sure all sellers have signed the required documents. Note that listings can be expedited in most major MLS’ but not all MLS’ are covered under this policy. Call us at (844) 448-0047 if you have questions about whether your MLS is covered.
How Houzeo Works?
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