You save a whopping $18,852 when selling a median-priced $628,400 home in Massachusetts. But how? With a discount real estate broker in Massachusetts, you can skip the hefty 3% listing agent commission. This allows you to list your home for as low as 1% or a flat fee and save thousands of dollars!
That’s not it! These brokers help you list your property on the MLS giving maximum exposure as 43% of buyers search properties online. In addition, discount brokers offer affordability with full service making them ideal for cost-conscious sellers.
Rankings: Top 5 Massachusetts Discount Real Estate Brokers
We’ve ranked the top 5 discount brokerages in the Bay State for you to choose from.
| Rank | Discount Real Estate Broker / Company | Listing Fee | Additional Charges | Max Savings | 100% Online | Mobile App |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Houzeo.com | $399 Flat Fee | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| 2. | Redefy | $3,500 Flat Fee | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| 3. | Redfin | 1% Commission | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
| 4. | Prevu | 1.5% Commission | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| 5. | Homelight | 2.5% Commission | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
What Are the Types of Discount Real Estate Brokers?
Massachusetts sellers can choose from two main types of discount real estate brokers. Each of these cater to the unique needs of the home sellers:
- Flat Rate Discount Brokers: Also known as Flat Fee MLS companies, they charge a fixed upfront fee to list your home on the MLS. A Flat Fee MLS service costs between $399 to $4,000. These services offer maximum exposure for a low fee.
- Fixed Percentage Discount Brokers: These discount Realtors charge a fixed percentage of the home’s sale price. Typically, this percentage is lower than the traditional 3%. Depending on the broker, these rates may vary from 1% to 2.5%.
Reviews: 2 Best Flat Rate Discount Real Estate Brokers in Massachusetts
1. Houzeo.com: Max Savings, No Hidden Fees
#1 Discount Real Estate Service
Listing Fee: $399+$350 at closing4.9/5
Houzeo is a top technology-driven real estate platform. It offers 4 different packages:
- Bronze Package ($399 + $350 at Close): List your house for 6 months. You can upload 24 house photos.
- Silver Package ($399+0.5% at Close): List your home for 6 months and post maximum photos. Unlimited open houses and listing modifications are included in this package.
- Gold Package ($429+0.5% at Close): This package offers all the benefits of the Silver package, as well as licensed broker assistance, contract review, and more.
- Platinum Package ($449+1% at Close): This package offers virtual full-service support with a licensed broker. You can list for 12 months. Brokers assist you in negotiations, disclosures, and closing.
👉 Our Take: We recommend Houzeo to all home sellers. The company has a stellar 4.9/5 customer rating. It also provides coverage in 47 states + DC, making it one of the few services with nationwide reach.
These are the key features that make Houzeo one of the top discount real estate brokers:
- Significant Commission Savings: You will pay just a small flat fee to list on the MLS. On average, Houzeo home sellers save $12,231.
- No Hidden Fees: All costs are disclosed upfront so you don’t have to worry about hidden charges.
- Near Nationwide Coverage: Houzeo operates in 47 states and DC, with ongoing plans for expansion.
- Max Exposure: Houzeo packages give you access to renowned MLS companies.
- Advanced Technology: Eliminate the hassle of extensive paperwork. E-signature and online forms make house listing quick and easy.
- 5-star Customer Service: Dedicated customer support addresses your every concern easily.
- Mobile App: Houzeo’s mobile app lets you manage showing requests from verified buyers and buyer agents. You can either accept, reject, or reschedule showings at your convenience.
- Home Value Estimator: Houzeo’s Home Worth Estimator is online and quick to know the FMV of your home. It provides free home value estimate within 30 seconds.
There are no dealbreakers with Houzeo.
» Houzeo Reviews: Houzeo is rated “Excellent” by 10,100+ happy customers on Google Reviews and Trustpilot!
Houzeo Reviews: With over 10,100+ happy customers, Houzeo is the most trusted discount real estate broker.
Houzeo is the #1 discount real estate broker in Massachusetts. The company provides features like IntelliList management to simplify your listing process. Besides this, you get 5-star customer support, advanced technology, showings management, and offers all at your fingertips.
2. Redefy
IN-HOUSE SUPPORT
Listing Fee: Starting at $3794/5
Redefy DIY is a real estate service that allows homeowners to list their properties on the MLS for a flat fee. It offers 3 packages:
- Self-Service – ($379): This plan includes a 6-month listing on Zillow, Realtor.com, and your local MLS. You get a yard sign, 10 photos, and a door key lockbox. No agent support is provided.
- Limited Service – ($499): Features a 1-year listing on Zillow, Realtor.com, and your local MLS. It includes a yard sign, 25 photos, a door key lock box, and CSS showing service. It also includes live chat support.
- Virtual Full Service – ($2,995): This premium plan provides a 1-year listing with all features from the Limited Service plan. Additionally, you get in-home consulatation, contract reviews, professional photography, and market analysis.
👉 Our Take: Redefy is a good option if you want flexible pricing and prioritize savings over personalized service. However, the service quality may vary and you’ll need to opt for the premium package for additional support.
Here’s what stands out about Redefy:
- Affordable Pricing: Packages start as low as $379, giving you flexible options to fit your budget. Every plan includes essential features like local listing, email, text, live chat support, yard signs, and door lock keys.
- In-House Support: You are provided with professional in-house support like home staging with accurate pricing.
- Mortgage Calculator: Redefy’s Mortgage Calculator allows you to estimate your overall mortgage, insurance, and taxes.
Here are some of the downsides of working with Redefy::
- Limited Agent Availability: Full support is only available with the premium package, and service quality can vary.
- Lack of Personalized Services: Customers have often complained that Redefy agents are not able to give personalized service, as they serve a high volume of clients.
- Limited Coverage: Services are only available in 9 states: Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia.
Redefy has a rating of 4 out of 5 stars on Yelp.
Redefy, headquartered in Aurora, Colorado, is a licensed discount real estate brokerage firm started in 2011. They operate in very few states of the US.
Redefy works on the principle of a flat fee brokerage. This means that for your million-dollar house, you just pay a flat rate.
Reviews: 3 Best Fixed Percent Discount Brokers in Massachusetts
3. Prevu
Lower Commission
Listing Fee: 1.5% of Sale Price5/5
Prevu is a reliable discount real estate agent service. It offers full service to sellers, like a traditional broker.
- 1.5% Commission: Prevu charges a fixed 1.5% commission on the total home sale value. It includes features like home valuation, professional photographs, closing assistance, etc.
👉 Our Take: Prevu offers services from listing your home to its closing. It charges you a non-negotiable commission of 1.5% of the home sale value. However, it could cost you more in commission for a high-value house.
Based on our research, the benefits of Prevu are:
- Advanced Marketing: It includes home valuation, 3D virtual tours, open houses, professional photographs, listing on MLS, and social ad campaigns.
- Market Exposure: Your listing will be displayed on sites like Realtor.com, Zillow, Trulia, etc.
- Closing Costs Calculator: You can get an estimate of their closing costs.
Here are some limitations we found with Prevu:
- Limited Coverage: Prevu serves 13 states and Washington D.C. focusing on metro areas and suburbs.
- Not Ideal for High-Value Homes: Prevu’s model might not be ideal for luxury homes. For example, selling a house worth $500,000 would still mean paying $7,500 in commission.
- Variable Listing Fee: The listing fee with Prevu can vary based on your location, which may result in higher costs depending on the market.
- Mobile App: The company does not provide any mobile application service to its users.
Prevu has a stellar rating of 5 out of 5 on Google.
» Prevu Reviews: Is it a good idea to choose them? Read the comprehensive review to learn more.
Prevu is a licensed full-service discount real estate brokerage based in New York. It serves in 12 states across the US.
Prevu has over 400 positive reviews on Google. However, Prevu has a small team of agents who deal with multiple clients. This may limit your ability to select an agent of your choice.
4. HomeLight
GOOD AGENT COVERAGE
Listing Fee: 2.5% of sale price4.6/5
HomeLight has a network of thousands of successful real estate agents and brokers. It is an agent-matching tech-platform.
- Standard Commission: HomeLight is a free agent-matching platform. The agent you get through this platform will charge the standard commission of 2% to 3% for listing.
👉 Our Take: HomeLight provides decent agent-matching services. However, the standard listing commission means zero savings for you.
» HomeLight Reviews: The Truth You Need To Know
HomeLight offers a number of advantages to both sellers and buyers:
For Home Sellers:
- Free Agent Matching: The agent matching service from HomeLight is free for home sellers. HomeLight furnishes details of the best real estate agents in your neighborhood. Depending on the agent, the traditional 5% to 6% commission is charged.
- Estimators and Calculators: HomeLight offers Home Value Estimator, Best Time To Sell Calculator, Agent Commissions Calculator, and Net Proceeds Calculator to home sellers.
- HomeLight Simple Sale: HomeLight has a network of pre-approved buyers. If you want to sell your house fast, this option allows you to sell it to a cash buyer within 7 days.
For Home Buyers:
- Home Search Feature: Buyers can search for homes by city, zip code, or address.
- Estimators: HomeLight offers estimators like Home Affordability Calculator, Down Payment Calculator, and Closing Costs Calculator for home buyers.
In our research, we have found some red flags associated with HomeLight.
- Inconsistent Agent Quality: The agents they assign may not work at your convenience. Even the listing speed will be based on the agent selected.
- Off-market Restriction: Registering on HomeLight will get you offers from agents instantly. Although the process is fast, only homes that are off-market are allowed.
HomeLight has an average rating of 4.6 out of 5 from 237 reviews on Sitejabber.
HomeLight is an agent-matching company established by Drew Uher in 2012. It is a single platform where home sellers meet their prospective home buyers.
The company has a huge broker database. However, every agent handles multiple clients at a time. This leads to miscommunication and a lack of personalized support.
5. Redfin: 1% Fee, Nationwide Coverage
#1 Nationwide Brokerage
1% Listing Fee3.7/5
Redfin offers services in 100+ real estate markets across the country in 49 states.
- Redfin Full-Service Agent – 1% Commission: This package includes pricing assistance, listing paperwork, negotiation support, etc.
- Redfin Premier Agent – 1.5% Commission: This package is exclusively for luxury properties and includes everything that comes with the Full-Service package.
👉Our Take: When you opt for Redfin you might get their service 3x faster than the traditional method. However, you may not get personalized attention with less no. of agents for home staging, showings, etc.
Here are some advantages of choosing Redfin:
- Advanced Technology: Redfin is primarily known for its high-tech platform and mobile app.
- Near Nationwide Coverage: Redfin covers 49 states in the US.
- Easy Deal Closings: Redfin agents guide you through paperwork, marketing plans, and negotiations to make your closing easy and faster.
Here are some drawbacks of Redfin based on their customer reviews:
- Pricing Inaccuracy: Many sellers have complained that a lot area, a gated compound, or a city location are not considered during valuation.
- Slow Listing Process: According to Redfin’s listing agreement, a Redfin property takes 18 days to list on MLS. Services like Houzeo will list you on the MLS within 24 to 48 hours.
- Lack of Customer Service: There are a few negative reviews about the lack of personal attention by Redfin agents.
- Limited Agent Selection: As per customer reviews, Redfin lacks an array of agents. This means you get an agent assigned automatically without having any choice in the matter.
- Lack of Personalized Services: Due to agents handling multiple clients at once, customers have often complained that Redfin agents are not able to give personalized service.
Redfin has an average rating of 3.3 out of 5 stars on Yelp and an average of 3.7 out of 5 stars on Google.
» Redfin Reviews: Read more to make an informed decision before selling your home.
Redfin is a top nationwide real estate brokerage known for its advanced technology. Their premier package helps you sell luxury homes. The platform also provides easy access to local experts while selling a house by owner in Massachusetts.
How Much Will You Save With a Discount Real Estate Broker in Massachusetts?
You could save up to $15,281 when selling a median-priced $628,400 home with a Flat Fee MLS service in Massachusetts.
However, if you pay a standard 3% commission fee, you’d have to pay a whopping $18,852 to your listing agent. But, with Houzeo’s Gold plan, you will only pay $429 with a 0.5% charge at closing.
| Details | Traditional Realtor (3%) | Houzeo’s Flat Fee |
| Median Sale Price | $628,400 | $628,400 |
| Listing Fee | $18,852 | $3,571 |
| Savings | $0 | $15,281 |
How to Find Discount Real Estate Brokers Near Me in Massachusetts?
Here’s a list of the best discount Realtors in the most popular cities of the Bay State:
| Lawrence, MA | Discount Real Estate Brokers in Lawrence, MA |
Pros and Cons of Discount Realtors in Massachusetts
Discount real estate brokers in Massachusetts offer a great way to save. While this cost-saving option sounds good, it’s important to weigh both the pros and cons:
✅ Pros
- Lower Fees: You’ll pay less than a traditional 3% Realtor. And get access to all the features and tools for a much lower fee.
- Full-Service Support: Discount real estate agents in Massachusetts offer all basic home-selling services. This includes assistance with how to price your home, marketing, paperwork, and negotiations.
- MLS Access: Discount brokers help you list your home on the MLS in Massachusetts, providing exposure to a maximum no. of buyers.
❌ Cons
- Hidden Fees: Some discount brokerages in Massachusetts may charge hidden fees for additional a la carte services. You must do your research and opt for the best discount Realtors in MA.
- Inconsistent Service: Some discounted brokers in Massachusetts handle multiple clients at once, so personalized attention may be limited. They do this to make up for the reduced commission rate.
- High Cancellation Fees: A few of the discount brokers may impose a significant withdrawal fee if you cancel your agreement within a specific time frame.
Alternatives to Discount Real Estate Brokers in Massachusetts
Here are some other options to consider for selling a house in Massachusetts:
- For Sale By Owner Companies: In a FSBO sale, you have to handle every step from listing to paperwork. You can choose For Sale By Owner websites in Massachusetts that provide MLS access.
- Cash Buyers: Cash buyers in Massachusetts, including iBuyers, investors, and home flippers, actively search on the MLS for the listed properties.
- Full-Service Realtor: If you can’t handle the process yourself, you can opt for the traditional home-selling method. But, you’ll have to pay a 3% commission fee.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best discount real estate brokers in Massachusetts?
The top discount real estate brokers in Massachusetts are Houzeo.com and Redefy. However, Houzeo stands #1 with its 4.9-star rating based on thousands of customer reviews compared to Redefy's 36 reviews.
How much is the real estate agent fees in Massachusetts?
On average, traditional agents in Massachusetts charge a whopping 3% of the sale price as commission. On the other hand, discount real estate brokerage firms in Massachusetts charge a flat fee or a fixed percent of 1%.
How do I find a discount broker near me in Massachusetts?
To find a discount Realtor near you, check online reviews and ratings of local discount brokers. Houzeo can list your home on the MLS within 24 to 48 hours and lets you review and compare offers, manage showings everything with mobile app.
