As you know, we at Martin Properties have been in the real estate industry in middle Tennessee since 1989. We have been working strictly for For-Sale-By-Owners since 2005. In our program of continuing education, we like to bring you news from the front from time to time.
Today, we found this article about our home selling system as it exists in the state of Iowa.
It was published in Chiang Rai Times in Bangkok, Thailand.
Consider These Top Flat Fee MLS Companies in Iowa and Sell Your Home without Getting Ripped Off
When it comes to selling your home the “For Sale by Owner” (FSBO) approach in Iowa, a flat fee MLS business will be much more useful and will help you reach a bigger audience of eligible local buyers without burning a hole in your wallet. Buyer’s agents utilize the MLS to find houses for their clients.
The MLS also distributes data to several local real estate websites, such as Houzeo, Redfin, and Zillow, to mention a few. Registering your FSBO property on the MLS is critical because it puts your FSBO property in front of as many potential purchasers as possible.
You cannot, however, upload your property to the MLS on your own. The MLS is accessible only to licensed brokers and agents. Flat fee MLS providers provide a low-cost option.
These flat fee MLS providers charge a comparably low one-time cost to advertise your FSBO house on the MLS portal. This means you receive greater exposure without having to pay the standard total commission of 6% charged by real estate agents to sell your house.
How Do You Go About To Choosing The Apt Flat Fee MLS Company in Iowa?
If you are selling without the assistance of a broker, it is vital that you select the best flat-fee MLS Company for your purposes. They are not all alike. Some are all about cost savings, while others offer extra help to sell your FSBO house – either built-in or a la carte.
What’s The Process Of Getting Started With A Flat Fee MLS Company?
The first step is to choose from the list of flat fee MLS Iowa companies. Evaluate the services offered versus the price point and see if it suits your taste. After collecting all of the necessary information about your home, the fixed cost listing agent will publish your property on the flat fee MLS Virginia and other real estate websites. As a result, buyer agents will be able to examine your home on the MLS and promote it to potential purchasers.
Are You Still Liable To Pay Buyers’ Commission?
Think of it this way…
Flat Fee MLS companies cut you some slack by helping you save some bucks when it comes to paying a listing agent’s commission which is about 2.50 – 3.90 % of the sale price.
For your benefit, it is beneficial if you pay a buyer’s agent commission as it will be a motivation to real estate agents to give preference to you as opposed to your competitors when it comes to footfalls.
It is entirely up to you how much you pay a buyer’s agent, although typical selling agency commissions in Iowa range between 2.50 and 3.30 %.
What Are The Types Of Fees You Can Expect When Hiring A Flat Fee MLS Company?
When working with a Flat Fee MLS listing business in Iowa, you should be aware of two expenses.
Upfront Fees: This is the amount you’ll have to pay to be listed on the MLS, which can range between $300 and $500.
Closing Fees: Unless you purchase extra services such as a “Contract to Close Consulting Package” or pick one of the high-service plans, there is usually no cost at closing for a Flat-Fee MLS listing agent in Iowa.
Other (Hidden) Fees: Many deceitful agents may entice you with a $99 listing. Buyers beware: this is only the beginning. If you have to spend an extra $500 or more on hidden charges, you’ll be upset. For a $50 yard sign, you will be charged $135. Some brokers will charge you hidden fees at closing that you will not be aware of until you are ready to close. At that time, it’s far too late to do anything.
If you’re wondering which company is right for you and which one should you lockdown on…
Don’t worry!
We’ve already scavenged the market and scooped the best ones for you listed below. Consider working with any of these flat fee MLS Iowa companies if you want to make the process of selling your home hassle-free.
Houzeo
Houzeo is one of the most reputed Flat fee MLS listing companies in Iowa, providing quick listings and assuring a smooth process when it comes to selling your house.
Within no time (almost in a few minutes), your listings get submitted and are live within one business day. Sellers might save up to $15,000 by using a listing agent that does not take a commission.
With state-of-the-art technology, sellers are able to wrap up all of their paperwork online, set up open houses, and make adjustments to their listings. Documentation is the most important factor for sellers that utilize for sale by owner websites. Where seller disclosures are concerned, Houzeo’s brokers have made it an easy-peasy affair as everything is streamlined and done online.
As a seller, you are in control of everything— from end to end of the selling process. You also have the flexibility of customizing your chosen package while keeping expenses under control.
The various packages offered by Houzeo are:
Bronze: Priced at $249, the bronze package features a three-month flat-fee MLS listing. Sellers can include up to six images in their listing. Because Houzeo also lists on Zillow, Trulia, and hundreds of other comparable platforms, your property’s visibility will skyrocket. You also have the liberty of canceling at any moment with an additional cost of $25.
Silver: With a price tag of $299, the silver package provides a 6-month listing with 24 photos that is synced with most of the leading MLS websites. You have the liberty to make as many changes as you possibly can with this package.
Gold: With a price tag of $399, this subscription gives you the freedom to post an unlimited amount of photographs, make unlimited listing changes, and cancel them at any time. It also makes it easier to submit federal and state disclosures. It also helps with the administration of showings, as well as the analysis and comparison of offers.
Platinum: With this option, your house will be listed for a year for $449. Aside from the Gold package’s features, this one offers virtual full-service with a trained broker who will aid with price and contract review.
Finally, everything is in the open and Houzeo assures no surprises and hidden fees. You can checkout Houzeo reviews for the same.
Fizber
Fizber offers three different packages ranging in price from $95 to $395. All three packages include an Open House Manager who will assist you with open house scheduling. Only if you purchase the Digital Boost Package (worth $95) will your house be listed on Redfin and Fizber. As a consequence, your house will get very little attention.
The MLS Boost and Premium MLS Boost packages are $295 and $395, respectively. Your house will be posted on local MLSs as well as a variety of listing websites. The sole distinction between these systems is the number of photographs that may be submitted. This number varies between 6 and 25. Both packages have a 6-month listing term.
Choose the MLS Boost or Premium MLS Boost packages to gain maximum exposure. The number of images allowed with the MLS Boost Package, on the other hand, is rather limited. If you submit at least 10 images, many other companies charge the same fee. Fizber does not offer internet brokers, thus you will have limited options. It takes roughly 4 days to list your property on the MLS. They also do not provide a money-back guarantee if they are unable to assist you in selling your house.
Flat Fee Group
Flat Fee Group is a Flat Fee MLS listing platform that links you with local brokers across the United States; however, they are lacking in technology, hence the majority of their property selling process is manual, and thus time-consuming and sluggish.
The bundles are rather expensive when compared to the other organizations on the list. The standard package costs $399, plus a 3.5 % closing charge. They have two full-service packages available for $799 and $1395. In each of these packages, you must pay an extra 3 – 3.5 % at closing.
Apart from that, you are liable to pay $20 in shipping charges during the purchase process. CSS – highlighting service and feedback, realtor-sized sign with frame, and Market Analysis is not included in their base package (CMA).
If you pick Houzeo’s Virtual Full-Service Package, you will only pay $399 + 0.75 % at closing, regardless of the value of your home, thus you will practically get all of the services of an agent for a much lower price!
Flat Fee Realty
Flat Fee Realty is an excellent option if you want a low-cost plan, but there are certain things you should know before listing with them. Before you pick any firm, you need at least to have a basic understanding of how to sell a house by owner so that you understand the fundamental requirements that the company requires.
Only the major MLS websites in Iowa are covered by the listing service. They only provide a Flat Fee MLS Iowa listing package priced at $199 and give you the liberty of uploading only 6 photographs to. If you want to upload more photos then you have to pay an additional $50.
While their package is very rigid and they only provide a single MLS Iowa package, there are no à la carte choices to pick from. In a nutshell, you’re left with the option of selling your property with that one and only package they have to offer which may not always be what you desire.
FSBO
FSBO (For Sale by Owner) is an Iowa Flat Fee MLS listing service that allows you to market your house for as little as $99. Their base package, on the other hand, is exclusively accessible through their website. If you want total MLS coverage in Iowa, the $399 membership is the way to go.
The most significant advantage of FSBO is its low cost, with no hidden costs. It does, however, have significant drawbacks. They do not provide the bulk of à la carte services, such as a professional photographer or a real estate attorney.
A yard sign, open house posts, leaflets, and other FSBO-related items are priced individually because they were not included in the whole package or available on an à la carte basis. In addition, for services not specified on the website, the listing broker charges an extra 0.5 % at closing.
Pro Metro Realty
Pro Metro Realty is an Iowa Flat Fee MLS listing company that offers a fantastic package, but their package – priced at $2,495 – is one of the most costly we’ve seen.
They do provide free market analysis research that may assist you in appropriately pricing your property, as well as a no-obligation consultation that can be very valuable to first-time home sellers. Even after paying such a high amount, they want extra expenses for filming, aerial photography, and even house staging.
Moreover, they have not specified how long your house would be shown on the MLS or how many photographs may be uploaded. As a consequence, you can get a surprise!
I Sold My House
I Sold My House is a flat-fee MLS listing service in Iowa, with flat-fee packages ranging from $299 to $399. With their packages, you may schedule open houses without incurring any additional costs.
One of the most beneficial features is that they transmit all buyer leads straight to you, the home seller. You may also pay $50 per month to have your property highlighted on their site and sidebar, increasing visibility for your house and perhaps resulting in a quick sale. There are also no additional charges for scheduling an open house.
These packages are quite rigid and do not allow for much flexibility, and there are few à la carte possibilities.
Conclusion
Some companies claim flat-rate MLS services but then impose “hidden” fees after the sale. We’ve even heard of organizations claiming to offer a “free” MLS listing only to charge you a percentage of the sale price after closing.
When you expect to pay only a few hundred dollars, these deceptive activities may cost you thousands.
Before joining up for any service, always read the fine print. Aside from the first flat price, keep a watch out for “closing costs” or “admin fees” that you’ll owe the broker.
In addition, some flat-fee MLS businesses incorporate a la carte services including photographs, paperwork assistance, and signs. Be cautious while using these services to save time on DIY tasks. These extras might rapidly add up!
It’s always good to be prepared than to be caught off guard by unexpected costs.
Our Own Curated Tennessee Conclusion
If you live here in Tennessee, we here at Martin Properties are probably even more inexpensive than those you have been reading about. Call Don Martin at 615- 973-8970, or better yet, go to www.mlsDon.com. You can look at and compare service prices there, and if you like what you see, you can get your listing started right there and then.
Thanks for your time, Don.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
(This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click, or make a purchase by clicking on them, I may receive a small commission, at no additional cost to you, that will help me continue to bring you valuable content. To that end, not all of the items on this page are affiliate links, as that is not a requirement to be on this page. Thanks for your support!)
Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use
