Flat-Fee MLS Guide · Chapter 1 of 7
What Is Flat-Fee MLS?
Flat-fee MLS is the bridge between DIY selling and the MLS database traditionally reserved for Realtors. You pay a fixed fee to a licensed broker who posts your listing on the MLS, and in return you keep the listing-side commission. This chapter unpacks the mechanics so the rest of the guide lands on firm footing.
MLS is still the distribution backbone
The Multiple Listing Service (MLS) is a co-operative database run by local Realtor associations. When your property hits MLS, it syndicates to portals like Zillow, Realtor.com, Redfin, local brokerage sites, and the private searches that buyer agents run for clients. The National Association of Realtors reports that roughly 86% of homebuyers found their home via MLS-powered channels. Without MLS status, you are invisible to most serious buyers.
A flat-fee MLS broker becomes your “listing broker of record.” They upload your property, verify compliance, and assign a unique MLS ID. You stay the seller of record, which means buyer agents still call you directly unless support is layered on (more on that in later chapters).
What you pay—and what you keep
- Flat-fee payment: Most markets charge between $300 and $1,000 upfront for a standard flat-fee listing. Some entry-level options run as low as $99; “premium” packages can cross $1,500. The fee is typically non-refundable.
- Buyer-agent incentive: Even with flat-fee MLS, you usually offer 2%–3% to buyer agents so they bring their clients. You control that number.
- Listing-side commission: You keep it. On a $400,000 sale, avoiding the traditional 3% listing commission saves around $12,000.
Meydomo’s model is unusual: $199 today and $999 only when you close. That means you get MLS access with built-in support and still avoid high upfront fees.
What the broker does vs. what you do
| Process step | Flat-fee broker | You |
|---|---|---|
| Listing creation | Provide MLS forms, post the data, keep metadata compliant. | Supply property facts, photos, and disclosures. |
| Lead response | Typically none—calls forward to you. | Answer inquiries, qualify buyers, maintain a log. |
| Showings | Rare unless you pay for add-ons; most brokers leave this to you. | Coordinate calendars, confirm appointments, gather feedback. |
| Offers & paperwork | Forward documents (some charge). Negotiation left to owner. | Review terms, negotiate, manage escrow, closing, contingencies. |
Later chapters examine how different flat-fee vendors package optional support. Chapter 4 is the deep dive.
Key takeaways before you continue
- MLS exposure is the oxygen of a modern listing. Flat-fee MLS delivers it without attaching a listing commission.
- You still shoulder the operational workload—unless you partner with a service like Meydomo that layers on coordination.
- Budget for the buyer-agent incentive. Flat-fee MLS is about removing the listing fee, not necessarily all commission.
Chapter 2 quantifies the upside. You will see where the savings come from, where they flatten, and how long it takes to recoup your flat-fee investment.