Brokerless is a flat fee MLS company. It charges $99–188 to list your home on the multiple listing service (MLS). Its three packages differ in the number of listing photos (6 or 25) and the length of the listing (6 or 12 months).
The company works best for experienced DIY sellers who want to save money by only paying for a basic MLS listing, not additional services like pricing and marketing assistance.
An MLS listing gets your property in front of many highly motivated buyers. Buyer’s agents can find your listing on the MLS database, and buyers can see your listing through syndication on sites like Realtor.com, Redfin, and Zillow. In 2024, 88% of all sellers listed their homes on the MLS.[1]
Only licensed realtors can post on the MLS, so if you don’t work with an agent, you’ll need to use a flat fee MLS company.
If you need support selling your home beyond an MLS listing, you can get full service and still save money by using a low-commission agent. We can connect you to the top agents in your area who charge just 1.5% (half the typical rate). Just answer a few questions, and we’ll send vetted agent recommendations straight to your inbox.
Our Brokerless rating
| Overall score | 3.8/5 🟢 |
| Service quality | 4/5 🟢 |
| Marketing | 3/5 🟡 |
| Cost | 4/5 🟢 |
| Customer experience | 4/5 🟢 |
Is Brokerless the right choice for you?
Brokerless could be right for you if:
- You have experience selling a house by owner
- You want to reach the most possible people through the MLS without a realtor
- You want to avoid paying a listing agent fee
Brokerless may not be the right fit if:
- This is your first time selling a home FSBO
- You need help setting a list price
- You need help marketing the property
- You want an expert to help you find and negotiate with qualified buyers
Selling FSBO requires a lot of time and effort, and a recent study by Clever found that sellers who use an agent sell for nearly $50,000 more on average than those who don’t, negating any potential commission savings.[2] If you want to save money, consider using a low-commission realtor instead.
Brokerless vs. top alternatives
There’s a lot at stake when selling a house, so comparing your options is essential. You may find more competitive rates or better options with another flat fee MLS company or a discount broker.
Discount brokers
Discount real estate brokers sell your home at a lower commission rate — typically 1.5–2% versus the standard 3% listing fee. The top companies have a network of experienced, full-service realtors.
For instance, Clever Real Estate can connect you with highly rated local agents from top brands like Century 21, Keller Williams, and RE/MAX. The agents are vetted and offer a listing fee of just 1.5%.
Similarly, Redfin agents charge a 1.5–2% listing fee, although realtors in some markets may charge higher minimum fees.
While Brokerless has a lower price, a discount broker is a better option if you need guidance from a listing agent but still want to save money. A realtor can help you determine a sale price, market the home, and complete the required paperwork.
Other flat fee MLS companies
You don’t need a realtor to sell a house. Instead, you can use a flat fee MLS company to market your home on the MLS.
The top flat fee MLS listing services cost ~$100–600 or more, depending on the level of service you need.
Unreal Estate has a free starter plan, but it only allows you to upload five photos. Houzeo has three plans at $199, $249, and $299. However, each tier has a closing fee that could add thousands of dollars to your total cost.
Brokerless offers a competitive rate for a basic MLS listing, but you may want to choose another option if you’re a first-time seller or need more support. ISoldMyHouse.com, for instance, has a responsive customer service team and can help you find a real estate agent if needed.
Our full Brokerless review
Service quality
📊 Our rating: 4/5
- Free listing status changes
- Simple pricing structure with solid offerings
- Not much difference between the packages
Brokerless contracts with real estate brokers nationwide who post your listing on your local MLS. It provides the following services to sellers:[3]
- 6- or 12-month listing on your local MLS and Realtor.com
- Exposure on popular real estate search websites like Homes.com, Trulia, and Zillow
- Listing displayed on hundreds of local realtor websites through the Internet Data Exchange (IDX)
- 6–25 photos
- State-required forms and disclosures
- Free status changes to your listing
- Seller’s contact info displayed on MLS
Some of these services are standard, such as the syndication on popular real estate sites. However, the ability to change your listing status for free is notable because some companies limit the number of free changes you can make and charge for more.
A few services differ based on the price point:
- $99: 6-month listing and 6 photos
- $149: 6-month listing and 25 photos
- $188: 12-month listing, 25 photos, and open house alerts
Brokerless also offers some affordable upgrades that make selling easier:[4]
- $50: ShowingTime offers easy online scheduling for property showings and lets buyer’s agents send feedback to you via email.
- $50: Call Forwarding directs calls from potential buyers straight to your phone number.
These additional services make your home more accessible and can increase the number of showings you get.
Brokerless reviews cited a streamlined platform and a simple user experience. More photos and easy-to-schedule showings attract buyers, and free status changes mean your listing is always up to date. Also, showing your contact info and adding the call forwarding service make it easy for buyers to reach you directly.
However, Brokerless doesn’t offer additional services you’d expect from a traditional real estate agent, like help with pricing, marketing, and negotiations. Some other flat fee MLS companies let you add on these services for a fixed price or a percentage at closing.
Selling your home is difficult, even with a flat fee MLS company to handle your listing. Add in hidden fees, à-la-carte services, and premium service tiers, and you’ll save a lot less than you planned, but still be stuck with most of the work.
There’s a better option. Clever pre-negotiates lower listing fees with top agents in your area. You still save on commission, while getting the support of a full-service agent.
- Clever agents offer full-service support for a fraction of the traditional cost: a 1.5% listing fee instead of the typical 2.5–3%.
- Choose from the best local agents representing top regional and national brokerages, like Keller Williams and Century 21.
Ready to find real estate agents who can help you save thousands on your sale? Enter your zip code below to get started!
Marketing
📊 Our rating: 3/5
- Standard MLS listing
- No other marketing services
Brokerless lists your property on the local MLS. Your MLS listing will be automatically syndicated across major real estate websites, including Zillow, Trulia, and Realtor.com. This is the base marketing strategy for any flat fee MLS service or traditional realtor listing.
Other flat fee MLS listing companies offer marketing help for an added cost. For instance, Beycome’s Enhanced package ($399) includes professional photography and digital advertising tools, while its Concierge package ($599 + 1% at closing) comes with full marketing support. Other companies, like ISoldMyHouse.com or Houzeo, let you add yard signs or banners.
Cost
📊 Our rating: 4/5
- Affordable flat fee of $99–188
- Two $50 optional upgrades (fewer than competitors offer)
Brokerless has three listing packages:
- $99 MLS By Owner: 6 photos, 6-month listing
- $149 MLS By Owner: 25 photos, 6-month listing
- $188 MLS By Owner: 25 photos, 12-month listing
You also have the option to add on these services:
- ShowingTime: $50
- Call forwarding: $50
You’ll probably want to pay for additional photos and call forwarding. Opting for more photos lets you feature each room from multiple angles, giving buyers a better sense of your home. The call forwarding service enables buyers to reach you directly for a hassle-free sale.
Brokerless is a good value compared to similar MLS listing companies. Many competitors’ basic packages are more expensive and limit your photos and listing changes. However, some starter packages include services like lead forwarding, while others offer tools to help you manage showings and open houses.
Several of the best for-sale-by-owner websites also offer the option to add custom yard signs, featured listings, and lockboxes. Brokerless doesn’t provide such upgrades, giving its three tiers little variety.
Homecoin offers a plan with a higher value for money. For just $95, its services include a 12-month MLS listing, call and email forwarding, state and federal disclosures, and unlimited photos. Unreal Estate is also notably affordable. Its price ranges from $0–299, with its most expensive plan costing less than some others’ basic options.
If your buyer is represented by an agent, it’s possible that the buyer’s agent commission (~2.5% of the sale price) will be an additional cost for you. Brokerless’s website says you can select a buyer’s agent commission of your choice, but this is outdated. Due to the recent NAR settlement, buyer’s agents now negotiate their commission directly with buyers. Sellers may still choose to offer the buyer’s agent commission as a concession.
Brokerless reviews from customers
📊 Our rating: 4/5
- Mostly positive reviews
- Customers said they saved a ton of money
- Mixed reviews of customer service
Brokerless reviews on Google are positive overall, with a 4.6/5 rating from 94 reviews. BBB reviews are also positive (5/5). The company has an A+ BBB rating but is not accredited. No Yelp reviews were found, and only one negative review was on Trustpilot.
Positive themes. Many reviewers praised Brokerless for a quick and simple listing process. They said the company communicated well and had excellent customer service. Many mentioned the owner, Jack Laufer, by name and highlighted his knowledge and efficiency.
Some reviewers also said Brokerless saved them money compared to working with an agent. One customer claims to have saved more than $20,000.[5] The company is good about responding to reviewers and thanking them for their feedback.
Negative themes. Negative Brokerless reviews call both the company and the owner unprofessional. They cited bad behavior and customer service. One user even called the owner “a mean guy.”[6]
The company responded to some bad reviews to defend itself, often saying there was no record of the reviewer doing business with it.
Brokerless locations
Brokerless is headquartered in Weston, Florida, and offers services nationwide through its vast network of brokers.
Next step: Compare your options
The right flat fee MLS company for you will depend on the services you need. These platforms offer cost-effective selling options, and it’s easy to compare their services to get the best deal.
It may also help to explore alternatives, such as low-commission real estate agents. These agents provide full service but charge fees below the average real estate commission rate (1.5% vs. 3%).
Clever Real Estate connects you with multiple full-service agents from local brokerages. These vetted agents work for top brands like Keller Williams and RE/MAX. Interview as many as you like, with no obligation to sign. If you work with one of its agents, you’ll pay a low 1.5% listing fee.
If you’re weighing your options for buying or selling a house, Clever can help!
Our fully licensed concierge team can answer your questions and provide objective advice on getting the best outcome with your sale or purchase.
When you enter your info below, we’ll ask you a few questions about your situation via a short form. Then our concierge team will be in touch shortly to help.
This service is free, and there’s never any obligation to move forward with us.
Methodology
We evaluate flat fee MLS (FFMLS) and for sale by owner (FSBO) listing services based on four core criteria:
- Quality and range of services
- Brand recognition and marketing methods
- Cost value
- Customer reviews and experience
Service quality
Essential services. We examine whether the FFMLS companies offer fundamental services such as local MLS listings, syndication to popular sites like Zillow and Trulia, maximum photo allowances, unlimited free listing changes, and continuous active listing until sale closure.
Value-added services. We identify and acknowledge services that truly enhance the selling and management process, such as unlimited listing changes, professional photography, and efficient online dashboards.
Conversely, we also note the absence of crucial features like call forwarding, which can significantly impact a seller’s ability to manage their leads directly. Services that withhold essential features like call forwarding, potentially keeping buyer leads from sellers, are viewed critically as they may not fully support the seller’s best interests.
Marketing
Visibility and reach. We assess the effectiveness of each company’s marketing strategies beyond the MLS baseline. This includes additional marketing efforts like social media promotion, digital advertising, and the company’s own website traffic and visibility.
Cost
Pricing comparison. We carefully examine the total costs of each company’s services, including any extra fees at closing. By comparing these costs to other brands and national averages, we assess their overall value for money.
Our analysis highlights any hidden charges, like a closing fee some services impose, ensuring you understand the real cost of using a flat fee MLS service. This helps you make informed decisions about which service offers the best value.
Customer experience
Review analysis. We aggregate and analyze customer reviews from various online platforms, creating a weighted average rating. A sentiment analysis program is employed to identify prevalent themes and insights.
BBB complaints. We check for any complaints filed with the Better Business Bureau, considering how these might reflect on the company’s customer service and reliability.
Related reading
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