Flat Fee MLS v. Full Service
Let’s assume that you sold your home for $300,000.00 (Three Hundred Thousand Dollars) and paid $300.00 (Three Hundred Dollars) to the listing broker for flat fee mls services provided. You also agreed to pay, at closing, a buyer’s broker/agent $9,000.00 (or 3% of the contract selling price) in connection with his/her services provided in obtaining the buyer. Based on the foregoing, your total out of pocket expenses for real estate brokerage services were $9,300.00 (Nine Thousand Three Hundred Dollars).
The calculation follows: $300,000.00 (contract selling price) multiplied by 3% (the commission paid to the cooperating broker for producing a bidder or purchaser) plus $300.00 (the flat fee paid to the listing broker for listing your home in the MLS) equals $9,300.00 (your total out of pocket expense).
Now, let’s compare the previous example with using a full service real estate broker.
Assuming a contract selling price of $300,000.00 (Three Hundred Thousand Dollars) and an average traditional brokerage commission of 6%, your total out of pocket expense would be $18,000.00 (Eighteen Thousand Dollars). This is calculated as follows: $300,000.00 (your contract selling price) multiplied by 6% = $18,000.00 (your total out of pocket expense).
Let’s look at your savings:
$18,000.00 (Full Service) v. $9,300.00 (Limited Service Flat Fee MLS) = $8,700.00 (“Your Savings”)