How to Sell a House in Texas without a Realtor

How to Sell a House in Texas: And, hiring a real estate agent can mean shelling out a 5–6 percent commission that is split between the buyer and seller. Selling a house in Texas by the owner can be a better option then. But when you sell as an FSBO (For Sale By Owner), you will not have access to the home selling tool—the MLS. Also, as an inexperienced first-time seller, you would require the specialized knowledge and expertise of an agent. In such a scenario, a flat fee MLS listing service is a better option. With a flat fee MLS listing service, your property is listed on the MLS for a fixed low charge.  

All About Flat Fee MLS Listing

For selling a house in Texas, a flat fee MLS service provides support for specific tasks for a low flat fee commission, instead of a percentage-based commission as charged by real estate agencies. Flat fee MLS listing services help you list your home on the MLS, which is the main online resource for real estate agents. There are hundreds of local MLS databases handling listings for properties for their particular area, and major real estate sites such as Zillow, Trulia, and Houzeo gather data from the MLS. A flat fee MLS will charge you a flat fee for listing your property on the MLS,  some charging it upfront while others charging it only after the sale is finalized. Usually, the flat fee is 2–3 percent of the sale proceeds, which is approximately half of the commission that a traditional real estate agent asks for. Working with a low-commission real estate company is a better option, as you will avoid the hassle of an FSBO sale and walk away with the most money possible.

Benefits of Selling through Flat Fee Listing in Texas

To avoid paying a high percentage commission, homeowners choose to sell their houses through flat fee listing. There are several benefits in choosing to sell a house in Texas through a flat fee listing service. The most common and important benefit of this is the potential for saving money on real estate commissions, as flat fee companies charge a low, fixed fee. Other than that, you are in control of the sale of the house, including deciding the pricing and the showing schedule and being involved in the negotiating process. In other words, you not only have a final say on your home’s listing price, but you can also decide what improvements to make, whom to show it to, and ultimately, whom to sell it to. Knowing your home first-hand and what it’s like to be a resident in your neighborhood and a part of the community you live in, you can share this knowledge with prospective buyers. 

How Does Flat Fee MLS Work?

In a traditional real estate transaction, the total commission is calculated as a percentage of the final sale price. However, the total amount you pay as the commission will vary depending upon the closing sale price. So, the higher the sale price, the greater will be the commission, even though it may be decided upfront. It also translates into the fact that the seller may not always profit from this transaction. Anywhere from 5 to 6 percent of the proceeds from the sale go directly to your listing agent. The listing agent then splits the commission with the buyer’s agent according to their agreement.

On the other hand, a flat fee MLS listing in Texas will charge a listing fee that is a fixed amount, and not a percentage. This ensures that the seller ends up with a bigger profit in the scenario that the house sells for a higher price than expected. Depending on the real estate agency and the services you require, you can opt from different types of flat fee MLS listings.

Choosing Flat Fee MLS Listing in Texas

To ensure that the property gets the appropriate exposure to prospective buyers, adequate marketing about your home and assistance in getting together the paperwork is required. For this, flat fee MLS services are a good choice. Choosing a flat fee company to list your home in the MLS and to help you get the documentation in order is a viable option for selling a house in Texas without a realtor. If you decide to sell your home as For Sale By Owner (FSBO), you will need your property to be listed on the MLS, for which a flat fee MLS estate agent is a good option. While deciding on the right flat fee MLS agent in Texas, you need to ensure that the agent has the required experience and an active and updated website. You should also carefully read up on the past reviews of their earlier customers, which can be helpful too. Some of the best flat fee MLS companies in Texas are Congress Realty, Houzeo, and Creekview Realty, among others.

In summary, without having to be responsible for all the work of a trained realtor, by choosing a flat fee MLS listing service you will save time and pocket more savings by working with a low-commission realtor who can sell your home for top dollars.

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