Selling a house in this market is not an easy task, with prices booming since 2020. In this market, agent commissions have also risen. With every sale, a substantial amount has to be given as agent commission. With discount estate brokers, this can be controlled. While there are many individual real estate agents and companies that offer this facility, one has to be careful as it could be an expensive affair with hidden charges levied by some companies. 

We have collated the 7 most viable options if you want to escape the skyrocketing prices of a traditional agent. 

Table Of Contents:

A: Why should sellers go for discount real estate brokers?

B: Top 7 real estate discount broker options in 2022

C: Factors to keep in mind before signing up for a discount real estate broker

Why should sellers go for discount real estate brokers?

Traditionally, full-service real estate brokers charge 2-3 percent commission from the seller in addition to 2-3 percent as buyer commission which the seller has to incur. So, a total of 6 percent of the sale price burns a huge hole in the seller’s pocket. With discount brokers, sellers can save thousands of dollars. So instead of 2-3 percent, these agents or companies work at a discounted rate which amounts to 1-1.5 percent or a fixed flat fee. 

The discount brokers provide service to the sellers in terms of marketing, staging, closing, documentation, and other assistance in navigating through the tricky territory of real estate. 

The key difference between the discount brokers and a full-service agent is the pricing. It is pertinent to check out all the services offered by the discount broker of your choosing because there is a possibility that a certain package might look inexpensive but isn’t or services offered are not satisfactory. Following is the list of a few options that you could peruse. 

Top 7 discount real estate broker options in 2022

Houzeo

If you are looking to save up on money and are not looking to pay a full commission to the real estate agents then a flat fee package for an MLS listing is your best bet. Houzeo facilitates sales by taking a flat fee for an MLS listing in addition to providing other services, depending on the package you choose. Just pay $329 and benefit from their services including MLS listing, online showing, and complete digitization of documents. Another USP of Houzeo is that it lists the property on MLS in a maximum of one business day or even in a few hours. 

In addition to this, you can tailor the packages as per your need including more services like professional photography, yard sign, contract assistance, and price staging. 

Houzeo reviews enjoy a great 4.9 stars rating from their customer base. 

RedFIN

RedFin charges 1.5 percent as a listing fee from sellers. They charge 1 percent if the seller buys or sells with their company. They do not charge extra for professional photographs, yard signs, and online marketing. Having said that, RedFin takes approximately 18 days to get the listing up on MLS. 

The main glitch in the system is that there is little or no personal assistance given. They make it up with excellent technology. 

Ideal Agent

Ideal Agents’ number one USP is that they only assign experienced agents to the sellers who provide full service. The biggest downside of this is that they charge 2 percent as seller commission which is quite hefty compared to other discount brokers. 

The process of assigning an appropriate agent takes time and they do not offer quick service, comparatively. 

Listing Spark

Listing Spark is a discount broker which is known for its innovative MLS listing scheme. Sellers are required to pay $7 a day for an MLS listing and an additional 0.5 percent closing cost.

Prevu

Prevu charges a 1.5 percent commission as seller commission and buyers get a rebate of 2 percent if they proceed to buy through Prevu. This discount broker has limited agents and hence the options for sellers are also limited.

But, Prevu has 3D Virtual tours and professional photography to help make the sale. One of the major advantages is that they don’t charge additional fees for this. There are myriad options from which sellers can choose and pay accordingly. One of the disadvantages of this discount broker is everything is manual and it might be a little cumbersome for the seller to navigate through the MLS online.

Simple Showing

Simple Showing charges 1 percent commission from sellers and is predominantly popular in the Southeast. Paying a lesser charge has its downfalls. There is no personalized attention given to the seller as the agents take as many as five clients at one time. Customer support is not always on par with other discount agents. 

UpNest

UpNest charges a 2.5 percent seller commission upfront which is higher than many discount agents. Their pricing is not suitable for the seller on a budget. They have a no-obligation facility that lets the sellers choose from any real estate agent without locking down on anyone. 

Factors to keep in mind before signing up for a discount real estate broker

Enlisting discount real estate brokers have its pros and cons. While they give a flat discount on seller commission, one still has to pay buyer commission which is 2-3 percent. So there is minimum saving with discount brokers. Having said that, most brokers give services like traditional real estate agents. 

Sellers need to check if there are liable to pay additional fees at the time of closing. It is also to be seen if the agents are reliable assistance is given for completion of paperwork, staging, and of course, online marketing. It will be helpful if one takes a specialty real estate broker, according to the kind of property you are selling. Also, some discount agents work well in a certain area, it is good to be mindful of that and choose your broker. 

All things considered, paying a flat fee to an MLS listing service company like Houzeo is more profitable than discount brokers because there is total transparency, digitization of documentation, professional photoshoot, online showing facility, yard sign, closing assistance, stating, marketing, customer support, and other services on A la Carte basis. You can pick and choose, according to your budget.