A flat fee MLS exists when the flat fee realtor accepts a flat fee arrangement rather than a percentage of the sale price of the property. Typically in this situation, the buyer's broker still receives a percentage which could also represent a flat fee. The for sale by owner can expect to forfeit some of the services offered through a traditional agent listing such as showing of the house, yard sign installation, taking property photos or preparing virtual tours of property. Note however, that these services could be requested as an option with your flat fee realtor. The common denominator for both the seller and the agent is "getting the house sold," and the agent may use his or her discretion when offering these services.

However, the responsibility of hosting open houses and answering questions about the property often lies solely on the shoulder of the seller. The agent is aware that there will not be a huge commission at the closing table and will offer limited services to the seller. The saying, "you get what you pay for, is very evident in this arrangement. A flat fee MLS works best for sellers who want to sell as for sale by owner. Short sales and foreclosures are also good candidates for the flat fee MLS option where the for sale by owner is not expected to make a profit from the sale of the house.

For those for sale by owner who are considering between a traditional agent listing and a discount realtor it is important to weigh your options to see which of the two will garner the best results. There are a number of discount realtors advertising to get your business and for sale by owner should ask around for referrals or visit the discount realtor’s website to view past customer reviews. If the flat fee realtor is legit and confident in their track record it is possible that they could provide you with a short list of its customers to contact who could give testimony to their services. Once you are confident that you have done enough research on the discount realtor and are comfortable doing business with the agent, make sure you have a thorough understanding of what the agent will or will not do throughout the process. Have something in writing in the event the relationship is not working out.

Selling your house as for sale by owner in the current real estate market is not daunting enough and having the right flat fee realtor to help with the sale of your house is essential. For a mere $200 to $400 you can have access to a real estate agent with experience and the selling tools to help unload your for sale by owner property a lot faster than you could selling it on your own. Consider using the flat fee MLS option when selling your home to get the results you are looking for at a reduced cost. For more visit http://www.ownerama.com/.