Flat Fee MLS Hawaii | The 7 Best Listing Services

7 best flat fee MLS companies in Hawaii | What to consider before using a flat fee MLS service | Other ways to save on realtor commissions

When selling a house for sale by owner (FSBO) in Hawaii, posting on the multiple listing service (MLS) greatly increases the number of buyers who will see your listing. Agents use the MLS to find properties for their clients, and listings are automatically syndicated to real estate sites like Zillow, Redfin, and Realtor.com.

While a traditional listing agent charges 2.5–3% to sell a home, a flat fee MLS service will list your house on the local MLS for just a few hundred dollars.

However, you'll need to consider the trade-offs before paying for this type of service.

Who should use a flat fee MLS listing service?

A flat fee MLS listing can work particularly well if you have the time and experience to sell a house on your own. 

If you decide to sell FSBO, you have plenty of flat fee MLS listing services to choose from in Hawaii.

However, if you haven't sold FSBO before, keep the following in mind:

• You'll essentially be your own agent. You'll handle pricing, showings, negotiations, paperwork, and qualifying buyers on your own. While some flat fee MLS companies offer limited broker assistance, it'll cost you a premium, and the level of service usually falls short of what a listing agent typically provides.

• You'll probably still need to pay a buyer's agent fee, since most buyers use an agent and other sellers won't make them pay for their agent out of pocket.

• The biggest potential downside of a flat fee MLS listing is that your home may sell for less than it would with an agent, despite all the time and effort you put in. Homes sold without a realtor sell for about 6% less on average, canceling any commission savings. That may explain why the majority of sellers who try the FSBO route end up listing with an agent.

If you want a less risky way to save money, you may want to consider hiring a reputable discount broker. You'll still save on real estate commissions, but you'll have a dedicated agent by your side.

» SAVE: Get a top local agent, pay half the commission

7 best flat fee MLS listing services in Hawaii

Do you need an MLS listing?

If you decide to sell without a realtor, the only way you can get on the multiple listing service is with a flat fee MLS company. The MLS is where most real estate agents find properties for their clients, and posting on the MLS is how your listing gets on home-buying websites like Zillow, Realtor.com, and Redfin. If you're not on the MLS, buyers will have a much harder time finding your property.

What to consider before hiring a flat fee MLS service

You’ll save on listing fees

If you're able to sell your house for close to what an agent could get for it, a flat fee MLS listing service will save you thousands of dollars. For example, on a $400,000 sale, a listing agent charging a 3% commission would set you back $12,000. But with a flat fee MLS listing service, you're more likely to pay just $300–500 in fees.

You'll still have to pay a buyer's agent to negotiate against you

A flat fee MLS listing helps you avoid paying a traditional listing agent's fee, but you'll still need to cover the buyer's agent commission. Almost all buyers work with an agent, and since buyers already have to pay cash for a down payment, agent commissions typically come from the seller's proceeds.

Unfortunately, buyer's agents often have the upper hand in FSBO sales, simply because they have more experience with these negotiations. The typical FSBO seller pays more in concessions and sells for about $120,000 less than the median sale price of homes sold through an agent.

You’ll have more control over the sale

In a typical real estate transaction, a listing agent acts as an intermediary between the seller and the buyer's agent. You're often in the dark about what's going on behind the scenes. Listing your home yourself means you know what's going on at every stage of the sale.

You may miss out on leads

Flat fee MLS listings don't always get as many leads as they should. Buyer's agents may caution their clients against pursuing these types of listings because they worry FSBO sellers will be hard to work with or need extra help from the buyer's agent, which could cause a conflict of interest. 

Additionally, MLS rules require a licensed agent to post a listing. So your contact information will only appear in the Agent Remarks section on the MLS — not directly on sites like Zillow and Redfin.

Most of the time, you'll depend on your flat fee broker to forward you inquiries and showing requests. If your flat fee MLS listing agent manages a lot of listings, they may not forward leads promptly, as this Houzeo customer found out.

You can choose the services you need

Most flat fee MLS companies have different packages so you can choose the level of support you need to sell your home.

If you're not in a hurry to sell, you may not need much more than an MLS listing and a way for buyers to get in touch.

If you're on a tighter timeline or don't have much experience with selling real estate, you can choose a plan that features broker assistance with pricing, paperwork, and negotiations. While these plans cost more, they're typically still cheaper than a traditional real estate agent commission.

You'll likely encounter extra fees

Some companies may draw you in with a flat fee offer, only to charge additional fees or a percentage of your sale price at closing. Some may even retain a portion of the buyer's agent commission, which will impact your bottom line.

Some fees aren't necessarily hidden but can quickly add up, like charges for listing edits, price changes, lockboxes, and additional photos. For example, this Houzeo customer found out that they'd have to pay an extra $140 for the ShowingTime app in order to receive showing requests from agents and buyers — which is pretty essential to selling a house.

7 Best flat fee MLS listing services in Hawaii: Full Breakdown

FlatList.com: Best overall value

Pros

• FlatList.com has excellent reviews online from past customers.
• The plan includes all the essentials most sellers need for a reasonable price.
• The plan includes offer assistance, which other companies charge hundreds extra for.

Cons

• The company offers only one plan.
• Your listing only appears on your island's MLS.
• There are no options to upgrade your listing or purchase add-ons.

FlatList.com fees and services

FlatList.com operates throughout Hawaii and gets top marks from customer reviews online. It offers only one pricing plan, which makes things easy to understand. Although, if you're looking for a more customized plan or premium services, FlatList.com is probably not right for you.

Its plan is priced similarly to other flat fee MLS companies in Hawaii, but it has an edge over them in terms of value. Most importantly, you'll get the maximum photos allowed by your local MLS. FlatList.com also provides free cancellation and free, unlimited changes. It even boasts offer assistance from a licensed broker, which few alternative companies include in their standard packages.

However, one drawback is that your home will only be posted to your island's MLS, rather than statewide. While this is unlikely to be a dealbreaker for most sellers, other companies post your home to multiple MLSs to maximize your listing's exposure.

OahuRE.com: Best for inexperienced sellers

Pros

• You get full service from a licensed agent for a flat fee.
• You only pay if and when your home sells.
• There's no listing term limit and 25 photos.

Cons

• You only communicate with your agent online with the Flat Fee package.
• While cheap for full service, it's the most expensive flat fee MLS company on our list.
• There's no option to buy a no-frills MLS listing.

OahuRE.com fees and services

OahuRE.com is unusual for a flat fee MLS company because it offers full service from a real estate agent for a flat rate. Granted, the price — at $3,500 — is far more expensive than any other company on our list, but in exchange, you'll essentially have a realtor doing much of the work for you. Plus, just like with a traditional realtor, you only pay if and when your house sells.

However, this flat fee model comes with some important drawbacks. For one, you won't meet your realtor in person. Instead, communication is entirely online. You may find this way of selling too impersonal. And if your property has unusual features, there's an increased risk of mistakes, such as pricing the home wrong.

The company does offer a full-service selling option for 2% at closing — a slight discount compared to the 2.5–3% that traditional listing agents charge. However, other full-service discount real estate brokers offer more savings and the ability to choose your agent.

Overall, OahuRE.com is a good option if you're an inexperienced seller with a fairly simple home sale. But if you're just looking for a basic MLS listing and to handle most of the sale yourself, other companies will be better options.

ISoldMyHouse.com: Best for tech-savvy sellers

Pros

• Both packages are reasonably priced and include most of the essentials.
• ISoldMyHouse.com has positive online reviews from customers.
• Its online library of FSBO educational material can help you sell on your own.

Cons

• Its entry-level package only comes with a six-photo limit.
• You'll get more free add-ons with competing companies.
• The online focus makes it a poor option if you prefer phone support.

ISoldMyHouse.com fees and services

ISoldMyHouse.com is a nationwide flat fee MLS service that covers all of Hawaii. It offers two plans: the entry-level Get LISTED! plan and the Get SOLD! plan. While both plans are similar and include six-month listing terms, online customer support, and lead forwarding, we recommend the Get SOLD! plan. It includes a 25-photo limit, whereas Get LISTED! has a meager six-photo limit.

Overall, the Get SOLD! plan is a decent option for FSBO sellers. However, it does have some minor drawbacks. For one, customer support is entirely online. While online reviews say the company is generally quick to respond, you may prefer a service that offers phone support.

Also, ISoldMyHouse.com doesn't offer many options for add-ons and upgrades. If you need extra support, you'll want to look elsewhere since the company doesn't have a broker assistance option.

Unreal Estate: Best for extra services at a discount

Pros

• You'll only pay for your MLS listing if your house sells.
• Using code "Clever" gets you exclusive rates on the most popular plans.
• Customer service gets top marks in online customer reviews.

Cons

• The two cheapest plans don't offer enough features for most sellers.
• Unlimited listing edits are only included with the Premium package.
• Customer support for the two lower-priced plans is exclusively online.

Unreal Estate fees and services

Unreal Estate has a wide range of plans to choose from at competitive rates. Its Starter plan is one of the few that will get your home on the MLS for free — you'll just have to pay 0.5% of the sale price if your home sells. However, it includes a five-photo limit, which is too low for most sellers.

The other three plans — Basic, Deluxe, and Premium — range in price from $99 to $249, with each charging an extra 0.5% at closing. However, Clever has partnered with Unreal Estate to get you a better rate. When you use code "Clever," Unreal Estate will drop the 0.5% upcharge on these three popular plans. You'll lock in a flat rate of $99, $250, or $450, depending on the plan you choose.

Overall, the Deluxe and Premium plans offer the best value for most sellers. They include much higher photo limits, and you'll get more free listing edits. These plans also include call forwarding, so you'll be less likely to miss out on a lead from an interested buyer.

Houzeo: Good for online listing management

Pros

• Houzeo's online dashboard makes it easy to manage your listing and showings.
• Most online reviews for Houzeo are positive.

Cons

• Most packages offer relatively little for the price.
• The entry-level package charges extra fees for listing changes and open houses.
• Customer service is the subject of several complaints in online reviews.
• Negative reviews also complain about hidden fees and listing errors.

Houzeo fees and services

Houzeo is a national flat fee MLS company that covers almost all of Hawaii. It has a wide range of plans, with prices ranging from $329 to $999+. The entry-level Bronze plan is quite pricey, given that it only includes a three-month listing, six photos, and no free listing changes. If you decide to use Houzeo, we recommend upgrading to the Silver plan, which is only $70 extra but includes maximum photos, a six-month listing, and free, unlimited listing changes.

The Gold and Platinum plans charge a flat fee and a percentage at closing, but they both have a minimum price of $999. For what you get, that price is too high to justify, and you’d be better off looking into finding a discounted broker.

Also, beware that while Houzeo has mostly positive reviews online, we did find some concerning complaints. Some customers noted that Houzeo's support team was difficult to reach and that listing errors were slow to be corrected. A few also complained about being subjected to hidden fees.

Flat Fee Group: Good for longer listings

Pros

• You'll get comparables to help you price your home accurately.
• The Full Service package offers good value if you want more agent support.

Cons

• Administrative fees make most plans expensive for a flat fee MLS listing.
• Add-ons are pricey compared to other companies.
• Upgrading from the Basic to the Limited plan provides few extra benefits.

Flat Fee Group fees and services

Flat Fee Group is a nationwide organization of brokers who all provide different flat fee MLS services in their respective states. In Hawaii, that broker is Nathalie Mulinix, who offers three flat rate plans.

The cheapest plan is $379 plus a $250 "administrative fee" at closing, for a total of $629. For that price, you'll get a 12-month listing on one MLS, 25 photos, free cancellation, and comparables. Or you can upgrade to the Limited plan for an extra $121, which will get you on two to three MLS.

While the comparables ("comps") are useful in helping you price your home more accurately, overall these plans seem overpriced. You can get the same basic service elsewhere for much less.

Only the Full Service package, which costs $500 plus 1% at closing, provides real value. With this plan, you'll get a more traditional real estate agent experience at a significant discount.

FSBO.com: Good for statewide MLS coverage

Pros

• FSBO.com attracts buyers who are specifically looking for FSBO properties.

Cons

• There are few online reviews, and some of them are negative.
• FSBO.com offers only one plan, with no option to upgrade.
• You can find similarly priced plans elsewhere that offer more services.

FSBO.com fees and services

FSBO.com is a well-known national brand that operates throughout Hawaii. It only includes one plan, which at $400 is similarly priced to other standard flat fee MLS services in Hawaii. However, this plan is pretty basic, with not much more than a six-month MLS listing and a photo limit of 20.

Most other flat fee MLS services in Hawaii include many more extras for the same price. FSBO.com also doesn't include any option to upgrade your plan or purchase add-ons, so it's not a great choice if you prefer flexibility.

One benefit FSBO.com potentially offers is that your home will also be listed on its website. Since FSBO.com attracts buyers who are specifically looking for FSBO properties, this can be useful. But ultimately, it probably won't be enough to make FSBO.com a more compelling choice for sellers than most other options on this list.

How to get an MLS listing without a realtor in Hawaii

Top alternatives to a flat fee MLS service in Hawaii

Sell with a discount broker

If you're looking to save on realtor fees but aren't ready to handle all the work that FSBO entails, a discount realtor is a good alternative. The best discount realtors offer the same services as traditional realtors, but at a much lower rate — usually 1–2% compared to the traditional 3%.

Some discount brokers even offer flat rates, typically starting at about $5,000.

More discount realtors are becoming available, but not all offer the same level of service, savings, and value. That's why we recommend talking to realtors from a few brokerages before making a decision.

If you want to compare your options in Hawaii, Semya-Moya may be a good place to start.

When you request an agent through Clever, you'll receive multiple agent matches from top local brokerages, like RE/MAX and Keller Williams. You can compare agents and choose the best one for you.

Clever's agent network includes 19,000 top-performing realtors across the country — who all offer discounted rates through Clever's network. When you sell your home, you'll pay a listing fee of just 1.5% (about half the typical rate).

Try selling for sale by owner without an MLS listing

It's technically possible to sell your house without listing it on the MLS. But this method isn't likely to work all that well unless you already have a buyer lined up.

Without an MLS listing, fewer buyers will know your house is for sale. The MLS is the main way real estate agents find properties for their clients. It also guarantees that your listing gets on popular home-buying websites, including Zillow.

If you forgo an MLS listing, you'll have to rely on less effective sites like Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist. Or you can hope that a buyer sees the for sale sign in your yard.

» LEARN: FSBO vs. Realtor Facts and Statistics

FAQ about flat fee MLS listings in Hawaii