If you’re selling a house by owner in Baltimore, Maryland, a flat fee MLS service can help you get more exposure for your listing without breaking the bank. We ranked 23 flat fee MLS plans available in Baltimore, Maryland across three different pricing tiers:
Budget plans typically range from $50-$200 and include basic services like an MLS listing and downloadable documents. Consider a Budget plan if you’re looking for the cheapest possible way to get more exposure for your listing.
Standard plans cost between $200-$500 and should get you some additional tools and features like showing scheduling software, virtual contracts, and even remote broker support. Good Standard plans usually offer the best value for FSBO sellers in terms of price vs. useful services.
Premium plans generally aren't worth it. Upfront fees start around $500 but can exceed $3,000. And many include hefty, additional fees at closing (0.5-1% or more). We think most Premium plans don't offer enough support to justify the high price tag.
⚡️ Quick tip: Discount real estate brokers typically offer better value than Premium flat fee MLS plans. You get full, in-person representation for roughly the same cost.
The most basic plans start as low as $50 and usually just get your property listed on Baltimore MLSs and popular sites like Zillow and Realtor.com, which helps increase your exposure among local buyers.
Most flat fee MLS brokers charge a flat upfront fee that’s nonrefundable. Some also charge additional fees at closing. Others may charge additional fees for canceling your listing agreement early or even just updating your listing details.
Flat fee MLS may be a good option if you’re (a) committed to selling without a realtor and (b) have a good understanding of the logistics, risks, and time requirements that come with a FSBO sale.
Most home sellers looking to save money should also consider a low commission real estate company. These brokers get you full, in-person representation from a licensed agent for 50% less than the average listing commission rate in Baltimore, which is comparable to many Premium flat fee MLS plans.
Should I use a flat fee MLS broker? (more)
Consider a flat fee MLS company if you're an experienced home seller, committed to selling your home by owner, and looking for a relatively cheap way to give your listing a visibility boost. If this is you, some Basic and Standard plans offer decent value for the money.
If you’re looking for anything above a Basic or Standard flat fee MLS plan, a discount real estate broker may offer better value. Discount broker pricing can be comparable to Premium flat fee MLS packages, but gets you full in-person representation from a licensed agent.
There are lots of free for sale by owner websites, including Zillow, Craigslist, and ForSaleByOwner.com. Most of these options don’t get your listing on the MLS, so they can be a good option for testing the waters or supplementing your flat fee MLS plan.
25 photos on the MLS (meets minimum expert recommendation)
Includes some services we expect in a Standard plan
No bonus services included
Plan ValueScore
62
Pricing score
95
Upfront fee
$299
Fee at closing
None
Required buyer's agent fee
1.00%
Terms & conditions score
60
Listing term
6 months
Cancellation fee
Unverified
Fee for listing changes
None
Services score
44
MLS listing and syndication
Unverified
Seller contact info on MLS
Unverified
# of photos
25
Downloadable documents
Unverified
Virtual contract software
Unverified
Yard sign
Unverified
Lockbox
Unverified
Print marketing
Unverified
Customer support
Included
Support options
Unverified
Support hours
7 days a week, 24 hours a day
Showing software
Additional Fee
Buyer messaging tools
Unverified
Remote broker support
Unverified
Pro photography
Unverified
3D walkthrough
Additional Fee: ($40)
Digital floorplans
Unverified
Virtual staging
Unverified
No verified reviews
Plan Availability: Annapolis, Baltimore, Berlin, Bladensburg, Bowie, Brunswick, Cambridge, Capitol Heights, Centreville, Chesapeake Beach, Chestertown, College Park, Cumberland, Denton, District Heights, Easton, Elkton, Frederick, Frostburg, Fruitland, Gaithersburg, Greenbelt, Hagerstown, Hampstead, Havre de Grace, Hyattsville, La Plata, Laurel, Manchester, Middletown, Mount Airy, Mount Rainier, Perryville, Pocomoke City, Poolesville, Rockville, Salisbury, Takoma Park, Taneytown, Thurmont, Walkersville, Westernport, Westminster, Willards
25 photos on the MLS (meets minimum expert recommendation)
Includes some services we expect in a Standard plan
Bonus services include Buyer messaging tools
Plan ValueScore
49
Pricing score
61
Upfront fee
$399
Fee at closing
None
Required buyer's agent fee
1.00%
Terms & conditions score
60
Listing term
6 months
Cancellation fee
Unverified
Fee for listing changes
None
Services score
46
MLS listing and syndication
Unverified
Seller contact info on MLS
Unverified
# of photos
25
Downloadable documents
Included
Virtual contract software
Unverified
Yard sign
Unverified
Lockbox
Unverified
Print marketing
Unverified
Customer support
Included
Support options
Unverified
Support hours
7 days a week, 24 hours a day
Showing software
Additional Fee
Buyer messaging tools
Included
Remote broker support
Unverified
Pro photography
Unverified
3D walkthrough
Additional Fee: ($40)
Digital floorplans
Unverified
Virtual staging
Unverified
No verified reviews
Plan Availability: Annapolis, Baltimore, Berlin, Bladensburg, Bowie, Brunswick, Cambridge, Capitol Heights, Centreville, Chesapeake Beach, Chestertown, College Park, Cumberland, Denton, District Heights, Easton, Elkton, Frederick, Frostburg, Fruitland, Gaithersburg, Greenbelt, Hagerstown, Hampstead, Havre de Grace, Hyattsville, La Plata, Laurel, Manchester, Middletown, Mount Airy, Mount Rainier, Perryville, Pocomoke City, Poolesville, Rockville, Salisbury, Takoma Park, Taneytown, Thurmont, Walkersville, Westernport, Westminster, Willards
Our research team evaluated 23 flat fee MLS listing plans available in Baltimore, Maryland from 13 brokerages. We compiled and analyzed publicly available data points tied to pricing, plan services, customer reviews, and more to evaluate each Baltimore flat fee MLS plan and create our rankings.
Methodology
Our team used public business directories to identify every flat fee MLS company serving Baltimore. We identified each flat fee MLS company's individual flat fee MLS plans. We filtered that list and ranked the top flat fee MLS options based on the following criteria:
Pricing: We looked at each flat fee MLS plan's ability to provide a home seller's baseline needs for a low, upfront flat fee. We also looked at whether the plan requires a fee at closing, or has hidden fees or other financial restrictions.
Flexibility: We looked at how much control a seller will have over their sale with each flat fee MLS plan, factoring in the length of the listing term and a seller's ability to make listing changes on their own, to connect directly with potential buyers, and to cancel the plan.
Services: We evaluated each flat fee MLS plan's core services, including MLS listing and syndication, the amount of photos with the listing, lockbox, yard sign, customer service options, document support, showing tools, marketing collateral, and more.
Company reputation: We looked at customer ratings and feedback for the flat fee MLS plan provider, as well as its recent track record and activity in the market.
✍️ Editor’s note: We don't disqualify a flat fee MLS company or flat fee MLS plan for limited or missing data, but we may lower the plan's rating. We base our ratings on objective measurements and can only measure what we see. We regularly search for new data to update our flat fee MLS rankings accordingly.
Our experts continually research, evaluate, and monitor real estate companies and industry trends. We update our articles when new information becomes available.