Sunshine Realty is a flat fee MLS company in Missouri that operates primarily in the Greater St. Louis area. You'll get a traditional, full-service agent experience for only $399 upfront plus 0.5% at closing. This rate helps most sellers save thousands of dollars in realtor commission.
The company has high customer ratings and a lot of local expertise. If you're in its service area, it's likely worth looking into.
One limitation of Sunshine Realty is the lack of flexibility. Unlike other flat fee MLS companies, it doesn't offer several plans at different price points so you can choose the level of service you want. It also has only a few agents you could work with.
If you want a greater selection of agents who charge lower commission, consider using a service that allows you to compare multiple low-cost agents.
For example, Clever Real Estate provides a service where you get realtor matches sent straight to your inbox. These agents are vetted top performers who charge a low 1.5% listing fee. You can compare multiple options and request more agent matches until you find the best fit. Simply fill out this short form to start comparing top local agents.
Our Sunshine Realty rating
| Overall score | 4.5/5 🟢 |
| Service quality | 4.5/5 🟢 |
| Marketing | 3.0/5 🟡 |
| Cost | 5.0/5 🟢 |
| Customer experience | 4.5/5 🟢 |
Is Sunshine Realty the right choice for you?
Sunshine Realty could be right for you if:
- You have a highly desirable, ready-to-sell property. If your home has wide appeal and will likely get multiple offers soon after listing, using Sunshine Realty is a great way to save money on an easy sale.
- You prioritize saving money on commission. Sunshine’s listing fee of $399 upfront plus 0.5% at closing offers significant savings over traditional commission rates (2.5–3%).
Sunshine Realty may not be the right fit if:
- You have a unique, hard-to-market property. Sunshine is a small, 2–3 agent office, and when we spoke to a Sunshine agent, they were clear that they don’t get much traction from marketing platforms like Instagram and Facebook. If your home needs a lot of help finding the right buyer, Sunshine Realty might not have as many resources to get it done.
- You’re not in Sunshine’s immediate area of expertise. Sunshine Realty operates in the Greater St. Louis area, but when we spoke to one of its agents, they outlined a very well-defined area of operation. If you’re outside those counties, Sunshine Realty may not have a feel for your local market.
Sunshine Realty vs. top alternatives
Every home sale is unique, and it’s important that you find the right real estate agent and selling solution for you and your property. We recommend comparing Sunshine Realty against top alternatives like discount brokers and other flat fee MLS companies.
Discount brokers
Discount brokers sell your home at a much lower price than the average commission rate. Typically, they have a 1–2% listing fee compared to the national average of 2.74%. The top discount brokers offer full service just like traditional realtors.
Companies like Clever Real Estate and Ideal Agent have larger, national agent networks, so they may have more agents to choose from than Sunshine Realty St. Louis, which is a small, regional company with only a few agents. Both Clever and Ideal Agent have only top agents in their networks.
» See our full list of the top discount brokers in Missouri.
Other flat fee MLS companies
Many flat fee MLS companies will get your home listing on the multiple listing service (MLS) but provide only limited service beyond that. However, some companies have a range of packages that offer closer to full service as well as a la carte services so you can pay for only the services you need.
Listing your home on the MLS is vital, since it increases your home’s visibility and gets your listing onto high-traffic websites like Zillow, Redfin, and Realtor.com. Traditional realtors always list your home on the MLS, but flat fee MLS companies offer that service for a lower price.
Sunshine Realty offers full service, but it uses a hybrid pricing model of an upfront flat fee ($399) plus a percentage-based fee at closing (0.5%). That's more expensive than many flat fee MLS companies, but if you prefer more agent services (as opposed to handling the entire sale on your own), it offers great value for money.
» See our full list of the top flat fee MLS companies in Missouri.
Our full Sunshine Realty review
Service quality
📊 Our rating: 4.5/5
- Sunshine Realty's listing package contains everything you would expect from a full-price, traditional agent.
- Sunshine Realty is a small, regional company, which could limit what it can do for you.
Sunshine Realty offers a competitive package of services for its price point. But it only offers a single plan, so sellers who want a DIY sale experience for a very low price will need to look elsewhere.
The company offers everything a traditional listing agent would typically provide. When we contacted an agent at Sunshine Realty, they told us they offer:
- A no-obligation consultation before signing a listing agreement
- Pricing and staging advice
- In-home consultation
- A comparative market analysis (CMA)
- Professional photos
- Full MLS listing (including using Listhub to post the listing on sites like Zillow, Realtor.com, and Redfin)
- Yard signs and a Supra lockbox
- Showings assistance, plus feedback on showings
- Full guidance through price negotiation and closing
These services cost $399 upfront and 0.5% of the sale price at closing. This is a great deal compared to traditional realtors who provide the same service for a much higher price or other flat fee MLS companies that offer a similar price but limited service.
Sunshine Realty does have some limitations, though. When we talked to an agent at Sunshine, they said all client communication goes through phone, text, and email and that they are too small of a company to offer any kind of proprietary tech platform or app. So customers who want a more high-tech selling experience might want to look at bigger national competitors like Clever.
For clients looking to buy a house, Sunshine offers standard assistance with home searches, showings, and closing.
While its website claims that buyers never have to pay their Sunshine Realty agent a buyer’s agent fee,[1] the agent we spoke to conceded that, due to recent changes stemming from the NAR lawsuit settlement, it’s possible that buyers might have to pay their buyer’s agent commission out of pocket if a seller concession can’t be negotiated.
Marketing
📊 Our rating: 3/5
- Sunshine Realty gives your property a full MLS listing and populates it onto major real estate websites via Listhub.
- The company also provides a yard sign and lockbox and posts your listing on its social media accounts.
- Its marketing reach is somewhat limited, and sellers may need to augment Sunshine Realty's marketing efforts with their own.
Sunshine Realty lists your property on the local MLS. Your MLS listing will be automatically syndicated across major real estate websites, including Zillow, Trulia, and Realtor.com. This is the base marketing strategy for any flat fee MLS service or traditional realtor listing.
When we spoke to an agent at Sunshine, they said they also posted listings on their social media accounts (Instagram and Facebook) and provided sellers with yard signs and a lockbox through Supra. Beyond that, they said they rely on clients to increase their listing’s visibility.
Having your property listed on Sunshine Realty's website doesn't do much to increase your property's exposure. The website gets around 50 visits per month from organic search traffic. Other flat fee MLS companies, like Houzeo, have a built-in audience benefit. Houzeo's site receives over 200,000 monthly visits, primarily through organic search methods like Google.
Cost
📊 Our rating: 5/5
- Sunshine Realty offers significant savings compared to traditional full commission.
- It charges a very competitive price for the level of service it offers.
Sunshine Realty has one listing package that costs $399 upfront and 0.5% of the sale price at closing.
While there are barebones flat fee MLS companies that charge less, like Homecoin or ISoldMyHouse.com, those companies offer very few services beyond MLS listings. While these can be great for sellers with the confidence and expertise to handle the transaction alone, most sellers need more guidance.
Compared to competitors who offer full service or close to full service, like Beycome or Houzeo, Sunshine Realty offers great value. Most competitors charge around 1% at closing, which can be several thousand dollars more than Sunshine Realty’s 0.5%.
If you find a buyer represented by an agent, you may also have to pay the buyer's agent 2.5–3% of the sale price.
Sunshine Realty reviews
📊 Our rating: 4.5/5
- Most Sunshine Realty reviews are positive.
- Negative reviews are rare, and Sunshine Realty's responses offer a moderating perspective.
Based on nearly 70 reviews across Google, Zillow, and other sites, we found that customer sentiment about Sunshine Realty is largely positive.
While Sunshine Realty has occasional negative reviews, most of them are several years old, suggesting that Sunshine Realty — which was founded in 2010 — may have corrected many of its initial shortcomings.
Positive Sunshine Realty reviews generally mention responsive, highly competent agents, service that often went far beyond minimum expectations, and great value for the price.
One seller mentioned that their agent helped them out when they had to change loans in the middle of the purchase process, and then helped quickly sell their old home for well over asking price. On Zillow, a seller admiringly noted that their agent’s suggested selling price matched the professional appraisal they recently received.
The rare negative reviews usually complain about a slow sale or unsatisfactory offers, though Sunshine Realty’s response to this negative review mentions that the seller received three offers — so the seller's dissatisfaction may have stemmed more from expectations than from Sunshine Realty’s performance.
Sunshine Realty locations
Sunshine Realty operates in the Greater St. Louis area. Its main office is located in Lake St. Louis.
Next step: Compare your options
Sunshine Realty offers great savings on full service from an agent. If you're in its service area, it's definitely worth a look.
But make sure you compare other options before choosing a particular agent and brokerage.
If you're an experienced seller and want to handle a lot of the sale yourself, you may want to consider a flat fee MLS company that offers DIY packages and a la carte services.
If you want full service from a low-commission real estate agent, consider using a discount broker that allows you to compare multiple top agents so you can find the best fit for your sale.
For example, Clever Real Estate sets you up with multiple vetted agents from top brokerages like Keller Williams and Century21. All of the agents in its network offer a low 1.5% listing fee, so your savings are locked in from the beginning.
- Answer 5 simple questions about your sale
- Get matched with 2 to 3 top local agents in minutes
- Choose the best fit and save up to 50% on listing fees
Methodology
We evaluate flat fee MLS (FFMLS) and for sale by owner (FSBO) listing services based on four core criteria:
- Quality and range of services
- Brand recognition and marketing methods
- Cost value
- Customer reviews and experience
Service quality
Essential services. We examine whether the FFMLS companies offer fundamental services such as local MLS listings, syndication to popular sites like Zillow and Trulia, maximum photo allowances, unlimited free listing changes, and continuous active listing until sale closure.
Value-added services. We identify and acknowledge services that truly enhance the selling and management process, such as unlimited listing changes, professional photography, and efficient online dashboards.
Conversely, we also note the absence of crucial features like call forwarding, which can significantly impact a seller's ability to manage their leads directly. Services that withhold essential features like call forwarding, potentially keeping buyer leads from sellers, are viewed critically as they may not fully support the seller's best interests.
Marketing
Visibility and reach. We assess the effectiveness of each company's marketing strategies beyond the MLS baseline. This includes additional marketing efforts like social media promotion, digital advertising, and the company's own website traffic and visibility.
Cost
Pricing comparison. We carefully examine the total costs of each company’s services, including any extra fees at closing. By comparing these costs to other brands and national averages, we assess their overall value for money.
Our analysis highlights any hidden charges, like a closing fee some services impose, ensuring you understand the real cost of using a flat fee MLS service. This helps you make informed decisions about which service offers the best value.
Customer experience
Review analysis. We aggregate and analyze customer reviews from various online platforms, creating a weighted average rating. A sentiment analysis program is employed to identify prevalent themes and insights.
BBB complaints. We check for any complaints filed with the Better Business Bureau, considering how these might reflect on the company's customer service and reliability.
