Updated October 2026. A checklist for comparing services that put a for-sale-by-owner home on the MLS. Competitor terms are from their own pages on the dates shown; Beycome terms are from our listing packages.
A multiple listing service for sale by owner is really a flat fee broker: a licensed brokerage that enters your home on the MLS while you run the sale. As of October 2026, entry plans start around $99 to $399, but the real differences are in the fine print: a percentage due at closing, a minimum fee, photo and change caps, the listing term, and who the licensed broker is. Check those five before you sign.
Jump to: 🏠 How it works · 🪜 The checklist · 💲 Fees at closing · 🤝 Who’s the broker · ❓ FAQ
Key takeaways
- Only licensed brokers can enter MLS listings, so every FSBO MLS service works through a brokerage; ask which one and where it’s licensed.
- Agents put homes on the MLS first and foremost (85%), and 91% of 2025 sellers used an agent, so the MLS is where most buyers’ agents look (NAR, 2025).
- On Houzeo’s pricing page, three of four plans add 0.5% to 1.25% at closing with a $999 minimum (read Oct 20, 2026).
- Beycome Basic is $99 with $0 to Beycome at closing, the most photos the MLS allows and the longest term the state and MLS allow.
If you’re starting from zero, our step-by-step guide on how to list your house for sale by owner covers pricing, paperwork and showings. This page is narrower: how to compare the services that get you on the MLS, and what to read before you pay.
How does an MLS listing work when you sell by owner?
The MLS is a database run by local REALTOR associations. Brokers share listings there, and the data flows to listing sites. You can’t join as an owner. A flat fee broker signs a listing agreement with you, enters your home on the MLS, and then steps back while you handle showings, offers and the deal. Some plans add help with offers, contracts or negotiation.
Why bother? NAR’s 2025 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers found agents listed homes on the MLS first and foremost (85%), and only 5% of sales were FSBO, an all-time low. Most buyers have an agent, and agents search the MLS. A listing there puts your home in front of them and onto the big portals. For the basics, see our explainer on the for sale by owner multiple listing service.
What should you check before choosing an MLS listing service?
Ask every company these questions, and get the answers from its own pricing page or listing agreement, not a sales call.
- Is anything due at closing? Look for “+0.5%”, “+1%” or a “minimum commission” line.
- How many photos go on the MLS? Some entry plans cap photos well below what the MLS allows.
- How long is the listing term? Six months can run out mid-sale; renewals may cost extra.
- Are listing changes limited? Price cuts and photo swaps should be easy and free.
- Which MLS will it go on? In some metros the right MLS matters more than the price.
- What happens if you cancel? Read the footnote, not just “cancel anytime”.
- Who is the licensed broker, and is it licensed in your state?
- Who helps with offers and negotiation: software, a person, or nobody?
Compare entry plan to entry plan, and full-service to full-service. Our FSBO MLS listing service comparison puts several companies side by side using dated captures.
How much do fees at closing add up to?
This is where two “$400” plans can end up thousands of dollars apart. Here’s Houzeo’s pricing as shown on its own page (read Oct 20, 2026, and still shown October 27, 2026), next to Beycome, on NAR’s September 2026 median price of $417,500.
| Plan | Upfront | Due at closing | On $417,500 | Photos / term | Beycome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houzeo Bronze | $399 | $0 | $399 | 25 photos, 6 months, 10 listing changes | Basic $99, $0 at closing: max MLS photos, max term, unlimited changes |
| Houzeo Silver | $449 | +0.5%, $999 minimum | $2,536.50 | Max photos, 6 months | Enhanced $399, $0 at closing, pro photo session |
| Houzeo Gold | $479 | +1%, $999 minimum | $4,654 | Adds broker assistance and offer tools | Basic and Enhanced: Artur AI for offers and negotiation |
| Houzeo Platinum | $499 | +1.25%, $999 minimum | $5,717.75 | 12 months, broker-led negotiation | Concierge $999 through Oct 31, 2026 (list $1,399), $0 at closing |
That “+1.25%” is the “125% listing fee” some sellers search for: it’s 1.25% of the price, due at closing on Houzeo’s Platinum plan. Houzeo’s page also lists add-ons on lower plans, like Coming Soon ($199), rush activation ($199) and an additional MLS ($399), and a $49 yard sign. Its cancellation footnote says the listing agent’s commission is still owed if offers were received while the listing was active.
To be fair to Houzeo: Bronze is a true flat fee with $0 at closing, and it includes syndication to the big portals. The closing percentage only bites on Silver and up. Read the plan you’d actually buy.
Those percentages are the company’s own listing fees, not buyer-agent compensation. Any commission example is for illustration only. Commissions are not set by law or by NAR rules and are fully negotiable. Sellers choose whether to offer any buyer-agent compensation, and how much. Since August 17, 2024, those offers can’t be shown on the MLS.
Who is the licensed broker behind the listing?
Every MLS listing has a broker of record. It’s worth knowing who that is, because the broker signs your listing agreement and answers to the state license board.
Houzeo’s Terms of Use (read October 27, 2026) say it is a licensed real estate brokerage in Texas and Alabama, and that Houzeo “does not provide brokerage services or act as a real estate broker.” In other states, listings go through brokers it works with. Ask which one will hold your listing.
For Beycome, the brokerage services come from licensed affiliates: Beycome Brokerage Realty LLC, Beycome Brokerage Realty Inc. in California, and Beycome of Florida LLC in Florida. If you searched for “Beycome of Florida LLC,” that’s the licensed Florida brokerage behind Florida listings. License numbers are on our licensed broker page. You can check any Florida license on the state’s DBPR license search; other states have their own lookups.
Beycome is licensed in 18 states and DC, and lists in 17 states and DC.
Sell smarter
List your home on the MLS from $99
A flat fee instead of a percentage, and $0 to Beycome at closing. You stay in control of your sale.
Sell your home →Buy smarter
Get up to 2% back at closing
On homes listed by other agents, Beycome credits you up to 2% of the price at closing (1% kept, $1,499 minimum; not on FSBO homes or homes listed by Beycome sellers).
Buy a home →What should the listing agreement say?
Read it before you pay. Look for the flat fee and when it’s earned, any closing fee, the term, cancellation terms and how buyer-agent compensation is handled. A short legal review is cheap insurance; the American Bar Association has a lawyer referral directory if you want help in your state.
On a Beycome listing, the flat fee is earned when the listing is published on the MLS, so nothing more is owed to Beycome at closing, even if you find the buyer yourself. Beycome doesn’t set, collect or pay buyer-agent compensation. If you choose to offer it, you agree to it directly with the buyer’s agent in writing.
What do you get with Beycome’s MLS listing?
Beycome has helped 22,000+ homeowners and they’ve saved over $225 million. Every package includes e-signature, unlimited listing changes at no charge, ShowingTime scheduling where the MLS offers it, and the Artur AI assistant for offers and negotiation. Concierge adds experts who negotiate for you while you stay in control of every decision. Cancel free, except Georgia MLS’s mandatory $25 fee; listings under contract can’t be canceled. Support is 7 days a week, Artur AI 24/7.
See plans on our Flat Fee MLS page, or the MLS competitor comparison for a wider side-by-side. About 36% of Beycome sales closed in 2026 had a buyer with no agent (Beycome internal data, 2026).
More reading on the MLS route: listing your home on the MLS, FSBO plus MLS as a strategy, selling FSBO on the MLS, MLS listing services compared and MLS listing by owner.
What buyers should know about FSBO homes on the MLS
They show up like any other listing, but you may deal with the owner directly. Get inspections, read the disclosures and confirm title as usual; the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau explains loan and closing papers. Shopping for a home to buy? Beycome’s buyer program is open to every buyer on homes listed by other agents, with no upfront fee: we keep 1% of the price (minimum $1,499) and credit the rest of the buyer-agent commission at closing, with lender approval. The credit can’t apply where no buyer-agent commission is offered, like most FSBO homes, or on homes listed by Beycome sellers.
Frequently asked questions about MLS listing services for sale by owner
Can I list my house on the MLS without a realtor?
Yes, through a flat fee broker. The broker enters the listing because only licensed brokers can, and you handle the sale yourself.
How do I compare services that help homeowners sell without an agent?
Compare the same service level: upfront price, anything due at closing, photos, listing term, listing changes, cancellation terms, the MLS used and who the licensed broker is.
What is a 1.25% listing fee?
A fee equal to 1.25% of the sale price, paid at closing. Houzeo’s Platinum plan lists “+1.25% at Close” with a $999 minimum (read Oct 20, 2026).
How does Beycome compare with Houzeo?
Beycome Basic is $99 with $0 at closing and max MLS photos and term. Houzeo Bronze is $399 with $0 at closing, 25 photos and 6 months; its other plans add 0.5% to 1.25% at closing.
What is Beycome of Florida LLC?
It’s Beycome’s licensed real estate brokerage in Florida, the broker of record for Florida listings. License details are on Beycome’s licensed broker page.
Do I have to offer a buyer’s agent commission on an MLS listing?
No. It’s your choice and negotiable. Since August 17, 2024, offers of buyer-agent compensation can’t be shown on the MLS.
Houzeo prices, plan features and footnotes are from houzeo.com/pricing (read October 20, 2026; same figures shown October 27, 2026) and its Terms of Use (read October 27, 2026). Totals on $417,500 are our arithmetic: upfront fee plus the percentage at closing or the $999 minimum, whichever is higher. Houzeo notes services and pricing may vary by market.
Beycome prices as of October 2026. Concierge is $999 through October 31, 2026 (list price $1,399). “$0 at closing” means no Beycome fee at closing; taxes, title costs and any agreed buyer-agent compensation still apply. ** Listing term: the maximum the state and MLS allow (24 months; 12 in MD and PA). * Cancel free, except Georgia MLS’s mandatory $25 fee; listings under contract can’t be canceled; no refund once live. ShowingTime where the MLS offers it.
Buyer program: no upfront fee; Beycome keeps 1% of the price, minimum $1,499, and credits the rest at closing, subject to the compensation offered and lender approval. Not available on FSBO homes or homes listed by Beycome sellers. Commissions are negotiable and not set by law or NAR rules. General information, not legal advice; rules vary by state and MLS.
Sources
- NAR, 2025 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, read October 27, 2026.
- NAR, September 2026 existing-home sales, read October 27, 2026.
- NAR, what the settlement means for buyers and sellers, read October 27, 2026.
- Houzeo pricing page (houzeo.com/pricing), read October 20, 2026 and October 27, 2026.
- Houzeo Terms of Use (houzeo.com/terms-of-use), read October 27, 2026.
- Beycome, licensed broker page, read October 27, 2026.
- Beycome, listing package features, October 2026.
Disclosure & Disclaimer
Beycome provides real estate services through affiliated licensed brokerages and has a commercial interest in the services and business models discussed on this blog. Content reflects Beycome’s perspective and may promote our services; it should not be treated as independent or neutral reporting.
Articles are provided for general informational and educational purposes only, not as financial, tax, legal, or investment advice or a recommendation for your particular situation. Reading this blog does not create a brokerage, advisory, or other professional relationship.
Information, opinions, pricing, service descriptions, and comparisons reflect the sources and information available when an article was published or last updated and may change. Although we aim for accuracy, we do not guarantee that all content is complete, current, or applicable to your circumstances. Laws, market conditions, and service availability vary by location. Examples and estimated savings are illustrative, depend on stated assumptions, and do not guarantee individual results.
Verify relevant information directly and consult qualified professionals before making decisions. Beycome services are subject to applicable agreements, eligibility requirements, and state-specific terms.
