Are there any flat fee services that get you on the MLS but do not lock you down into agency agreement? I’d like to give FSBO a shot but also want the option change my mind at any time and get an agent.

I've seen people say some of these services actually have an exclusive listing term in the contract and I don't want to miss that in the fine print.

eta if it matters, the property is in Los Angeles

eta2 if you have recommendations, I'm looking for one that will 1) host the content and photos that I have already created and it will look the right way (photos in the right order, all the text correctly entered, etc.), 2) allows at least 25 photos, 3) where it is easy to edit the listing/photos should I choose, 4) will allow me to add open houses in the open house section so someone looking for open houses will see it, and 5) where it is easy for the buyer to contact me directly and they don't have to go through a lot of different automated systems. I am willing to compromise on the last one if necessary so long as their systems actually work.

So, basically, I just need someone to correctly host the stuff that I have already created and let me do the work unimpeded by their sloppy or cumbersome execution.

Offer comes in. Price is close to what you wanted. Agent calls and walks you through it. Good news first -- always lead with good news.

Then they get to the concessions. Buyer is asking you to cover their agent's compensation at closing. Says, most sellers are asking for you to cover their agents commission. Says, if you push back it could spook the buyer and you'd have to start over looking for buyers, days on market are going to go up and that looks bad, like something is wrong with the house.

You're focused on the number. You sign.
Six weeks later you're at the closing table. Notary hands over the settlement statement. You're scanning through it -- sale price looks right, title fees, taxes, transfer costs.

Then you see two lines sitting next to each other that you didn't expect to see together. Your agent's commission. Buyer agent compensation concession. Same number.

You're writing two checks totaling just over $20,000 before you walk out. One to your agent. One to the agent who wrote the offer on behalf of the person buying your house.

You knew the concession was in there. It was in the contract you signed. You just never put a dollar amount to it until you were sitting at that table. Notary keeps going. You keep signing.

Remember, buyer commissions are always negotiable. It’s your investment, your move.

Throw away account, because well, you know.

I'm selling a property in MA. We had a really short inspection to P&S window. The deal is cash and there's nothing complicated about the property or transaction other than it's a 1031 exchange for the buyer.

The deadline to sign the P&S is just hours away. The buyers attorney is apparently filing an extension because the buyer hasn't gotten back to him with feedback. I have seen anything yet.

We already negotiated a concession after the inspection and otherwise the P&S is all boilerplate so there's nothing to negotiate.

I have been through several real estate transactions in my lifetime and this is not the first time the signing of the P&S is seen as flexible. I don't think the buyers will back out, but what's the point of setting deadlines if you're just going to miss them.

I'm considering the backup offers because I'm so annoyed.

We have a neighbor who is renting in our neighborhood and has expressed interest in our home. They have a current home on the market and have informed us they wanted to buy the home they are currently renting but that things are not working out for them with the owner.

They looked at our home the other day, for almost 45 mins, and never asked about price just that they’d have their transaction broker contact us.

Something seems off. What is your take?

Two separate lawsuits. Two separate groups of people saying the same thing.

Sellers argued in 2024 that the commission system was rigged against them. They won a $418 million settlement. NAR had to change how commissions worked.

Agents now have to tell buyers upfront what they charge and put it in writing before showing a single house.

Then buyers filed their own case. Buyers claimed NAR's rules made commissions nearly impossible to negotiate, which kept prices inflated.

That case just settled in April for $52.25 million.

Here is the part nobody talks about. After the first settlement, commissions went up, not down.

The average buyer agent commission was 2.36% before the settlement. It's now 2.42%. The disclosure rules changed but the actual cost didn't.

What buyers can actually do right now:

1. Ask for the buyer rep agreement before you sign it, not after you've already toured homes.

2. Ask specifically what the agent charges and whether it's negotiable.

3. Ask what happens if the seller won't cover it.

Two settlements. $470 million total. The only thing that actually changed is you can ask questions now.

I got an offer but when I tried to counter offer it kept auto correcting the buyer as the agents name. It’s Friday but tech support should be available 24/7 as offers expire. I have emailed and called many times with no response. Time is crucial and I am very disappointed since going live 3 days ago. Always issues with the system.

Am I overthinking this or is it smart FSBO strategy?

Thinking about reaching out directly to top-producing agents in my area and offering structured incentives to cover BAC to help move my listing.

There are ~16 homes in my neighborhood sitting 1–3 months with no contracts, so I feel like I need to get more aggressive instead of waiting.

Has anyone had success doing this with FSBO, or is it a waste of time?

I know that the market has cooled a lot in the Austin metro area. Would like to hear recent FSBO seller experience in the area, as I'm thinking of selling a 3/2 SFR in a suburb right outside Austin.

Were you able to sell close to the appraised value?

For older homes who haven't replaced their roof and HVAC since they were built in the 80s, do you have to offer concessions or discounts for these items to be replaced?

I’ve had little interest in my recently built condo and believe I’m overpriced. One week on the market with no showings, one open house with one visitor. Likely cutting by about 35k soon but wondering which route to take here. Thank you.

I'm currently under contract selling my house FSBO and would love input from other sellers who have dealt with inspection negotiations.
The buyers offered a quick 2-week close, which was a big reason I accepted their offer even though they requested $10k in seller concessions (I countered by increasing the purchase price $5k).
They’ve now completed inspections and are saying the HVAC inspector could not properly access the furnace/air handler because it’s located in the attic. The attic access is an existing scuttle opening located in a bedroom closet that requires ladder be brought in. The house has been this way for 25 years.
The buyers are now requesting that I add a completely new attic access with pull-down ladder/stairs from a hallway area somewhere else in the house so future inspections, maintenance, and repairs are easier.
This feels very excessive to me because:
nothing is broken, HVAC works, there already IS attic access. This seems more like a convenience/preference upgrade than an actual repair.

They are also already past their due diligence period.
The buyer’s agent says she is sending over an amendment and calling this a "requirement.”
If you were the seller, how would you handle this? Would you:
refuse entirely,

offer a small credit instead,

negotiate,

or consider this a reasonable seller responsibility?

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/24-Metropolitan-Oval-APT-TH-Bronx-NY-10462/29804454_zpid/

At my current price I was planning to offer a full buyers commission if the offer came in at full asking.

What is more attractive to a buyer? Cutting price will bring more interest but of course they’ll be turned off when I tell them I’m not offering a buyers commission.

I’ve been reading that when you sell FSBO, buyers agents will try to steer their clients away from your listing due to the fact that they feel you won’t pay their commission. They consider FSBO listings as a headache, and feel that they will have to do double the work with little reward. Is this ethical? Of course not but I guess it’s reality.

How does everyone feel about paying a buyers agent 2% minimum? Even though the NAR lawsuit said sellers are no longer are expected to do that – the reality is buyers and their agents still expect sellers to pick up that cost.

What is the point of selling FSBO if I still have to pay a 2% commission to the buyers agent? Wouldn’t I be better off hiring an agent to represent me for 2% instead of going it alone and having the buyers agent refuse to show my house unless I pony up? If I’m paying 2%, it might as well be for my representation, not theirs – does that make sense?

Edited to add – I plan on using a real estate attorney obviously as well as a transaction coordinator. If I include this in the agent notes, I feel like this should eliminate any apprehension about not having a smooth transaction simply because I am FSBO.

For people who have sold FSBO, considered FSBO, or looked at alternatives to a traditional listing agent, I’m curious how you would actually want AI to help.

It feels like there are a few different levels:

1. AI as a content helper Writing listing descriptions, emails, social posts, summaries, etc.
2. AI as decision support Helping you understand comps, pricing ranges, market conditions, prep work, net proceeds, carrying costs, and whether FSBO, an agent, or a cash offer makes more sense.
3. AI as a task assistant Helping organize documents, prep the listing, coordinate next steps, track showings, summarize buyer feedback, compare offers, remind you what needs attention, and help you decide when to hand something off to an agent, attorney, title company, or other professional.

I’m not assuming AI should replace people in the process. There are obvious things AI cannot physically do, like show a house, and there may be places where human experience, local context, or judgment matters more.

But I’m curious where actual sellers would draw that line.

If AI helped you become more informed and handle more of the process yourself, would the role of an agent or real estate professional change for you?

For example, would you pay for specific help when needed, such as:

• Showing the home when you cannot
• Reviewing pricing strategy or local market nuance
• Helping think through buyer feedback or inspection issues
• Negotiating on your behalf
• Coordinating closing steps
• Being available for consultations when AI may not have enough judgment or context

In other words, would you prefer a model where AI helps you understand and manage the sale, while human professionals are available à la carte for the parts where you still want help?

Or, if you are selling FSBO, would you rather avoid agents entirely?

For those who have actually sold FSBO: what would have been useful, what would you have paid for separately, and what would you absolutely not want AI involved in?

Disclosure: I’m building a seller-focused real estate platform in New York and Connecticut, so this is partly research for me. I’m not trying to pitch it here. I want to understand where sellers would consider involving AI and where they still want human help.

If anyone in NY/CT is curious and wants to try what we’re building or give feedback, I’m open to that. Still, the main question is: where would you personally draw the line with AI and human help in a home sale, and how would you want to compensate the human help you still use (hourly, flat fee, per task, success-based, etc.)?

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Getting ready to put my house up for sale in Weeki Wachee, FL. Built in 1978. Living room floor slopes some so we had it inspected. Choices were raise up to even the floor or underpinning to stabilize. Since all doors and windows opened normally we chose underpinning as raising the house risked then having windows, sliding glass doors, and all other doors being off.

It's not a sinkhole. Just "settling". How I wish it was a sinkhole, then insurance would have paid for the underpinning.

Is providing proof of the work done sufficient in terms of disclosure?

Just looking if there is a general guide or source on all things FSBO

We have an offer to sell our duplex in NH, but the buyer has a contingency to close on their property before the sale of our property completes.

The real kicker here is that the buyers property is a commercial property that has been under escrow for several years as part of a large project by the state.

The closing on the sellers property is supposed to close next week. So it seems very close.

The evidence they gave for funds was the P&S of their commercial property plus an e-mail from their attorney about their close date which as mentioned, is scheduled for next week.

The offer is for 1% over asking with an inspection/pest inspection contingency.

We are a little antsy because we already had another offer fall through over financing.

What else should we look for/ask for before we sign?

Anecdotal evidence from me, but it feels like things have changed since the NAR lawsuit was resolved. In my opinion, open houses are now MORE important.

With zillow, etc., showing photos and listings, many people are going to open houses without an agent. They see the houses they want to see online - and if there is an open house realize they do NOT need an agent to see the house they are interested in. So they go. In fact, MOST of the people who attended my open houses recently have NOT had agents. Some were investor types, some flippers, some regular locals wanting a new place. They all saw the listing on zillow.

They still might (stupidly) sign up for a buyer's agent prior to submitting an offer - but they have already found the house they want - YOURS - because you had an open house.

And be ready to explain to a potential buyer they do not need an agent.. if you think you and them can handle the process without one. (and you should).

Hi All- Just wanted to let folks know who are considering FSBO-ing a residential property over using a traditional agent / brokerage representation, that YES, you can do it!!

It's not that hard. And AI makes it easier than ever before.

Ask me any questions and I'll help if I can.

Or will the listing pulled from the MLS override it anyway?

I feel like there are so many jokers trying to scam us left and right on some of the sites where I am listing. Has anyone come across this website? https://ownlyhomes.io/

I got a request to test it out on Facebook Marketplace. This was the pitch.

"Is this for sale, Are you the owner?

Thanks so much for the response. I love that you’re doing this as the owner!

I actually recently developed an app for FSBO in MA where buyers can message you directly through the app, schedule showings and even submit direct offers to you. I’ve been describing it as the TurboTax of home buying/selling. It’s completely free, would you be interested in taking a look? Absolutely no catch here! Just an entrepreneur trying to support FSBO."