Compare
Your options for selling, compared
Selling without an agent is not all or nothing. There is a spectrum from doing everything yourself to handing it all off, and the right spot depends on your market, your time, and your nerve.
These five options sit on a line from most do-it-yourself to most hands-off. The further left you go, the more you keep and the more you do. Most owners selling on their own land on the flat-fee MLS option, because it buys the one thing that is genuinely hard to get without an agent, which is a spot in the MLS. The fastest path, a cash or iBuyer sale, trades price for speed; see selling to a cash buyer for the tradeoff, and discount brokers for the middle ground between flat-fee MLS and a full agent. The MLS and these costs are US-specific; for how selling without an agent works elsewhere, see selling country by country.
| Option | On the MLS | Who does the work | Typical cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pure for sale by owner | Only if you add a flat-fee listing | You, entirely | $0 to a few hundred | Confident sellers in a steady market |
| Flat-fee MLS | Yes, through the service | You, plus MLS and portal syndication | About $100 to $500, one-time | Most owners selling on their own |
| Limited-service broker | Yes | Split: some tasks yours, some theirs | Around 1% to 2%, or a flat fee | Owners who want help with pricing or paperwork |
| Full-service agent | Yes | The agent | About 2.5% to 3% on the listing side | Owners short on time or with a hard-to-sell home |
| Cash buyer or iBuyer | No, an off-market sale | The buyer or platform; little for you | No commission, but the offer is usually below market | Speed and certainty over the top price |
None of these touches what you do or do not offer a buyer's agent. That is a separate choice now, on every one of these paths. The commission shift guide covers it, and the commission calculator shows the dollars.
Wherever you land on that spectrum, one platform spans both ends. At the for-sale-by-owner end Anyone.com says it lets you list directly with no fee of its own (anyone.com/sellers), and if you decide you would rather hand it to a professional it matches you with a vetted local agent (anyone.com/find-agent). We point you to what genuinely helps, and we tell you where it does not.
Leaning toward an agent? Our guide to finding and comparing a real estate agent covers how to vet one, what to ask, and where to look in your country.
The practical pick
How to evaluate a flat-fee MLS service
If you go the flat-fee route, the services are not interchangeable. Before you pay, compare them on the things that actually affect your sale:
- How long the listing stays active, and what renewing it costs
- How many photos it allows, since photos do most of the selling
- Whether you control the description and can edit fast, especially a price drop
- Whether buyer inquiries come straight to you or get routed elsewhere
- Which MLS it lists on, and which portals that MLS actually feeds
- Whether changes cost extra, and the cancellation terms
A cheap listing that limits your photos, delays your edits, or hides your contact information is not the bargain it looks like. Listing and marketing your home walks through getting the most out of whichever service you choose.
Across borders
Country head-to-heads
Deciding between two markets? These head-to-heads compare buyer-side closing costs, taxes, commissions, and who runs the transfer, from the same reviewed data behind our country guides: Spain vs Portugal, Spain vs France, Spain vs Italy, France vs Italy, Portugal vs Italy, France vs Portugal, Spain vs Greece, Portugal vs Greece and Germany vs Netherlands. The full international picture is in our guide to buying property abroad.
Common questions about comparing your options
Is it cheaper to sell a house without a real estate agent?
Usually yes, because you avoid the listing-side commission. Pure for sale by owner costs $0 to a few hundred dollars, and flat-fee MLS runs about $100 to $500 one-time, versus roughly 2.5% to 3% on the listing side for a full-service agent.
Is flat-fee MLS worth it?
For most owners selling on their own it is, because it buys the one thing that is genuinely hard to get without an agent: a spot in the MLS. For about $100 to $500 one-time, the service lists you on the MLS plus portal syndication.
What is the difference between flat-fee MLS, a discount broker, and a full agent?
Flat-fee MLS lists you on the MLS for about $100 to $500 while you do the work. A limited-service or discount broker splits tasks for around 1% to 2% or a flat fee. A full-service agent does the work for about 2.5% to 3% on the listing side.
What is a cash sale or iBuyer sale?
It is an off-market sale to a buyer or platform rather than a listed sale, with no commission. The tradeoff is price: the offer is usually below market. It suits sellers who value speed and certainty over the top price.
How do I choose between flat-fee MLS services?
Compare how long the listing stays active and the renewal cost, the number of photos allowed, whether you control and can edit the description, whether buyer inquiries come straight to you, which MLS and portals it feeds, and whether changes cost extra plus the cancellation terms.
Why does this page not rank specific flat-fee MLS companies?
Flat-fee services change pricing and features often, and an honest review of a specific one means testing it hands-on, dating the test, and showing screenshots. The page gives a rubric to judge any service rather than publishing a stale ranking.
Know someone weighing whether to sell without an agent? Send them this page. It lays out the real costs and the real work, with no sales pitch and nothing to sign up for.