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If you're planning to sell your home, you're probably asking this important question.
Should I use a traditional real estate agent or try one of those flat-fee services I’ve been hearing about?
It’s a smart question. Especially now in 2025, with new rules and more homeowners realizing they could save thousands by doing things different.
In this blog, we’ll break down the main differences between flat-fee agents and traditional agents. This will help you decide what fits your situation best.
What Is a Traditional Real Estate Agent?
A traditional agent usually charges five to six percent of the home’s sale price as commission. That total fee gets split between:
- Your listing agent
- The buyer’s agent
So for example, if your home sells for $700,000, you're paying around $35K to $42K dollars in commission. That’s a lot of money.
In exchange, a traditional agent typically helps with:
- Setting the price
- Staging advice
- Marketing and showings
- Offers and negotiation
- Managing the whole sale start to finish
Some sellers need all of that. Others? Not so much.
What Is a Flat-Fee Agent?
A flat-fee real estate service lets you list your home on the MLS for a low one-time price, without giving up a chunk of your sale.
Platforms like ListLean help California homeowners:
- List their property on the MLS for as little as 95 dollars
- Stay in control of pricing, showings and offer negotiations
- Only pay for help when they actually need it
- Avoid commission to a listing agent completly
You still reach serious buyers, but you get to keep more of your money.
How Are They Different?
Here’s a quick breakdown of the difference between flat-fee and traditional agents.
Which Option Is Better?
That depends on what you want out of the sale.
Flat-Fee Might Work Better If:
- You want to save as much money as possible
- You already have a buyer or plan to do your own marketing
- You like the idea of staying in control
- You want flexibility to decide what help you do or don’t need
Traditional Might Be Better If:
- You don’t have time to deal with anything
- You want a hands-off process
- You’re uncomfortable talking to buyers or filling out forms
Some people like the full package. Others just want the MLS exposure and a clean process.
Why FSBO Sellers Choose Flat-Fee
Flat-fee MLS services like ListLean were made for sellers who are thinking about listing without an agent.
They work great for FSBO because they give you:
- MLS access (the same database agents use)
- Legal forms and disclosures when needed
- Add-ons like transaction support only if you want it
- Control to list, pause, or change your listing your way
And you don’t need to be an expert to do it right. A lot of sellers are surprised how smooth it is once they get started.
Final Thoughts
Traditional agents still make sense for some sellers. But for a growing number of people, the numbers just don’t make sense anymore.
If you want to keep more of your home’s value and you’re not afraid of being hands-on, a flat-fee option like ListLean could be the smarter path.
You still get real exposure. You still get support when you want it. And you skip that giant commission check at the end.
Want to sell smarter without giving away five or six percent?
Explore ListLean’s pricing plans and list your home your way, for less.
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