FAQs – FLAT FEE MLS AND A LA CARTE SERVICES

Flat Fee MLS listing service is an option for sellers to list their property on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) and on Realtor.com with Madison Adams Real Estate for a low flat fee of $345 for six months and save money on the Listing Agent (3%).

With the Flat Fee MLS listing service, sellers also have many quality A La Carte service options to upgrade the listing and pay only when they need them, for example, professional interior, exterior and drone photography, theme video, Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) used for pricing and strategy, staging tips, listing extensions, help with negotiations and many consulting services depending on the sellers' needs.

The objective and benefit of being listed on the MLS is to invite multiple agents to help you sell your property. Every local MLS is the primary marketplace for real estate with 1,000+ agents, many of whom are working full time and whose primary job is to find and sell properties for their clients.

We cover every town in the Northern NJ in the following Counties:
Bergen County
Hudson County
Passaic County
Essex County
Union County
Morris County
Sussex County
Warren County
Hunterdon County
If your property is located in any of the counties, Madison Adams Real Estate is your best choice.

YES. If your property is located outside the current coverage area, you have to specify which MLS service from the three available you would like the property to be included. In our coverage area, there are three major MLS services: NJ MLS (New Jersey Multiple Listing Service), GS MLS (Garden State Multiple Listing Service) and HC MLS (Hudson County Multiple Listing Service). If you have a question, please reach out to us at support@madisonadams.com.

YES. If you want your property to be included in more than one MLS services, you can purchase this option for an additional fee listed in our A La Carte services selection in the client control panel.

NO. If your property is currently listed with another broker, you will not be able to re-list it until the property is Withdrawn Unconditionally or the listing Expires. Please contact your current broker.

YES. You can withdraw your listing from the MLS and cancel the Flat Fee MLS listing service at any time by submitting a Status Request Form available online or you can contact our office via email with the request. If you cancel the service before the listing is placed on the MLS, you may receive a refund subject to administrative fees. See full terms and conditions of the Flat Fee MLS listing service – Click Here

You can upload up to 6 photos with the basic Flat Fee MLS listing service. We strongly recommend that you upgrade this option to 25 photos or choose our professional photography package. Photographs are the second most important item in marketing after pricing.

YES. You can make changes to your listing by submitting a Status Request Form available online in your control panel. You can also email us at support@madisonadams.com. Please include property address in the subject matter. Please note that once the listing is uploaded to the MLS system, some changes require an additional fee. Most changes are free.

A Buyer’s Agent represents and works only for the buyer. Buyer’s Agent promotes interests of the buyer only. Buyer’s Agent can also be referred as the ‘Selling Agent’ in an instance when the agent procures an offer and presents it to the seller for consideration. Certain conditions apply see full definition here – Consumer Information Statement.

A Seller’s Agent represents and works only for the seller. Seller’s Agent promotes interests of the seller only. Seller’s Agent can also be referred as the ‘Listing Agent’ for a property that is listed. This type of agency representation is typically offered to sellers only in a traditional Full Service brokerage. Certain conditions apply see full definition here – Consumer Information Statement.

A Transaction Broker works with a buyer or a seller or both in the sales transaction without representing either party. Transaction Broker does not promote the interests to the transaction of one party over the other. This type of agency representation is typically offered to sellers who choose Flat Fee MLS listing service brokerage. Certain conditions apply see full definition here – Consumer Information Statement.

A Dual Agent works for both the buyer and the seller. This representation arrangement must be disclosed and the brokerage firm must obtain the informed written consent of the buyer and seller. Certain conditions apply see full definition here – Consumer Information Statement.

MLS (Multiple Listing Service) is a very powerful database used by local agents to establish a contractual cooperation and compensation agreement among brokers and to disseminate and share information on properties that they have listed and invite other brokers to cooperate in their sale in exchange for compensation if they procure the buyer. Sellers benefit by increased exposure to their property from other brokers. Access to the MLS is available only to licensed real estate agents and other select professionals i.e. appraisers. MLS is not available to the public.

NO. Access to the MLS is available only to licensed real estate agents and other select professionals i.e. appraisers. MLS is not available to the public.

It is up to you however we recommend a commission between 2 – 3% to the Buyer’s Agent. If you list your property with Madison Adams Real Estate, we require this commission to be at a minimum 2%.

Buyer’s Agent commission is not negotiated on an agent by agent basis. Instead it is stated on the MLS listing and it is binding as in any other contractual agreement. If a licensed real estate agent procures a buyer and you accept the offer, you must pay the Buyer’s Agent commission. This commission is usually paid at the closing of the transaction.

We have many options A La Carte for which you can pay when you need them. For example we offer professional interior, exterior and drone photography, Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) used for pricing and strategy, staging tips, investment research and analysis for investors, help with negotiations and many consulting services depending on your needs. Most of these options have set fees and some are negotiated on case by case basis. You can email us for details at support@madisonadams.com

NO. If you find a buyer yourself, you will not owe any commission to anyone. You will save the entire 5-6% on the sale. However you will have to notify us so we can withdraw the listing from the MLS.

Both services have great benefits and some drawbacks.

For example with Full Service brokerage, you can have the best experience with a fast and easy sale as long as the agency that you hire is doing what they promise.

Unfortunately, the industry standard for listing brokers has greatly diminished. Way too often, we have seen very passive or unproductive listing agents doing nothing beyond placing a property on the MLS with the aim that other agents will sell the property for them.

The industry standards have also fallen to new lows with terrible listing photography or no photographs at all, lousy and unedited marketing materials, inadequate or lack of advertising, overreliance on technologies without human touch i.e. listing agent is not present at showings, agent inexperience in transactions, negotiations and lack of communication with the client and public.

Many listing agents today are trained to exclusively focus on getting another listing instead of keeping their part of the bargain and be proactive in selling their own inventory.

If you sense any doubt during your listing agent selection process, you may as well consider a Flat Fee MLS listing service with A La Carte options and save yourself headache and money, 3% savings.

Our Flat Fee MLS listing service presents you with an opportunity to pay only for what you need and an opportunity for you to remain in full control of the entire selling process. Our professional A La Carte options are extensive and you can pick and choose what fits your needs and budget.

With our Flat Fee MLS and A La Carte services, you will have the same opportunity to sell your home as you might have had with a passive or unproductive listing agent, and save yourself 3%. In addition if you sell your home yourself, you will save the entire 5-6% commission.

If your preference is a Full Service brokerage, please contact us at 201-760-1100. You will not be disappointed either way.

Please read our Terms and Condition of the A La Carte and Flat Fee MLS listing services Click Here.

Our advice is YES. For Sale By Owner (FSBO) signs and marketing often confuse serious and qualified buyers who work with an agent. FSBOs often attract only low-ballers, bargain hunters, flippers and sharks. So if your home is listed on the MLS and FSBO at the same time, you are creating a big disadvantage for yourself in any potential negotiations with the buyer.

A great majority of homes (over 90%) sell through a licensed real estate broker. Properties sold directly by owner are rare and in many cases they sell at a lower price never realizing their market price potential mainly due to competition in the market place.

Keep in mind that hiring a Buyer’s Agent is almost always free of charge to the buyer. As a result they usually have one.

6 months. You will also have unlimited options to renew the listing before its expiration for an additional fee. You can also withdraw your listing from the MLS at any time at no charge, unconditionally and cancel the service.

In 1-2 days after your initial registration, you will be required to provide information about your property based on which our licensed agent will prepare a formal set of listing documents for your review and signatures. After we receive signed listing documents, we will list your home on the MLS. Our forms are easy to follow and they are available online in the client control panel.

Every agent that has access to the MLS will have the ability to view, email and in many cases text your listing to their buyers. There are 1,000+ agents in each MLS.

YES. According to the National Association of Relators® 91% of sellers were assisted by a real estate agent when selling their home. So in reality, almost every home or vast majority of homes sell with assistance of a licensed real estate agent. Properties sold directly by owner are rare and in many cases they sell at a lower price never realizing their market price potential mainly due to competition in the market place.

NO. With Flat Fee MLS listing service, there is no Seller’s Agent commission. You will save 3% of the listing price compared to the Full Service brokerage. For example if your home sold for $500,000, you would save $15,000 in Seller’s Agent commission.

YES. If a licensed real estate agent procures a buyer and you accept the offer, you will have to pay the Buyer’s Agent commission. This commission is usually paid at the closing of the transaction. Typical Buyer’s Agent commission is 2-3%.

If you find a buyer yourself, you will save the entire 5-6% commission. For example if your home sold for $500,000, you would save $25,000-30,000 in commission. You will only have to notify us so we can withdraw the listing from the MLS.

We do. All listing documents are prepared by our licensed agent and submitted for your review and signatures. There are few documents that can be prepared by the home owner i.e. the Seller’s Property Condition Disclosure. All listing documents are available online in the client control panel.

Showing instructions on the MLS will include your contact information prompting all agents to contact you directly. All inquiries for showings and questions from other agents will be also directed to you.

Any other public websites including Realtor.com that receive feed from the MLS will only include contact information to our agent. Realtor.com or other feeds from the MLS do not allow seller’s name, phone numbers, email, websites or any other contact information except contact information to a licensed agent.

Please keep in mind that the primary objective and benefit of being listed on the MLS is to invite multiple agents to help you sell your home. The MLS listing service is not a For Sale By Owner (FSBO) listing service.

Realtor.com is a national database of listed properties by Realtors® with many great tools for home shoppers to navigate and find their dream home. Realtor.com also offers many tools and resources for home owners. Home owners however are not permitted to place their properties for sale or for rent directly on Realtor.com. Instead a property must be first listed by a Realtor® on the MLS.

NO. MLS (Multiple Listing Service) is a local network used by agents to cooperate and to sell each other’s listings and Realtor.com is a national database designed to be used by the public. The listings that appear on Realtor.com are generated from feeds across all the MLS systems in the US.

NO. Flat Fee MLS listing service is not a FSBO (For Sale By Owner) listing service.

The primary objective and benefit of being listed on the MLS is to invite multiple agents to help you sell your home. If you choose our Flat Fee MLS listing service, you will save a lot of money on the listing agent and retain the same opportunity to have multiple agents working for you and help you sell your home.

When listed on the MLS, you will have a chance to sell your home much faster and at a higher price. There are 1,000+ agents in every MLS and many of them are working full time and whose primary job is to find and sell homes for their clients.

Properties sold directly by owner are rare and in many cases they sell at a lower price never realizing their market price potential mainly due to competition in the market place. FSBO (For Sale By Owner) listings often attract only low-ballers, bargain hunters, flippers and sharks.

YES. Our agents also work with many buyers and if any of them procures a buyer for your home, they will be entitled to the Buyer’s Agent commission.

We will make your experience enjoyable with an easy to follow process and all necessary forms at your fingertips online in the client control panel.

We offer many helpful tools that you may need to get started with the MLS and helpful tips how to deal with agents when they make an appointment.

We are reachable and quick to respond.

You will have access to many quality A La Carte service options for which you will pay only when you need them. You will be satisfied.

We also offer a Full Service option without any compromises which is not usually available with most other Flat Fee MLS listing service companies.