BREAKING NEWS: Post the NAR Settlement, Minnesota discount real estate brokers can save you almost the entire 6% commission. That translates to saving up to $21,588 in commission on an average $359,800 Minnesota home.
Whether you’re selling a house in Minneapolis or Bloomington, the best discount real estate brokers in Minnesota will help you save on the 3% listing agent commission. And an additional up to 2.5% to 3% on the buyer agent commission! That’s a cool $21K on an average Minnesota home.
Rankings: Top 5 Minnesota Discount Real Estate Brokers
We’ve listed the top 5 discount real estate brokers in the North Star State based on how much you can save on an average $359,800 home.
| Rank | Discount Real Estate Broker / Company | Listing Fee | Additional Charges | Max Savings | 100% Online | Mobile App |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Houzeo.com | $399 Flat Fee | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| 2. | Home Avenue | $3,495 Flat Fee | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| 3. | Redfin | 1% Commission | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
| 4. | Flat Fee Realty | Varies | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| 5. | HomeLight | 2.5% Commission | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
Types of Real Estate Discount Brokers in Minnesota
There are two types of Minnesota discount real estate brokers:
- Flat Rate Discount Brokers: Also called Flat Fee MLS companies, these discount realty services let you list your home for a fixed upfront fee. A Flat Fee MLS Minnesota listing service costs between $399 to $4,000.
- Fixed Percentage Discount Brokers: These discount Realtors charge a fixed percentage of the home’s sale price. Typically, it is anything lower than the traditional 3% fee: 1%, 1.5%, 2% or 2.5%, etc.
Reviews: 2 Best Flat Rate Discount Real Estate Companies in Minnesota
1. Houzeo.com
#1 Discount Real Estate Service
Listing Fee: $399+$350 at closing4.9/5
Houzeo is a top technology-driven real estate platform. It offers 4 different packages:
- Bronze Package ($399 + $350 at Close): List your house for 6 months. You can upload 24 house photos.
- Silver Package ($399+0.5% at Close): List your home for 6 months and post maximum photos. Unlimited open houses and listing modifications are included in this package.
- Gold Package ($429+0.5% at Close): This package offers all the benefits of the Silver package, as well as licensed broker assistance, contract review, and more.
- Platinum Package ($449+1% at Close): This package offers virtual full-service support with a licensed broker. You can list for 12 months. Brokers assist you in negotiations, disclosures, and closing.
👉 Our Take: We recommend Houzeo to all home sellers. The company has an excellent customer rating of 4.9 out of 5 stars. It has extensive coverage across 47 states + DC, a feat achieved by only a handful of other services.
» Houzeo Reviews: Houzeo is 100% online. You can finish listing formalities within 60 minutes.
These are the key features that make Houzeo one of the top discount real estate brokers:
- Significant Commission Savings: You will pay just a small flat fee to list on the MLS. On average, home sellers who used Houzeo saved $12,511.
- No Hidden Fees: All costs are disclosed upfront so you don’t have to worry about hidden charges.
- Near Nationwide Coverage: Houzeo operates in 47 states and DC, with ongoing plans for expansion.
- Max Exposure: Houzeo packages give you access to renowned MLS companies.
- Advanced Technology: Eliminate the hassle of extensive paperwork. E-signature and online forms make house listing quick and easy.
- 5-star Customer Service: Dedicated customer support addresses your every concern easily.
- Mobile App: Houzeo’s mobile app lets you manage showing requests from verified buyers and buyer agents. You can either accept, reject, or reschedule showings at your convenience.
- Home Value Estimator: Houzeo’s Home Worth Estimator is online and quick to know the FMV of your home. It provides free home value estimate within 30 seconds.
There are no dealbreakers with Houzeo.
» Houzeo Reviews: Houzeo is rated “Excellent” by 10,000+ happy customers on Google Reviews and Trustpilot!
Houzeo Reviews: With over 10,000+ happy customers, Houzeo is the most trusted discount real estate broker.
Houzeo is Minnesota’s #1 ranked discount real estate company because sellers only have to pay a flat rate. It provides an unbeatable combination of maximum savings and 5-star customer support.
2. Home Avenue
BEST LOCAL FLAT FEE SERVICE
Listing Price: $399 & onwards4.9/5
Home Avenue is a flat-fee brokerage based in Minnesota. It markets itself as both a FSBO website and a full-service discount broker. The following are the packages offered:
For Home Sellers:
- FSBO Packages ($399 – $998): There are three FSBO packages- Basic, Plus, and Showcase. Typical services include listing on the MLS and other local and national portals, unlimited changes to your listing, a fast online signup process, and seller disclosure forms.
- Full-Service Package ($3,600): This package includes services like handling paperwork, professional photography, a lockbox, yard signs, and more. You must pay $600 as a down payment and $3,000 at closing.
For Home Buyers:
- Buyer’s Advantage: Home Avenue provides buyers with expert assistance in negotiation, price analysis, drafting a purchase agreement, and more for a fee that you can negotiate yourself.
👉 Our Take: Home Avenue is great for home sellers and buyers. It offers a variety of services in its FSBO and Full-Service packages. The Full-Service package is expensive compared to flat-fee brokers like Houzeo, which provides similar and more services for $429 + 0.5% at closing.
Here’s what makes Home Avenue stand out:
- Market Exposure: In addition to listing your house on MLS, Home Avenue will also list it on Zillow, Trulia, Realtor.com, and many other real estate websites in Minnesota.
- Home Search Feature: Home Avenue’s website has a dedicated home search feature that buyers can use to find new listings near them that meet their criteria.
- Powerful Marketing: They offer diverse marketing tools, including a professional photoshoot, 6-foot yard signs, laser-printed home brochures, lockbox, and ‘Just Listed’ email blasting.
In our research, we have found a couple of red flags associated with Home Avenue.
- Poor Customer Service: Some customers have complained of a lack of response from buyers after listing and neglect from customer support regarding queries and listing cancellations. These factors can delay the home-selling process.
- Limited Coverage: Home Avenue offers its services only in Minnesota. If you’re an outsider, you won’t be able to employ their services.
Home Avenue has an average rating of 4.9 out of 5 on Google.
» Home Avenue Reviews: Find out if Home Avenue is best for you.
Greg Lawrence established Home Avenue. The company has served the western suburbs of Minneapolis for 30 years.
Home Avenue offers savings on real estate commissions. However, their plans seem overpriced when compared to other alternatives.
Reviews: 3 Best Fixed Percent Discount Brokers in Minnesota
3. Redfin
Best-In-Class Agents
Listing Fee: 1% of Sale Price3.4/5
Redfin is the largest discount real estate company. Its premier agents, with years of experience, help you buy and sell high-end homes.
- Listing Price: Redfin charges a 1% listing fee if you want to sell a house and buy your next one with them. It charges a 1.5% listing fee if you decide to just sell your house with Redfin.
👉Our Take: Redfin is a technology-based platform. You can expect transparency and an accurately managed database. However, you may not get complete attention due to their high customer volume.
» Is Redfin Legit? Check the legitimacy of Redfin’s discount broker services
Redfin offers:
- Competitive Pricing: You pay a listing fee of 1% if you decide to sell and buy with Redfin.
- Updated Technology: Redfin provides a mobile app, 3D walkthrough, relevant filters, etc. This makes the real estate transaction seamless.
- National Presence: Redfin covers 80+ markets in the US.
» Redfin Pros and Cons: Read about the advantages and drawbacks of Redfin services.
The disadvantages of using Redfin are:
- Pricing Inaccuracy: Many sellers have complained about certain factors like, lot area, a gated compound, or a city location not getting considered during valuation.
- Long Time for Listing: As per Redfin’s agreement, it takes almost 15-18 days to verify the seller’s property and list their house.
- Lack of Customer Service: There has been negative feedback about lack of personal attention by Redfin salaried agents.
Redfin has an average rating of 3.4 out of 5 stars on Yelp and average 3.7 out of 5 stars on Google.
» Redfin Reviews: The reality of 1% fees, pros, cons, and alternatives!
Redfin, founded in Seattle in 2002 by Mr. David Eraker, covers 80+ markets in the US. It provides an elaborate listing agreement with a marketing plan for your home.
However, this agreement specifies a long 18-day timeframe for listing your property on the MLS. Additionally, some customers have expressed concerns about the non-availability and unprofessionalism of their agents.
4. Flat Fee Realty
Affordable MLS Listing
Listing Fee: Starts from $1993.2/5
Flat Fee Realty provides a single MLS package, with prices varying based on the state.
- Package: In most states, the price starts at $199 + 0.25% listing broker fee at closing. The package includes a 6-month listing term with six photos. By paying an extra $50, you can add up to 25 photos.
👉 Our Take: Flat Fee Realty is affordable. However, the extra costs for upgrades and limited features may not fit all sellers’ needs. It can be a good option for land and lot owners.
Based on our research, the benefits of Flat Fee Realty are:
- Refund Policy: You can request a refund within 30 days of purchase, as long as your property has not been listed on the MLS.
- Affordable Plan: Their flat fee package is budget-friendly compared to competitors. It is a good option for land and lot owners.
- Disclosures: State-specific disclosures are included with every listing.
- Market Exposure: Your home gets listed on the local MLS and displayed on all major real estate websites like Realtor.com, Zillow, Trulia, etc.
In our research, we found some red flags of Flat Fee Realty, that could make your experience less satisfactory.
- Limited Reviews: Even though Flat Fee Realty has been here since 2006, it has no credible reviews.
- Fixed Package: No customization is offered beyond the basic listing package.
- Not 100% Online: It is not fully online, causing potential delays in listing.
- Additional Fees: You need to pay an additional $50 to upgrade your listing with extra photos.
In our research, we have not found any credible reviews for Flat Fee Realty.
Fred Romano owns Flat Fee Realty LLC. The company is a licensed brokerage in Connecticut. In the remaining states, they partner with licensed brokers to list your property on the MLS.
Flat Fee Realty charges 0.10 – 0.25% commission at closing. Even though they claim the buyer agent pays this, the entire commission comes out of the seller’s proceeds.
5. HomeLight
GOOD AGENT COVERAGE
Listing Fee: 2.5% of sale price4.6/5
HomeLight has a network of thousands of successful real estate agents and brokers. It is an agent-matching tech-platform.
- Standard Commission: HomeLight is a free agent-matching platform. The agent you get through this platform will charge the standard commission of 2% to 3% for listing.
👉 Our Take: HomeLight provides decent agent-matching services. However, the standard listing commission means zero savings for you.
» HomeLight Reviews: The Truth You Need To Know
HomeLight offers a number of advantages to both sellers and buyers:
For Home Sellers:
- Free Agent Matching: The agent matching service from HomeLight is free for home sellers. HomeLight furnishes details of the best real estate agents in your neighborhood. Depending on the agent, the traditional 5% to 6% commission is charged.
- Estimators and Calculators: HomeLight offers Home Value Estimator, Best Time To Sell Calculator, Agent Commissions Calculator, and Net Proceeds Calculator to home sellers.
- HomeLight Simple Sale: HomeLight has a network of pre-approved buyers. If you want to sell your house fast, this option allows you to sell it to a cash buyer within 7 days.
For Home Buyers:
- Home Search Feature: Buyers can search for homes by city, zip code, or address.
- Estimators: HomeLight offers estimators like Home Affordability Calculator, Down Payment Calculator, and Closing Costs Calculator for home buyers.
In our research, we have found some red flags associated with HomeLight.
- Inconsistent Agent Quality: The agents they assign may not work at your convenience. Even the listing speed will be based on the agent selected.
- Off-market Restriction: Registering on HomeLight will get you offers from agents instantly. Although the process is fast, only homes that are off-market are allowed.
HomeLight has an average rating of 4.6 out of 5 from 237 reviews on Sitejabber.
HomeLight is an agent-matching company established by Drew Uher in 2012. It is a single platform where home sellers meet their prospective home buyers.
It has a huge broker database. However, every agent handles multiple clients at a time. This leads to miscommunication and a lack of personalized support.
Top Discount Real Estate Brokers Near Me
Find discount Realtors in your neighborhood:
| 1. Elk River, MN | Discount Real Estate Brokers in Elk River, MN |
Discount Real Estate Brokers Minnesota: How Much Will You Save?💲
Minnesota discount brokers can help you save almost the entire 6% commission, depending on your home’s worth.
If you choose a 6% full-service Realtor, you’d pay $21,588 to sell an average $359,800 house in the North Star State. But, if you choose a flat-rate broker company, you save thousands. With Houzeo’s Gold plan, you only pay $2,228 and save $19,360!
NAR Settlement Saves Sellers Thousands in Commission
The NAR Settlement went into effect on August 17, 2024. Buyer agent commissions can no longer be offered on the MLS. This means sellers will save thousands! But it also means there’s a lot more compliance and litigation risks.
Here’s what this means for you:
- Sellers Can Save Thousands in Commissions: You will likely be paying much less than the traditional 3% buyer agent commission. That’s because buyer agent commissions will be negotiated twice: Once when buyers engage Buyer Agents and again when sellers review offer contracts.
- Seller Priority #1 Will Be Paperwork (to Mitigate Compliance & Litigation Risks): Buyer agents mitigate all types of risks. From seller disclosures, offer contracts, contingencies, inspections, repair requests, appraisal, and closing – Buyer agents keep the paperwork tight. Their state licensing authorities, Realtor associations, and MLS’ audit paperwork compliance. Without buyer agents, sellers will have to learn and adapt. Or risk expensive litigation.
- Negotiations Can Now Feel Like Haggling: Buyer agent commissions will now be part of offer contracts and buyer agency agreements. Buyers may ask sellers to include commissions in the form of seller concessions. That means home buyers and sellers alike will be negotiating commissions. Sellers will need expert licensed brokers to help them with these negotiations.
- Buyer Agent Commissions Can Be Offered Offline: Buyer agent commissions can still be offered outside of the MLS. They just cannot be advertised on the MLS.
How to Find Discount Real Estate Brokers Near Me in Minnesota?
Find discount Realtors in your neighborhood:
| 1. Elk River, MN | Discount Real Estate Brokers in Elk River, MN |
Discount Realtors in Minnesota: Pros and Cons
Even though cheap Realtors in Minnesota will save you thousands in commissions, you should consider the advantages and disadvantages of hiring one:
Pros ✅
- Sell Home for a Discounted Fee: You’ll pay less fees for a discount real estate listing in Minnesota than a 6% Realtor. Even if you only want to list your Minnesota home on MLS, you pay a much lower fee than the typical 3% listing agent fee.
- Receive Full-Service Realtor Services: Discount real estate agents in Minnesota will provide the basic services that any traditional agent would. This includes assistance with pricing your home, marketing, paperwork, and negotiations.
Cons ❌
- You May Become a Victim of Hidden Fees: Some discount brokerages in Minnesota may charge hidden fees or sell essential services a la carte. Beware of shady discounted agents who lure you in with significantly low fees. Do your research and look at the best discount realtors in MN.
- Unreliable Service Quality: Discounted real estate brokers in Minnesota handle multiple clients at once to make up for the reduced commission rate. They may not be able to provide personalized assistance all the time.
- High Cancellation Fees: An MN discount real estate broker can charge a minimum withdrawal fee within a specified period. Remember to carefully review the terms and conditions of the contract before signing.
Alternatives to Discount Real Estate Agents in Minnesota
Here are some options if you do not want to opt for a discount Realtor in Minnesota:
- Sell Your Home For Sale By Owner: In a FSBO sale, you’ll have to opt for “DIY” marketing strategies like using FSBO signs, word of mouth, open houses, etc. But your listing won’t be on Zillow, Trulia, Realtor.com, and Homes.com! Meanwhile, FSBO websites in Minnesota will help you list on the MLS and increase exposure.
- Sell Your House to Cash Buyers: Almost all cash buyers in Minnesota scour the MLS for Minnesota homes for sale. This includes iBuyers, investors, and home flippers.
- Sell With a Full-Service Realtor: If you are not interested in saving your equity, you can hire a full-service, in-person Realtor in Minnesota. You’ll end up paying a full 5% to 6% commission. That’s $21,588 on a $359,800 home gone!
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are the best discount real estate brokers in Minnesota?
Houzeo.com and Home Avenue are the top discount real estate brokers in Minnesota. Both provide an incredible combination of savings and technology. However, Home Avenue while thousands of sellers have rated Houzeo as 4.9 out of 5.
» Houzeo Reviews: Find out why 15,000+ home sellers love Houzeo.
How much is the real estate agent fees in Minnesota?
On average, traditional agents in Minnesota charge 5% to 6% of the sale price as commission. On the other hand, discount real estate brokerage firms in Minnesota charge 1% to 3%.
How do I find a discount broker near me in Minnesota?
You could choose a discount broker, or list your home using Houzeo. With Houzeo, your home will be listed on the MLS within 24 to 48 hours.
Can you negotiate Realtor fees in Minnesota?
Yes, you can! Infact, post the NAR Settlement, you can now also negotiate buyer’s agent commissions.
