Thanks to automation and artificial intelligence, we’ve been able to do so many things — successfully — without assistance or interference from third parties that can complicate and delay the process while inflating the service cost. Now, we’re able to sell our homes with the independence afforded to us by for sale by owner websites, the kind you’ll find on this list that only includes the best real estate websites.
4 of the Best For Sale by Owner Websites
Although you can have tremendous success with a for sale by owner website, the only way to guarantee that’s the case is to choose one of the best real estate websites available to private sellers.
To help you find the best real estate website to use when selling your home, we’ve discovered four of the top contenders and graded them according to the four categories most important to FSBO sellers.
Houzeo
Houzeo is a digital-first flat fee MLS that supports its sellers with human help where it matters most.
Syndication: 5/5
In the areas where Houzeo operates, they syndicate to every major MLS in addition to sites like Zillow, Realtor.com, and hundreds more, ensuring your home gets in front of as many buyers as would expedite a sale.
Automation: 5/5
Not only can sellers use the user-friendly web platform, but Houzeo also has a mobile app that helps you set up viewings, open homes, negotiate with buyers, and conveniently make changes to your listing.
Assistance: 5/5
Besides automation, Houzeo stands out among other for sale by owner websites by offering world-class, human assistance. They offer live and phone support, which many flat fee MLSs don’t offer, making it easy to resolve issues or get help when you need it.
Value for Money: 5/5
Houzeo typically has three tiers, the cheapest being great for land deals and the most expensive embracing complete automation and real-life assistance at closing. However, regardless of the tier you purchase, the features on offer usually exceed what other for sale by owner websites offer for the same price. Also, do check out Houzeo reviews for more information.
Beycome
Available in 9 states, Beycome works best for sellers who want to embrace automation to make the DIY process simpler.
Syndication: 5/5
In each state Beycome operates, they give sellers access to MLSs but also syndicate the property on popular websites like Redfin, Trulia, Zillow, and Realtor.com.
Automation: 3/5
Although Beycome feels less outdated than some of the other options on the market, the service isn’t very automated. Instead of getting leads directly, they are forwarded to you.
Additionally, it can take Beycome up to 36 hours to get your home on the MLS when most other for sale by owner websites do it in under 24 hours.
Assistance: 5/5
Beycome offers 7/7 phone and email support in English and Spanish for their basic and enhanced package. However, sellers who are willing to fork out more upfront and 1 percent at closing for “concierge” service get dedicated customer support.
Value for Money: 3/5
Beycome’s value is only really in its mid-tier package. If you choose their high-end package, you’re stuck with commission disguised as a success fee, and if you go any lower, you won’t get the kind of features that make using a flat fee MLS worthwhile.
Zillow
If you want to do all the heavy lifting but pay nothing to get your home online, Zillow’s a good option.
Syndication: 1/5
Listing on Zillow is free but comes with a caveat: your home will only be listed on Zillow unless you pay to list it somewhere else.
Automation: 2/5
Besides going live on Zillow and getting notifications when buyers or buyer agents are interested in your property, there’s not much automation on Zillow.
Assistance: 2/5
You can email customer support if you need an issue resolved, but much more than that is not available.
Value for Money: 3/5
The reason Zillow made this list is because of the cost. At $0, there are not many other places – besides Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace – where you can list your home for free. While Zillow is free to use, they lose points because they offer very few noteworthy features
besides getting your property on Zillow, and you’ll be required to spend money on every other aspect of the transaction.
LandFlip
If you’re selling land, you’ll likely find the most value from LandFlip.
Syndication: 3/5
You’re not going to get your property on Zillow and Redfin necessarily, but you will get your land on websites where land sales are prioritized, and buyers are searching for what you’re selling, which increases your chances of selling.
Automation: 3/5
You provide the pictures, and LandFlip takes care of the rest. While they deliver on that promise, the process isn’t as seamless as you may have hoped.
Assistance: 1/5
If you want help when using LandFlip, you don’t have many options beyond a generic contact page form, which can reduce your confidence in this real estate website’s ability to resolve issues quickly.
Value for Money: 5/5
Although most for sale by owner websites offer a land package, LandFlip’s option is still the best. For $80, you can get your land on their website and other sites within their network that have a focus on land.
There are countless other options available to sellers interested in an FSBO sale, but this list showcases the best for different experience levels and objectives. Therefore, if you will be pursuing an FSBO sale, start your research into flat fee MLS with the options on this list.
