Houzeo & Referral Sites vs. Direct Michigan MLS Broker

  • Michigan
  • Houzeo & Referral Sites vs. Direct Michigan MLS Broker
Flat Fee Group Michigan • Kermath Realty LLC (MI Broker License #6502334057)

Houzeo & National Referral Sites vs. Flat Fee Group Michigan (Direct Local MLS Broker)

Why pay an out-of-state tech middleman that isn't a member of Michigan's MLS boards and tacks on hidden 0.5% to 1.0%+ closing fees? Compare national referral websites side-by-side against listing directly with Michigan broker Jeff Kermath (Kermath Realty LLC, MI License #6502334057).

  • Direct Member of 7 Michigan MLS Boards vs. Out-of-State Referral Middlemen: We enter and service your listing in-house — we never sell or refer your file to a random third-party agent.
  • Transparent Flat Fee Pricing: Choose Bronze ($249), Silver ($399), or Gold Full Service ($499 + 0.1% MLS compliance fee at closing) with free unlimited listing changes.
  • 22+ Years & 6,654+ Michigan Listings: Verify our license with MI LARA and read 100+ verified Michigan seller reviews.
Direct Broker Support: Call or Text Jeff Kermath at (734) 649-4903  |  Compare Michigan Flat Fee MLS Plans ($249–$499) →  |  List Now →

2026 Michigan Flat Fee MLS Comparison

Houzeo & National Referral Sites vs. Flat Fee Michigan: Why Listing With a Direct Michigan MLS Broker Matters

Many websites ranking on Google for “Michigan Flat Fee MLS” are out-of-state tech platforms and referral middlemen — not Michigan real estate brokers. They collect your money up front, tack on steep closing percentages, and hand your listing off to a third party. At Flat Fee Group Michigan (Kermath Realty LLC), you list directly with the licensed Michigan broker who is a member of Realcomp, MichRIC, NGLRMLS & UPMLS.

Side-by-Side Comparison: Flat Fee Michigan vs. Houzeo & National Referral Sites

Feature / What to Watch For ★ Flat Fee Michigan / Kermath Realty LLC (Direct Local Broker) Houzeo & National Referral / Middleman Sites
Who Actually Inputs Your Listing? ✓ Jeff Kermath, Licensed Michigan Broker since 2005 (Direct member of Realcomp, MichRIC, NGLRMLS & UPMLS) ✗ Assigned out to a third-party partner broker after you pay; you cannot interview the broker beforehand
Up-Front Flat Fee MLS Entry ✓ $299 (Bronze) • $399 (Silver) • $998 (Full-Service Gold) $249–$399 up front + 0.5% to 1.25% platform/closing fees on top
Cost on a $450,000 Sale (Listing Side) ✓ Flat Fee ($299 Bronze / $399 Silver / $998 Gold) Up to $2,649–$5,900+ once 0.5%–1.25% platform closing fees are added
Direct Unrepresented Buyer Inquiries ✓ Forwarded straight to you — pay $0 buyer-agent commission when you sell to your own buyer Often routed through platform call centers or partner buyer agents
Who Do You Call With an Urgent Offer Question? ✓ Call or text Broker Jeff Kermath directly at (734) 649-4903 Out-of-state support ticket system or offshore chat queue
Michigan Track Record & BBB Rating ✓ BBB A+ Accredited Michigan Brokerage • 6,654+ Michigan Listings Since 2005 Out-of-state software aggregator

3 Red Flags to Watch Out For When Comparing “Flat Fee MLS” Sites in Michigan

  1. They Won’t Name the Michigan Broker Before You Pay: If a website does not clearly display the name, Michigan LARA broker license, and direct phone number of the Michigan broker who will list your home, it is a lead-generation or referral site. At Flat Fee Michigan, Jeff Kermath (Kermath Realty LLC) is your direct broker from day one.
  2. They Put Your Home on the Wrong (Out-of-Area) MLS: Michigan does not have a single statewide MLS. If a discount broker puts a Detroit or Ann Arbor home on an out-of-area board instead of Realcomp, or puts a Grand Rapids/Kalamazoo home on an eastern board instead of MichRIC, local buyer agents won’t see it in their daily searches. We are direct members of Realcomp, MichRIC, NGLRMLS, and UPMLS.
  3. Hidden Add-On Fees for Every Price Change or Open House: Some national platforms charge $25–$50 every time you change your price, update remarks, or hold an open house. We keep our plans straightforward and transparent.
Direct Licensed Michigan MLS Broker • BBB A+ Accredited Since 2005

Over 6,654 Michigan Properties Listed & Sold Since 2005

Flat Fee Michigan / Kermath Realty LLC is a direct, local Michigan real estate brokerage — never an out-of-state referral middleman. Read our verified seller reviews on the Better Business Bureau and our testimonials page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Flat Fee Michigan a direct Michigan MLS broker or a referral site?

Flat Fee Group Michigan (Kermath Realty LLC) is a licensed Michigan real estate brokerage founded in 2005 by Broker/Owner Jeff Kermath. Unlike national tech platforms such as Houzeo, Homecoin, or Congress Realty that collect your fee and refer or assign your listing to a third-party broker, Jeff Kermath is a direct member of Michigan’s MLS boards (Realcomp, MichRIC, NGLRMLS, and UPMLS) and inputs and supports your listing directly.

Do I have to pay a 0.5% to 1.25% platform fee at closing with Flat Fee Michigan?

With our Bronze ($299) and Silver ($399) plans, or our Full-Service Gold ($998) plan, you never pay a 1% or 1.25% third-party referral platform fee. Plus, if you find your own unrepresented buyer directly, you pay $0 buyer-agent commission.

Can I talk directly to the Michigan broker before and after I list?

Yes! You can call or text Broker Jeff Kermath directly at (734) 649-4903 before you order, while your listing is active, and when offers come in. You are never routed to an offshore call center or automated ticket queue.

WARNING!

What is a 3rd party referral site, and why you would NOT want to do business with one of these companies?

These “Referral sites”  are companies, that collect money, take  most of your money then “Refer” you to a broker in your state. The main problem for you as a customer, you do not get to ask questions or interview the broker before you pay. These referral companies are not interested in finding the best broker to serve you, they are ONLY interested in finding the cheapest broker to maximize their profit!

They constantly search for different brokers that work cheap. In fact, some have an open bidding process to find the cheapest brokers and often the worst brokers to work with. These brokers, they refer you to, often provide terrible customer service and because they work so cheap, will try to up-sell you on many vital services or steal your buyer leads.

Some of these 3rd party referral sites are under investigation by the Real Commission due to their illegal practice of real estate.  

How do you know you are dealing with one of these 3rd party referral sites?

You should always call a company before you list and research who your listing broker will be. When you call, simply ask, are you my listing broker or will you be referring me out to some other broker.

Some referral sites:
Houzeo.com, Listwithclever.com, listwithfreedom.com, upnest.com, byownerflatmls.com, byownermls.com, realestatewitch.com, brokerdirectmls.com & a host of others!

The BBB has in fact, revoked some these 3rd party referral site certifications, due to their terrible customer service.
Legitimate real estate companies are required by to put the listing broker on the real estate commission website. It is important, you know before paying, who your listing broker will be. It’s the law!

Kermath Realty LLC is owned and operated by Jeff Kermath, it’s president. Jeff has been a licensed Michigan broker since 2005 and has done 6,654 listings (as of October 2026) and is an mls member.

Our rating is “A+” on the BBB see our reviews. Please read our reviews.

I look forward to helping you sell and save.
Jeff Kermath
email me

Flat Fee Group Michigan — Regional MLS & Seller Resource Directory

Kermath Realty LLC (Michigan Licensed Real Estate Broker #6502334057 • Verify License with MI LARA ↗ • BBB A+ Accredited ↗) is your direct, local Michigan MLS broker across all 83 Michigan counties — never a national referral middleman.

Michigan Flat Fee MLS Regions & Resources: Upper Peninsula (UPMLS — All 15 U.P. Counties) • Northern Michigan & Traverse City (NGLRMLS) • Petoskey, Harbor Springs, Emmet & Charlevoix • Metro Detroit: Oakland, Wayne, Macomb & Livingston (Realcomp) • Washtenaw County: Ann Arbor & Saline • West Michigan: Grand Rapids, Holland & Kalamazoo (MichRIC) • Greater Lansing: Ingham, Eaton & Clinton • Investors, Builders & Probate Estates • Houzeo vs. Direct Michigan MLS Broker • BBB A+ Accredited Since 2005 (6,654+ Michigan Listings) ↗