Published
Main takeaway: Clever matches sellers and buyers with highly vetted realtors and pre-negotiates a low 1.5% listing fee, which is why it’s our top low commission real estate brokerage.
Listing Fee
Customer Rating
Active Since
Our take
Company details
Locations
Clever Real Estate is the best option for most sellers looking to save on realtor commissions. Its 1.5% listing fee is among the lowest of any full-service, nationwide brand. You’ll save thousands on commission while working with a top local realtor from a well-known brokerage, like RE/MAX and Keller Williams.
Pros
- 1.5% listing fee is half the typical rate.
- Agents have strong sales records and great customer reviews.
- Free agent-finding platform with no obligation to sign with a realtor.
Cons
- Certain add-ons like drone photography and staging may cost extra.
- May not get matched with the specific realtor you want if they’re not in Clever’s agent network.
- Service that matches sellers and buyers with full-service real estate agents
- Sellers pay a pre-negotiated 1.5% listing fee (half the average rate) to their realtor after a successful home sale
- Sellers are responsible for paying a competitive buyer’s agent commission, usually 2.5-3% depending on the market
- To join Clever’s network, real estate agents must be top performers in their local market, have 5+ years of experience, and demonstrate a track record of positive customer reviews
- Clever has a 5/5 rating across 3,180 online reviews
- Accredited through the Better Business Bureau and holds an A+ rating
- Agents offer full service and support, including pricing advice, photography, MLS listing and description, negotiation support, etc.
- Eligible buyers receive $250 cash back
Clever is available nationwide.
We gave Clever Real Estate a great score for its strict agent vetting criteria and solid customer reviews. It also stacks up well against other discount brokers in terms of savings and service.
In this review, we’ll cover how much you can save with Clever, what real customers say about Clever agents, and what the process looks like for sellers and buyers. You’ll also see how Clever compares to other discount real estate brokerages.
Savings | Services | Customer reviews | Clever vs. the competition | How Clever works | News | Bottom line: Should you use Clever?
How much can I save with Clever?
Clever’s listing fee | 1.5% of home sale price |
Nationwide average listing fee | 2.72% of home sale price |
Amount saved with Clever | 1.2% of home sale price |
Clever sellers typically pay about half the normal rate to work with a traditional full-service agent. On average, that translates to about $7,000 in savings.
All Clever partner agents have agreed to offer full service and support for a pre-negotiated 1.5% fee. You’ll get the same service as you would with a traditional agent, but at a significantly reduced rate.
In addition to the listing fee, expect to offer a competitive buyer’s agent fee to incentivize local agents to show your home to their clients. Buyer’s agent commission fees are negotiable and vary by market, but 2–3% is typical and encouraged.
See exactly how much you could save with Clever by entering your home’s estimated sale price below.
Service breakdown
When you sell or buy with a Clever partner agent, you’ll get the same service and support you’d expect from a traditional agent charging full commission. Marc P, a Trustpilot reviewer, was impressed with the knowledgeable agent Clever paired him with. Despite the discounted listing fee, Marc’s realtor provided top-notch service, including professional photography, resulting in his home selling in just one day for well above the asking price.
As a seller, you can expect to receive the following services from your Clever agent:
- Comparative market analysis (CMA) and pricing strategy
- Recommendations for pre-listing repairs and staging
- Professional photography
- Full listing on the MLS and hundreds of other real estate sites
- Showings and open houses
- Help with offers, counteroffers, and negotiations
- Contract and paperwork support
- Closing and title coordination
As a buyer, you can expect to receive the following services from your Clever agent:
- Real-time MLS alerts
- On-demand house tours
- Help with offers and counteroffers
- Support during the inspection and any renegotiations
- Final walk-through and closing coordination
- And more
Clever’s partner agents sign an agreement that stipulates they must provide 100% full service. Clever’s concierge team will check in with you and the agent on an ongoing basis to ensure your agent is delivering the promised level of service and support.
Clever Real Estate reviews from real customers
Review site | Rating |
---|---|
Better Business Bureau | 5/5 (91 reviews) |
4.8/5 (303 reviews) | |
Trustpilot | 5/5 (2,786 reviews) |
Average rating | 5.0 (3,810 reviews) |
Clever Real Estate reviews online give the company a 5/5 rating from 3,810 reviews across Trustpilot, Google, and the Better Business Bureau (BBB). Clever Real Estate is also accredited by the BBB and has an A+ rating.
Customers tend to praise Clever for two main things: the quality of its agents and the savings. Many reviewers were surprised that they could receive high-quality, dedicated service at a lower price.
We found only a handful of negative reviews within the last year. A few involve customers’ expectations not being met in specific ways, like not getting a higher buyer rebate. The company regularly responds to any negative reviews to try to provide a resolution.
✅ High-quality agents
We repeatedly found Clever Real Estate reviews that highlight how effective, diligent, and professional its agents are.
This agent quality is likely a reflection of Clever’s vetting process. Some real estate companies don’t require agents to meet strict standards in order to join their networks. But to join Clever’s network, realtors need to have a great track record in terms of experience, sales, and customer reviews.
GREAT experience! Our realtor was superior and guided us through the whole process. He was very knowledgeable of our neighborhood and set the price exactly as it should be. The whole process was straightforward, quick and successful! Thank you for this service and for such a great realtor.”
— Ronnie B., Mar. 2024, Trustpilot, ★★★★★
If I could, I would give the entire team (from start to finish) a 15 out of 10! [My agent] and staff as well as the [buyer’s agent] and his staff made a very stressful and difficult time in my life enjoyable. Professionals that know their stuff and deliver on their promises. Knowledgeable, personable, caring team… have already told family and friends how great everyone was.”
— Geralyn D., Mar. 2024, Trustpilot, ★★★★★
[My agent] was a great person to work with. We appreciate his professionalism and hard work. He went above and beyond helping us sell our house! Thank you for all of your help [agent]!” — Kendall S., Mar. 2024, Trustpilot, ★★★★★
✅ Great savings without sacrificing service
Customers also pointed out that they saved a lot on commission with Clever. The listing fee with Clever is just 1.5% — about half of the 2.5–3% that’s typical for the industry — which on a $400,000 house can amount to savings of $6,000.
Reviewers were particularly impressed with the high level of service they got from their agents. The lower commission rate didn’t deter agents from working hard to get good outcomes for their clients.
We selected a local realtor who was knowledgeable and walked with us every step from listing to close of escrow. Highly recommend! The savings on commission was true and realtor service was fantastic.“
— Donna R., Mar. 2024, Trustpilot, ★★★★★
I selected [my agent] to facilitate the sale of my home through Clever. He was knowledgeable and friendly (and took great photos) and due to the lower commission rate, we saved about $6,000 compared to the standard 3% commission most realtors try to charge.”
— Jeffrey C., Mar. 2024, Trustpilot, ★★★★★
Clever paired us up with an extremely knowledgeable agent who had a verifiable record of experience and success. Despite the discount listing, our realtor treated us like any one of her clients. The listing of our home for sale was first class, which included professional photography. Our home sold in one day for substantially over our asking price. I highly recommend using the services of Clever when selling your home.”
— Marc P., Feb. 2024, Trustpilot, ★★★★★
Clever was awesome. They gave us a list of 3 agents in the area. We interviewed each of them and settled on an agent. Even though the agent makes a commission of 1.5% they do the work of a 3% commission agent… [My agent] was awesome and we sold our home for much more than we anticipated.”
— Caleb G., Oct. 2023, Google, ★★★★★
✅ Quick, easy process
We frequently found reviews that mention how quick and easy it was to find an agent and move through the transaction. Several reviewers were able to list and sell their homes much quicker than expected.
Process was very easy from the beginning. I call them asked about if they help customers with selling their homes I was told yes and immediately sent several emails on what is offered. I was put in contact with clever team they sent e several agents and I picked from there. My agent was very knowledgeable and very accessible the entire journey.”
— Sharon T., Mar. 2024, Trustpilot, ★★★★★
This was an extremely smooth transaction. I was initially contacted by what I felt were extremely professional real estate agents. After selecting the agent I decided to go with, the process was handled in a timely and efficient manner. Saving money makes the process even sweeter.”
— Richard S., Oct. 2023, BBB, ★★★★★
Awesome experience with clever! We needed our house sold ASAP. It had been up on Zillow for a month as a for sale by owner. I called clever to get a real estate agent, and less than 24 hrs later we were under contract for an offer $10,000 over asking price. Thanks so much clever!”
— Benjamin P., Mar. 2024, Trustpilot, ★★★★★
❌ A few reviewers didn’t have specific expectations met
We didn’t find many negative recent reviews, but we did notice that a few customers didn’t have specific expectations met. For example, this reviewer expected staging to be part of the full-service support Clever promises:
You get what you pay for. No help with staging. No help with HOA. Might as well sell it myself. So you end up paying 4% instead of 5%. I’d pay 5 to get help getting my house in order. After reading what clever real-estate says on their web site, why are they saying full service agents offered yet home prep not included.“
— Ron L., Mar. 2024, Google, ★
Clever responded to this review by clarifying its services and inviting the customer to contact them so they could work toward a solution. The company regularly responds to negative reviews in a professional manner and seeks resolution.
At Clever, our agents agree to offer full service support … . While this does not include staging, it’s important to us to review our conversations with you to ensure we did not set the wrong expectations. While our agents can assist with staging, this would typically involve an additional payment. We hope to hear more … so that we can better understand what happened and work towards a resolution that meets your expectations.“
— Team Clever
A similar instance happened with this buyer, who was disappointed they didn’t get a larger home buyer rebate. Clever offers $250 cash back to buyers (or $500 for those who buy and sell with Clever). Some discount brokers don’t offer any buyer savings, while others offer a percentage.
Plan to buy a house. Sent a request and got quick response from two agents. Commission rebate is a joke. I usually get 1% of sell price if I do most of the homework myself. Here you won’t get more than a few hundred.“
— Jack, Feb. 2023, Trustpilot, ★★★
Clever Real Estate vs. the competition
Company | Our Rating | Listing Fee | Availability | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Best overall
Clever Real Estate |
Our rating
|
1.5%
Min. $3,000
|
Nationwide
|
Find Agents |
Ideal Agent |
2%
Min. $3,000
|
Nationwide
|
Learn More | |
UpNest |
Our rating
|
Varies by agent
Avg. 2.2%
|
Nationwide
|
Learn More |
HomeLight |
Our rating
|
Varies (2.2% on average)
|
Nationwide
|
Learn More |
We compared Clever Real Estate to 10 other agent matching and low commission brokerages based on agent quality, savings, and customer service. Here’s how Clever stacks up against the top three competitors.
Real estate agent quality
Clever gets top marks for real estate agent quality. Many of its agents come from recognizable national brands, like Berkshire Hathaway, Keller Williams, and Century 21. Customers get the same full service with Clever agents as they would with a traditional agent.
Clever also has the highest performance standards of any agent matching service. Its agents are rigorously vetted and have proven track records in terms of sales, years of experience, and positive customer feedback. If a partner agent isn’t performing up to standard, Clever is willing to remove them from its network.
Ideal Agent is the only competitor with similar performance standards, but it has far fewer agents. With Clever, you have a higher chance of getting matched with a good agent in your area.
Other services have almost no vetting standards for agents or fail to enforce them consistently. For example, any licensed agent can join HomeLight’s network.
Savings
Clever’s 1.5% commission rate is among the lowest in the industry. You’ll pay half the rate that most traditional realtors charge (2.5–3%). Other agent matching services don’t come close to Clever’s rates. Ideal Agent charges a 2% listing fee, for example, and HomeLight doesn’t offer discounted fees.
With inflation and interest rates on the rise, reduced commission rates help sellers keep more of their home’s equity in their pockets.
Some of the customers we spoke to were initially concerned that there must be a “catch” with Clever’s fees being so low. After meeting with their Clever partner agents, they realized they’d be making no sacrifices in terms of service.
Customer service
Clever is one of the few agent matching services — along with Ideal Agent — that requires its concierges to be fully licensed real estate agents. This matters because only licensed concierges can legally give you real estate advice.
Many other agent matching services, like HomeLight and UpNest, don’t require their concierges to be licensed. This means they can offer limited help with your real estate transaction.
We were particularly impressed by how Clever has improved its customer service over time. Before, a single Clever concierge was responsible for handling the entire customer journey. Today, there are multiple Clever concierge teams, each dedicated to handling just one aspect of the customer journey.
The result is a better and more streamlined experience. As customer Steve said:
Clever was very responsive and walked me through every step of the process and checked in regarding the service I received.”
Clever concierges are also willing to step in if a customer has concerns about their agent or any other aspect of their home sale or purchase. In the rare event that an agent isn’t living up to expectations, Clever concierges may exclude that agent from future transactions.
No other agent matching service we found goes to the lengths that Clever concierges do to ensure their customers are satisfied. On the contrary, other services were difficult to get in touch with and were often unhelpful in solving concerns after providing the initial agent match.
How Clever Real Estate works
What to expect as a seller
To get matched with a listing agent through Clever, you complete the following steps:
Step 1: Fill out a form on Clever’s website with some basic information about your upcoming sale or purchase. This includes property type, price, and what you’re looking for most in an agent.
Step 2: A Clever concierge reaches out via phone or email to learn more about your specific situation and needs — and to answer any questions you might have about Clever’s service or about real estate in general. (Note: You can choose to opt out of the phone call and connect directly with agents if you prefer.)
Step 3: Clever’s team then scours its 19,000 partner agents and identifies the best matches for you based on location, experience, and other data points.
Step 4: Clever sends out individual agent introductions via text message or email (you can choose one or the other or both) so you can set up interviews and start comparing your options. You can see which brokerage the agent works for and visit their website, Zillow profile, and social media pages.
Step 5: You can schedule a meeting with your recommended agent. You can choose to interview your agent either in person or over the phone.
Step 6: Once you choose an agent and sign, you can get started on your home sale or purchase. Clever’s team will continue to provide service throughout the process to ensure your agent is meeting your expectations and to back you up if any issues arise.
What to expect as a buyer
Clever can also match you with a high-quality agent when buying a home. Its buyer’s agents come from name-brand brokerages like Berkshire Hathaway and Century 21. These agents meet high performance standards, like a minimum number of transactions, years of experience, and positive customer reviews.
Clever’s vetting process ensures that no matter which agent you get matched with, they’ll have the necessary experience to help you find a house that fits your needs and budget.
As with most home purchases, you won’t have to worry about covering the buyer’s agent commission. The seller pays for that commission from their sale proceeds.
How much can buyers save with Clever?
Eligible home buyers can save with Clever Cash Back. The program offers you a gift card of up to $500 when you buy a home with a Clever agent:
- $250 if you buy with a Clever agent
- $500 if you buy and sell with a Clever agent
Clever Cash Back is available in the 42 U.S. states that allow commission rebates and cash back rewards for home buyers.
Clever’s buyer savings program isn’t available in Alaska, Iowa, Kansas, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Oregon, and Tennessee. The U.S. Justice Department supports commission rebates and cash rewards for home buyers and is actively working to make them legal in all 50 states.
Also note that Clever Cash Back has some purchase price criteria. Homes purchased in qualifying states for over $50,000 are eligible for cash back. Homes purchased below $50,000 aren’t eligible.
Clever Real Estate news and updates
In February 2024, Clever Real Estate launched Clever Title, a full-service title and escrow company.1 In January 2024, Clever acquired Gravy Technologies, a startup that built a rewards platform for home buyers.2 In October 2023, two members of Clever’s executive team received the HousingWire Insiders Award.3 Clever launched a product for mortgage lenders called Clever Pro in July 2023.4 In June 2023, Clever was named the number 1 real estate agency on Trustpilot.com.5 In May 2023, Clever raised $2 million in funding and ranked #65 on Inc.’s List of Fastest-Growing Companies in the Midwest.67
Bottom line: Should I use Clever Real Estate?
Based on our research of Clever Real Estate and other popular agent matching services, we think Clever offers the best overall service for the vast majority of buyers and sellers. Clever’s partner agents are consistently high quality, its savings for both sellers and buyers are the best in the industry, and you can try it for free with zero obligation.
The only situation where you may want to look elsewhere is if you’re selling a house at a low price point — typically less than $100,000. At that price, a traditional, full-priced real estate agent may be able to provide a better deal given Clever’s flat $3,000 listing fee for homes less than $200,000.
For all other sellers and buyers, however, Clever is a good deal. You’ll get a top, full-service real estate agent and pay only a fraction of the price. In other words, you’ll save thousands of dollars for the exact same service as you’d get from a traditional broker.
Our advice: Start your real estate journey with Clever. You’ll have an expert in your corner from the beginning, but because Clever is free and comes with no obligation, you’ll still be able to pursue other options at any point.
FAQ about Clever Real Estate
Is Clever Real Estate legitimate?
Yes, Clever Real Estate is a legitimate and well-reviewed company that makes buying and selling real estate more affordable. Clever has an average customer rating of 4.9 out of 5 stars based on over a thousand customer reviews. Clever is a licensed brokerage in Missouri and partners with agents all over the country from top brokerages like Keller Willams, Century 21, and Coldwell Banker.
How much can I save with Clever?
Clever sellers typically save between 40–50% on total commission fees — or $7,000 or on average — thanks to the pre-negotiated 1.5% listing fee. See how much you can save with Clever!
Is Clever Real Estate free?
Yes. As a seller or buyer, you won’t ever pay Clever a referral fee. Sellers only pay their Clever partner agent’s discounted 1.5% listing fee when their home sells. Buyers won’t pay any agent fees, because their agent’s fee is typically covered by the seller.
How does Clever make money?
Like other agent matching companies, Clever collects a small fee from its partner agents in exchange for referring new customers. This allows Clever to offer a free service for its customers.
Why do agents work with Clever for lower rates?
Most agents burn a lot of time and money trying to attract new clients. Clever’s partner agents get a steady stream of new business with zero up-front cost or effort (they pay Clever a fee only when a deal closes). The arrangement boosts their revenue, sales numbers, and visibility within their local market — and the volume allows them to lower their rates, helping sellers and buyers save money. In other words, it’s a win-win for all parties.
How good are Clever partner agents?
To be a Clever partner agent, realtors must have an active real estate license, at least five years of experience, and a proven track record of success. Clever also states on its website that it will remove agents from its network that don't provide excellent service, and its team actively reviews its partner agents’ performance on an ongoing basis.
Do Clever agents really provide full service?
Yes. All Clever’s partner agents have signed contracts that they'll provide 100% full service and support to Clever customers.
Am I obligated to use Clever Real Estate if I request an agent?
No! You can interview as many agents as you'd like through Clever. Until you've connected with an agent you like and decided to move forward, you don't sign a thing. The benefit of Clever is getting a reduced commission, whereas if you reach out directly to an agent, you'll likely pay full commission.
Related links
How to Choose a Realtor: The Complete Guide: A good agent can make a big difference in how well your home sale or purchase goes — and how much you get or save for your house. Find out how to choose the right realtor for you.
Top 10 Low Commission Real Estate Agents: Low commission real estate companies can help you save thousands on your home sale. Check out our ranking of the best low commission companies, and see what options are available in your local real estate market.
The Best Discount Real Estate Brokers and Agents: Discount brokers can save you a lot of money, but some come with significant drawbacks. Here’s what you need to know if you’re considering a discount realtor.
Negotiating Realtor Fees: 5 Tips to Lower Commission: Negotiating real estate fees centers on knowing the market and your situation, then using that info while talking to multiple agents.
Methodology
The Real Estate Witch team evaluated Clever on a variety of factors, including savings, customer service, online reviews, agent quality, and how it compares to the competition. Our mission is to empower you to make an informed decision about whether Clever is right for your next real estate transaction.
We regularly update all our reviews to ensure they are accurate and relevant. Our goal is to help you find an agent who can get you the best possible value when you buy or sell your home.
Our low commission real estate brokerage rankings are based on three key criteria:
- Cost and savings. We compare each brokerage’s pricing model to top competitors and average prices across the U.S., including the average listing fee, minimum fees, and any buyer incentives offered.
- Customer service. We perform an in-depth analysis on each brokerage’s customer reviews across review sites. We broke down the sentiment of reviews, looking at themes around agent responsiveness, expertise, and meeting customer expectations.
- Ease of use. We evaluate how efficient it is for customers to find, compare, and select an agent through a brokerage; and we evaluate their agent network size, technical platforms, communication methods, and post-transaction support.
Disclosure
Real Estate Witch is a partner brand of Clever. However, we form our opinions based on the same facts we share with you, and we apply the same objective standards to Clever that we do to all companies we review. Our focus is to let you know who Clever is and isn’t right for.
Sources
- PR Newswire, ‘Clever Real Estate Launches Clever Title and Promotes Executive to Lead New Division’, February 16, 2024, https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/clever-real-estate-launches-clever-title-and-promotes-executive-to-lead-new-division-302063763.html ↩︎
- PR Newswire, ‘Clever Real Estate Expands Tech Footprint, Acquires Gravy Technologies’, January 8, 2024, https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/clever-real-estate-expands-tech-footprint-acquires-gravy-technologies-302027894.html ↩︎
- PR Newswire, ‘Two Clever Real Estate Leaders Honored With 2023 HousingWire Awards’, October 12, 2023, https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/two-clever-real-estate-leaders-honored-with-2023-housingwire-awards-301954442.html ↩︎
- PR Newswire, ‘Clever Real Estate Launches Clever Pro, Driving More Growth and Profitability for Mortgage Lenders’, July 25, 2023, https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/clever-real-estate-launches-clever-pro-driving-more-growth-and-profitability-for-mortgage-lenders-301885098.html ↩︎
- PR Newswire, ‘Clever Real Estate Ranked No. 1 Real Estate Agency on TrustPilot.com’, June 14, 2023, https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/clever-real-estate-ranked-no-1-real-estate-agency-on-trustpilotcom-301850201.html ↩︎
- PR Newswire, ‘Clever Real Estate Secures $2 Million From Strategic Investors’, May 10, 2023, https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/clever-real-estate-secures-2-million-from-strategic-investors-301820423.html ↩︎
- PR Newswire, ‘Clever Real Estate Ranks No. 65 on Inc.’s List of Fastest-Growing Companies in the Midwest’, March 1, 2023, https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/clever-real-estate-ranks-no-65-on-incs-list-of-fastest-growing-companies-in-the-midwest-301759084.html ↩︎
MiaMoore says
Your comments were published 11months ago.
Has “Clever ” reviews changed ? What is their current rating .
I am a recent widow looking to sell a large home in April 2021,and honesty and trust are a must for me .
Thankyou for taking the time to get back with me.
The Real Estate Witch Team says
Thanks for commenting Mia! We’re actually in the process of updating this page now with more up-to-date reviews.
You can also find Clever’s full reviews at https://www.trustpilot.com/review/listwithclever.com, or reach out to the Clever team at https://go.realestatewitch.com/real-estate-witch-clever-flat-fee/.