The Best Discount Real Estate Brokers for Every Budget

🏆  Find The Best Discount Real Estate Brokers For: Most sellers | $1M+ homes | Houses under $350K | Buyers

When you sell your home, listing with a discount real estate broker is one of the easiest ways to keep more money in your pocket.

Our team has spent hundreds of hours researching discount brokers to find the companies that offer the biggest savings while providing service that matches — or exceeds! — what you’d expect from a traditional realtor.

The best discount brand for most home sellers is Clever Real Estate. It offers best-in-class rates and service quality.

However, we always recommend comparing your options. Depending on your budget, situation, and what discount real estate brokers have agents near you, another company may be a better fit for your sale.

Keep reading for an in-depth look at our top discount broker recommendations for every budget, as well as a list of companies most sellers should avoid.

👉  More sections: Companies to avoid | How discount brokers work | How to choose the right discount realtor | Find discount real estate companies near you

Best discount real estate brokers for most sellers

✍️ Our take: The top discount real estate brokers for most sellers offer huge commission savings, but not at the expense of service quality.

These companies provide solid value all around. You’ll enjoy the support of an agent you’ve come to expect when selling your home, but these brands can help you save thousands in realtor fees.

1. 🏆 Best: Clever Real Estate

The best discount real estate company for most home sellers is Clever Real Estate. Clever offers listing fees of just $3,000 or 1%, which is the most affordable commission rate of any full-service nationwide brand. 

On a $400,000 home sale, finding your agent through Clever could help you keep an extra $8,000 in your pocket!

We also love how Clever creates its savings. Clever negotiates discounted rates with top-rated agents at traditional brokerages across the U.S., including Keller Williams, Century 21, and RE/MAX. This straightforward approach creates real value for everyone involved — you get all the services and support of a traditional agent, but you pay a fraction of the typical price. Realtors get a steady stream of interested clients, without a huge marketing budget. 

If you’re ready to sell, Clever makes it easy to save on commission and find a great agent. 

Answer a few basic questions about your home, and Clever will match you with local realtors hand-picked for your unique situation. Interview as many agents as you like until you find the perfect fit, or walk away with zero obligation.

👋  Try Clever for free — find your perfect agent, save thousands on commission!

2. Redfin

Redfin offers excellent commission savings with relatively minor service tradeoffs. It also benefits from its wide coverage area and well-known brand. However, Redfin’s listing fees are more expensive than Clever and a clear runner-up in terms of the overall customer experience.

Redfin charges a 1.5% listing fee. Your listing fee drops to 1% if you buy with a Redfin agent too, but Redfin’s overall buyer savings package is relatively underwhelming compared to other discount brokers.

Just as importantly, when you sell a house with Redfin, the experience will be different than working with a traditional brokerage. 

Instead of having your agent oversee every part of your sale, Redfin uses a team-based model. This makes the process a bit more efficient, which allows Redfin agents to handle a higher volume of customers. But, you may face misunderstandings or mix-ups when working with multiple people during your sale. 

Redfin has proven that this model works, but it’s not for everyone. If you’re a first-time seller or have a complicated selling situation, another discount broker may be a better fit.

👉 Is Redfin right for you? Read our full review now!

3. Ideal Agent

Like Clever, Ideal Agent negotiates discounted realtor fees with traditional agents who have been screened carefully for quality and experience. With Ideal Agent, you’ll find agents across the U.S. who will list your home for just 2% commission. 

This model allows you to lock in commission savings but still get a home selling experience that’s familiar — and proven to work!

However, Clever takes the top spot in our ranking of the best discount realtors for two reasons. First, Clever offers bigger savings — Clever’s 1% listing fee is half the price of Ideal Agent’s 2% commission rate.

And, Clever gives you more options when it comes to picking your agent. Ideal Agent only sends you a single agent match in your area, and you can take it or leave it. 

👉 Is Ideal Agent right for you? Read our full review now!

4. SimpleShowing

While SimpleShowing’s listing fee is just 1% (or $3,500 on homes below $350,000), it’s only available in a handful of markets — primarily in the Southeast.

Our biggest concern with SimpleShowing is that its agents juggle five times as many customers as a typical realtor. That isn’t necessarily a deal breaker if you’re selling a desirable home in a hot market. 

But, if your home is unique or you have a complex selling situation, you want to work with an agent who has the time to give your sale the attention it deserves.

👉 Is SimpleShowing right for you? Read our full review now!

5. Prevu

Prevu is a regional discount brokerage with locations in the Northeastern U.S. and on the West Coast. Like our other top picks, its full-service agents provide support that’s on par with a traditional realtor.

In addition to the standard services you’d expect from a real estate agent, Prevu’s listing package includes a couple of premium options. For example, you’ll get paid social media ads and a 3D virtual home tour at no extra charge.

Prevu’s 1.5% listing fee makes it worth a look if it’s available in your area, but you’ll likely find another discount broker near you who charges lower rates.

👉 Is Prevu right for you? Read our full review now!

Best discount brokers for $1 million homes

✍️ Our take: When you’re selling a home worth $1 million or more, even small differences in pricing make a huge difference on your bottom line.

You’ll likely find the biggest savings with a full-service company that charges a flat listing fee instead of a percentage of your home’s sale price.

However, be careful. While our top pick is a flat-fee company with a solid track record, competitors with similar pricing models often come with substantial service tradeoffs.

🏅 Best: Houwzer

Houwzer is a great discount real estate broker for homes worth $1 million or more. In this price tier, Houwzer’s flat $5,000 listing fee offers the most commission savings of any full-service company. 

On a $1 million home sale, Houwzer saves you up to $25,000 compared to selling with a realtor who charges traditional rates.

Houwzer’s sales process is reasonably similar to listing with a conventional brokerage, so you shouldn’t encounter any major service tradeoffs. Just vet your local agents carefully. One of the most common Houwzer complaints is that some sellers had trouble finding an agent with experience in their neighborhood and price range.

👉 Is Houwzer right for you? Read our full review now!

🥈 Also great: 1% commission realtors

If Houwzer isn’t available in your area — or you’re not thrilled with your local Houwzer agents — selling with a 1% commission realtor is likely your best option.

Clever is the only 1% commission company available nationwide, but regional options like SimpleShowing and Trelora may be worth worth considering too.

👉 Find 1% commission realtors near you!

🚫 Avoid: Overpriced options and “budget” brands

When you’re selling a higher-priced home, avoid listing with a discount broker who charges a 2% commission rate or higher. Traditional realtors already often charge less than the typical 3% listing fee on higher priced homes. A discount broker who charges 2% might not actually save you anything! 

Before you list with a company in this price range — especially one with built-in risks — it’s worth asking your preferred realtor if they’ll match that rate.

You should also avoid listing with a broker whose “discount” branding could be off-putting to buyers. When a buyer tours your property, their first impression will profoundly influence their overall opinion of your home’s quality. If the first thing they see is a yard sign from a discount real estate brokerage with a name like Help-U-Sell, it could send the wrong message!

Best discount brokers for homes under $350,000

✍️ Our take: When you’re selling a house worth $350,000 or less, pay careful attention to minimum fees. On lower priced homes, many discount brokers end up costing more than their advertised rates.

🏅  Best: Clever

Clever, our top discount broker pick overall, is also your best option for selling a home worth $350,000 or less. At this price point, Clever charges a flat $3,000 listing fee, which makes it the most affordable full-service company. 

And, unlike most discount brokers, Clever also offers special pricing on homes under $150,000, ensuring you can save on commission no matter what your house is worth.

👉 Discover how much you can save with Clever today!

🥈 Also great: Redfin and SimpleShowing

Redfin and SimpleShowing also offer excellent rates on lower-priced homes. 

SimpleShowing charges $3,500 on homes below $350,000, which makes it slightly less affordable than Clever. Redfin’s average minimum fee is also around $3,500, but it varies by market, so check with your local office for details.

🚫 Avoid: Discount brokers with high minimum fees

When you’re selling a lower-priced home, avoid discount real estate brokers who advertise low commission rates but charge high minimum fees. 

For example, you may find a discount broker near you that advertises a 1% listing fee, subject to a minimum commission of $5,000. If your house sells for $200,000, you’d actually owe your realtor a 2.5% commission, which isn’t much of a discount compared with the typical 3%!

Best FSBO alternatives

✍️ Our take: If you want to maximize your commission savings, selling your house for sale by owner (FSBO) will eliminate your listing agent’s fee altogether. However, understandably, not everyone is comfortable with the legal and financial risks of a FSBO sale.

We strongly recommend working with one of our top discount broker picks above — they deliver the best pound-for-pound value for almost everyone. That said, if you’re in a seller’s market where homes like yours are going under contract the day they hit the MLS, there’s a middle ground between full service and FSBO. 

The discount brokers below offer additional commission savings for experienced sellers who aren’t afraid to roll up their sleeves and do more of the work themselves.

🏅 Best: Homie

Homie Real Estate is worth considering as an alternative to selling a house without a realtor. Homie charges a flat $3,500 listing fee, regardless of your home’s sale price.

This fee is much more expensive than the common costs you’ll face when selling FSBO, like listing on the MLS and paperwork assistance. But, when you work with Homie, you’ll also get a dedicated agent to negotiate on your behalf and provide remote support online or over the phone.

However, Homie’s cheap rates come with some pretty huge tradeoffs. Homie agents provide zero in-person support, and they handle up to ten times as many customers as a typical realtor. This severely limits your agent’s ability to provide personalized service.

Additionally, Homie’s listing fees have gone up since we first added it as a recommendation. It previously charged $2,000-3,000, depending on the location. At its current rates, Homie doesn’t offer as much dollar-for-dollar value. But it’s still a better option than selling FSBO, at least for most sellers.

👉 Is Homie right for you? Read our full review now!

🥈 Also great: Our top discount broker picks

Although our top discount broker recommendations offer less hard savings on higher-priced homes, they deliver better overall value than Homie.

Companies like Clever, Redfin, and Prevu offer service that’s equivalent to what you’d get from a traditional brokerage, so you’re more likely to have a great experience. 

And since your agent will provide full, in-person support, they’re better positioned to help you avoid pricing mistakes that could prevent you from selling for top-dollar.

🚫  Avoid: Brokers that overcharge for limited service

Avoid discount real estate brokerages that overcharge you for barebones services wrapped in flashy packages. 

Companies like Door.com market themselves as “disruptors” who are using technology to reinvent the real estate industry. In reality, they’re just limited-service brokerages with trendier branding and larger advertising budgets.

Like other limited-service brokers, these companies advertise discounted rates, but offer bare minimum service. They’ll put your home on the MLS, provide limited customer support (usually over the phone), and outsource many tasks to back-office employees who aren’t licensed agents.

There’s nothing inherently wrong with using a limited-service agent. If you’re comfortable selling DIY, they give you the flexibility to pay for the services you need and skip the ones you don’t. 

However, Door.com and other similar companies are often a LOT more expensive than typical limited-service brokers who usually only charge a few hundred bucks for a la carte services. These companies cost as much as our top discount broker picks (or more!) while providing a fraction of the support.

Best discount realtors for home buyers

✍️ Our take: Many discount realtors offer built-in savings for home buyers. Depending on the company, you could receive a cash-back refund or a credit toward your closing costs.

These closing cost credits can offset your upfront expenses when you buy your home, which can make the purchase more affordable. However, cash-back refunds are more flexible — they come with fewer restrictions, and you can spend them however you want.

When comparing home buyer rebates, watch out for terms and conditions that could prevent you from earning the full refund — or even receiving one at all.

🏅 Best: Prevu

While the company only operates in a few states, Prevu’s home buyer rebate offers the largest buyer savings of any regional or nationwide discount broker. On eligible purchases, your Prevu agent will refund up to two-thirds of their commission — as much as 2% of the sale price!

Prevu offsets their buyer rebates by providing less upfront service. Your agent will likely remain hands-off until you’re ready to start touring homes.

This tradeoff is worth it for some experienced buyers. As long as you’re familiar with the area and know what you’re looking for in a home, you can definitely research listings without your agent’s help.

However, Prevu’s rebate is subject to a minimum commission, so you may not earn the full refund on lower-priced homes. It also requires approval from your lender, and possibly the seller too. Always ask Prevu for details on terms and restrictions before you sign a buyer agency agreement.

👉 Learn more about home buyer rebates (and how to get one)

🥈 Also great: Clever

Clever’s 0.5% cash-back refund is smaller than Prevu’s, but it comes with fewer strings attached. And, it’s available in most states.

Unlike Prevu, Clever doesn’t ask you to sacrifice on service quality in exchange for savings. You’ll work with a traditional realtor who guarantees the same level of support they’d offer any other customer.

Clever may be a better option if you’re buying long distance and need more help identifying which homes are in good neighborhoods, top-rated school districts, and so on. It’s also a good pick if you’re a first-time buyer who needs more help navigating what can often be a confusing process!

Additionally, Clever’s refund is subject to fewer terms and conditions than most buyer rebates. With Clever, there’s less risk that you’ll miss out on savings due to last-minute complications with your lender or the seller.

🥉 Worth considering: Redfin and Homie

Redfin’s home buyer rebate isn’t the best (or biggest) one available. But, if you sell and buy with Redfin within a calendar year, the company will drop your listing fee to 1%. If you’re already planning to sell with Redfin, it may make sense to buy with a Redfin agent too.

Homie Real Estate refunds up to 50% of the buyer’s agent commission on eligible purchases throughout its service area. To qualify for a rebate, you must purchase an eligible home and finance it through Homie Loans, use Homie Title for closing services, and request a quote through Homie Insurance. At face value, it’s an attractive offer — just make sure to compare Homie’s mortgage and title rates to other local services. If Homie’s fees aren’t competitive, your overall savings may not actually be as large as you think.

🚫 Avoid: Buyer rebates with unreasonable restrictions

Some discount real estate brokers advertise huge buyer rebates, but subject them to restrictions that prevent many customers from saving as much as they expect.

For example, REX Real Estate won’t honor their rebate offer if you buy from a REX seller. This is one of the many reasons REX lands on our list of discount brokers you should avoid below.

SimpleShowing also offers a sizable buyer rebate, but it reduces your savings if you look at more than five homes before making a purchase. Despite ranking as one of our top recommendations for sellers, this restriction makes SimpleShowing a relatively poor option for buyers — especially if you’re buying in a seller’s market.

Finally, watch out for companies that advertise huge rebates but have high commission minimums. Below a certain price point, your purchase won’t even qualify for a rebate.

🚫 Discount brokers to avoid

✍️ Our take: Most discount real estate brokers offer solid commission savings and overall value, even if some companies aren’t the right fit for every seller or situation. However, a few low-fee brokers are a poor fit for virtually everyone, either because they provide minimal savings, come with major service risks, or both.

We recommend avoiding the discount brokers below. No matter where you’re selling, you likely have better options.

REX Real Estate

Rex Real Estate offers the worst overall value of any discount broker we have reviewed. REX’s 2.5% listing fee costs nearly as much as selling with a traditional realtor, so your potential savings depend entirely on finding a buyer who isn’t working with an agent. But, since REX won’t list your home on the MLS, you may have a hard time finding a buyer at all!

Door.com

Door.com charges similar listing fees as our top discount real estate brokerage recommendations, but offers far less service. Door’s 1.5% listing fee is incredibly expensive considering its agents provide no in-person support. The company has also been laying off employees and reducing its service area from ten states to one, which suggests sellers have realized they can find better savings elsewhere.

Help-U-Sell

Help-U-Sell was one of the first major discount real estate brokerages to offer home sellers a middle ground between selling DIY and paying full price for commission. It once had around 1,000 franchise locations, but while other discount brokers are rapidly expanding, more than 90% of Help-U-Sell’s local offices have shut down. Since Help-U-Sell is a franchise, fees and service quality at individual locations vary substantially.

Assist-2-Sell

Assist-2-Sell has been competing with Help-U-Sell for decades, and it has faced similar challenges adapting to changes in the real estate industry. This franchise might be worth a look if it’s the only discount broker in your area, but with companies like Clever, Redfin, and Ideal Agent offering nationwide coverage, you likely have better options.

Faira

Faira wanted to make selling a house as simple as listing your old baseball cards on eBay. However, misleading pricing, hidden fees, and a confusing online platform make Faira a poor alternative to selling your home the traditional way.

What you should know about selling with discount real estate brokers

👉  Sections: How much can I save? | How to choose a discount realtor | Find discount real estate brokers near me 

How do discount brokers work?

Discount real estate brokers create savings by identifying areas in the conventional brokerage model that are inefficient, unnecessary, or outdated. Every company’s approach is different, but it’s important to understand where your savings are coming from.

The best discount brokers address genuine bottlenecks in the selling process, which allows them to charge less than a traditional agent without compromising on service.

For example, our top recommendation — Clever Real Estate — helps agents at traditional brokerages reduce their marketing expenses. Clever connects agents with customers at zero upfront cost, so your agent can pass the savings on to you.

Other discount companies are trying to reinvent the entire brokerage model. Selling with these brokers will feel different from working with a traditional realtor. This could mean working with a team instead of a single, dedicated agent — or it could mean having a 100% remote agent that you never meet. 

The bottom line is that some discount realtors offer service and support that’s generally on par with what a typical agent provides — others cut their fees in risky ways that could cost you money on your sale.

👉  Jump back to our top discount broker rankings

How much can I save with a discount realtor?

Depending on your budget, selling with a discount realtor could save you thousands of dollars compared to listing with a traditional brokerage.

Here’s how much you could save if you sold with a company that charges a 1% listing fee, instead of the traditional 3% commission rate:

However, there’s more to choosing a discount real estate broker near you than finding the one that charges the lowest fee in your area. 

How to choose the right discount real estate broker

We recommend working with the discount real estate broker that offers you the most savings while also providing the dedicated attention and service your sale deserves.

The first step is to find discount brokers that are available near you. A few have nationwide coverage, but most companies only operate in a handful of states. 

After narrowing down your list, interview agents from different brokers to find the one you’re most comfortable with. Vet discount realtors the same way you’d evaluate a traditional agent — find an agent that truly understands your goals and puts together an incredible selling strategy. Getting a lower commission rate shouldn’t mean lowering your standards or expectations.

We can’t emphasize this enough. 

After reviewing dozens of companies and combing through thousands of customer reviews, we’re convinced that agent quality is the most important factor that affects your experience. Every discount broker has built-in pros and cons, but at the end of the day, you’ll be working with an individual realtor — not a brand!

How can I find discount real estate brokers near me?

Looking for discount real estate brokers near you? Select your state in the table below to find companies available in your area. Then, click on a company name to read our in-depth discount broker reviews!

Related links

The Best iBuyer Companies: Need to sell your house as fast as possible, even if it means earning slightly less than you would on the open market? Check out our reviews of the top iBuyer companies, including Opendoor, RedfinNow, and Zillow Offers.

What Companies Offer the Lowest Real Estate Commission Fees? Read our full rankings of the top low commission real estate companies. Compare listing fees, pros and cons, and customer ratings to find the perfect company for your individual situation.

How to Choose a Realtor: Whether you’re listing with a discount real estate company or a traditional brokerage, finding the right agent makes all the difference. Read our complete guide to choosing the perfect realtor.

FAQs about selling with a discount realtor