The Best Discount Real Estate Brokers for Every Budget (2023 Rankings)

• 

  Written by Josiah Wilmoth

🏆 Find the best discount real estate brokers for: Most sellers | $1M+ homes | Houses under $500k | 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 real estate agent.

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 which 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

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 full support of an agent AND 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 1.5%, the lowest of any full-service nationwide brand. 

On a $500,000 home sale, finding your agent through Clever could help you keep an extra $7,500 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.

Clever’s 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. Real estate agents 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 full-service agent. 

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

2. Redfin

Redfin offers excellent commission savings with relatively minor service trade-offs. While it doesn’t offer full nationwide coverage, it’s available in most major cities across the country. Redfin offers the same base listing fee as Clever, but it’s a clear runner-up in terms of the overall customer experience.

When you sell a house with Redfin, the experience is 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 a 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 — 1.5% compared to Ideal Agent’s 2% commission rate.

Also, Clever gives you more options when it comes to picking your agent. Ideal Agent sends you only one 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 advertises a listing fee of just 1%, its $5,000 minimum fee means you’ll be paying more than the advertised rate if your home is below $500,000. And it’s available only 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 real estate agent. 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’ll 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 want to compare it with other discount brokers near you.

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

Best discount brokers for $1 million homes

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.

But 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 trade-offs.

🏅 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 real estate agent who charges traditional rates.

Houwzer’s sales process is similar to listing with a conventional brokerage, so you shouldn’t encounter any major service trade-offs. 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: Low commission realtors

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

When you work with Clever, you’ll get the benefit of working with a top-producing local real estate agent from a major brokerage — and you’ll still get substantial savings thanks to the pre-negotiated 1.5% rate.

👉 Find low 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 $500,000

When you’re selling a house worth $500,000 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 $500,000 or less. A low $3,000 minimum fee gets you great value at lower price points. And you work with the same world-class agents no matter what.

👉 Discover how much you can save with Clever today!

🥈 Also great: Redfin and SimpleShowing

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

SimpleShowing has a $5,000 minimum fee, so once you get below the $500,000 mark, you’ll pay a higher effective rate than the advertised 1% fee. Redfin’s minimum fees vary by market and can be as high as $8,500. This can limit savings for sellers with less expensive homes.

🚫 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 real estate agent a 2.5% commission, which isn’t much of a discount compared with the typical 3%.

Best FSBO alternatives

If you want to maximize your commission savings, selling your house for sale by owner (FSBO) will eliminate your listing agent’s fee altogether. 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 — 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 brokerages 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 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 trade-offs. Homie agents provide zero in-person support, and they handle up to 10 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 Homie Real Estate 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, these companies are often a LOT more expensive than typical limited-service brokers who charge only a few hundred bucks for à 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

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

Closing cost credits can offset your up-front 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 operates in only 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 its buyer rebates by providing less up-front service. Your agent will likely remain hands off until you’re ready to start touring homes.

This trade-off 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. 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

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 home buyer who needs more help navigating what can often be a confusing process.

👋 Find top buyer’s agents near you today!

🥉 Worth considering: Homie

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, SimpleShowing 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

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, because they either provide minimal savings or 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.

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 brokerages 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 real estate broker in your area, but with companies like Clever, Redfin, and Ideal Agent offering nationwide coverage, you’ll likely have better options.

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

What is a discount real estate broker?

A discount real estate brokerage is a company that helps you sell your house for less than the typical 2.5–3% listing fee. Some discount brokers also save buyers money by offering rebates and cash back.

The level of service discount brokerages offer varies. Some give the same service as full-service real estate agents, guide you through the process from start to finish. Others provide limited service and won’t negotiate on your behalf, assist with paperwork, or help you navigate the closing process.

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 up-front 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 than working with a traditional realtor. This could mean working with a team instead of one 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?

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 operate in only 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 a worthy selling strategy.

Getting a lower commission rate shouldn’t mean lowering your standards or expectations.

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!

FAQ about selling with a discount realtor

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.

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 best 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 right realtor.

How to Sell Your Home | The Ultimate Guide: This guide gives a complete breakdown of the home sale process, from start to finish, to help prepare you for your big sale and save money on realtor fees.

Negotiating Realtor Fees: 5 Tips to Lower Commission: Negotiating real estate fees depends on knowing the market and your situation, then using that info while talking to multiple agents.