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Edited by Jessica Johansen
Written by Jared Lindstrom
Edited by Jessica Johansen
Effective Agents reviews | How it works | Cost | Alternatives | FAQ
Effective Agents quickly connects home buyers and sellers with local real estate agents. But the company has mixed agent quality, and it doesn’t help you save on realtor fees like the top low-commission companies do.
Should you use Effective Agents?
Pros
- Free and easy to use
- Large agent network
Cons
- No guaranteed savings
- Inconsistent agent quality
- No online comparison dashboard
Effective Agents may be a decent option if you live in a major city and want to quickly find an agent.
However, you may want to look for a different service if you live in a more rural area. Our secret shoppers who lived outside of a major metro found that Effective Agents didn’t offer the highest-rated realtors in their area.
And while Effective Agents is free to use, it doesn’t help you save on realtor commission. Companies like Clever Real Estate and Ideal Agent can connect you with top agents who charge lower commission rates, which can save you thousands of dollars.
» Compare top local agents who charge half the typical commission.
How does Effective Agents work?
- Answer a few questions on the Effective Agents website. If you’re selling your house, you answer questions about your address, property type, estimated value, and contact info. If you’re a potential buyer, you enter your desired zip code, budget, and contact info.
- Receive your curated list of agents. The website’s algorithm analyzes millions of agents to find the highest-performing agents in your area. Then a Transaction Concierge (customer service representative) narrows the algorithm’s suggestions to a few agents and sends you the list via email. This process typically takes around an hour, but you may wait longer if you live in a rural area.
- Discuss options with your Transaction Concierge. After you receive the suggested agents, your Transaction Concierge calls and texts you to discuss the next steps. You can request more agents if you don’t like your initial matches.
- Interview potential agents. You can contact the agents on your list to schedule interviews. Your agents also receive your contact info and may reach out to you.
- Hire an agent or walk away. If you like one of the agents, you can hire them and sign a listing agreement. If you don’t want to work with any of the agents, you can walk away without consequence.
How much does Effective Agents cost?
Effective Agents is free for buyers and sellers. All agent matching services are.
However, you won’t save any money with the company. If you’re a seller, you’ll pay the average real estate commission of 5–6%, with half going to your listing agent and half to the buyer’s agent.
Other companies offer built-in savings, so you can get a great agent and save money. For example, Clever offers a 1.5% listing fee, and Ideal Agent offers 2% (compared to the standard 2.5–3%).
Top Effective Agents alternatives in 2024
You may find a good agent through Effective Agents, but other services can connect you with high-performing agents who charge a lot less to help sell a home.
Low-commission real estate platforms like Clever and Ideal Agent guarantee users a significant discount on realtor commissions. Clever sellers save $7,000 on average.
You might also consider a service like UpNest, where local realtors compete for your business. This marketplace model could score you discounted commissions, but there’s no guarantee.
| Company | Our Rating | Listing Fee | Customer Rating | Availability | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Best overall
Clever Real Estate |
Our rating
|
1.5%
Min. $3,000
|
5/5
3,180 total reviews
|
Nationwide
|
Find Agents |
Ideal Agent |
Our rating
|
2%
Min. $3,000
|
4.9/5
7,000+ total reviews
|
Nationwide
|
Learn More |
UpNest |
Our rating
|
Varies by agent
Avg. 2.2%
|
4.6/5
6,811 total reviews
|
Nationwide
|
Learn More |
Listing Fee
Availability
Our take
Reviews
Company details
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 save thousands on commission while working with a top local realtor from a well-known brokerage, like RE/MAX and Keller Williams.
Read the full Clever Real Estate review.
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
- Add-ons like drone photography and staging may cost extra.
- May not get matched with a specific realtor if they’re not in Clever’s network.
Clever has an average customer rating of 5/5 across 3,100+ reviews.
- Better Business Bureau: 5/5 (91 reviews, accredited, A+ rating)
- Google: 4.8/5 (303 reviews)
- Trustpilot: 5/5 (2,786 reviews)
Reviews repeatedly highlight commission savings and high-quality agents. Some complaints include confusion over the commission structure.
- 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
- 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 3,100+ 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
Listing Fee
Availability
Our take
Reviews
Company details
Ideal Agent is a good choice if you’re looking for a top agent, but you won’t have multiple options. The company claims it works with only the top 1% of realtors by performance, based on sales volume in each agent’s market. But you get only one agent match. Not being able to compare multiple agents is a big risk to consider, as the agent might not be the right fit for your situation. Read the full Ideal Agent review.
Pros
- You get matched with a top-performing realtor
- Discounted 2% listing fee
Cons
- Small agent network; hard to compare options
- Limited coverage outside of big cities
- Savings aren’t competitive compared to other companies
Ideal Agent has an average customer rating of 4.9/5 across 7,000+ reviews.
- Better Business Bureau: 5/5 (300+ reviews, accredited, A+ rating)
- Google: 4.8/5 (400+ reviews)
- Trustpilot: 4.9/5 (6,200+ reviews)
Customers are consistently happy with the qualified agents and helpful customer service. Some complaints mention agent matches that weren’t a good fit.
» READ: Our full Ideal Agent review
- Platform that matches sellers and buyers with full-service real estate agents
- Company negotiates a 2% listing fee with its realtors, which is slightly less than market value (2.5-3%)
- Sellers are responsible for paying a competitive buyer’s agent commission, usually 2.5-3% depending on the market
- Ideal Agent has a 4.9/5.0 rating across 7,000+ reviews
- Accredited through the Better Business Bureau with a A+ rating
- Agents are expected to offer full-service and support, including pricing advice, photography, negotiation support, etc.
- No guaranteed buyer savings
Listing Fee
Availability
Our take
Reviews
Company details
UpNest is a legitimate agent matching service, but it’s not a great way to save money on realtor fees. It can be a good way to compare real estate agents in your area. But there’s no guarantee you’ll save on real estate commissions because UpNest doesn’t negotiate a lower fee with its agents. Read the full UpNest review.
Pros
- Agents compete for your business, which may result in a lower realtor fee
- Wide selection of experienced, tech-savvy agents
Cons
- Savings for sellers and buyers vary by agent
- Customers complain that it’s hard to get the promised Amazon gift card
- Service quality can vary between agents
UpNest has an average customer rating of 4.7/5 across 7,000+ reviews.
- Better Business Bureau: 3.77/5 (26 reviews, not accredited, F rating)
- Google: 4.7/5 (300 reviews)
- ShopperApproved: 4.7/5 (7,680 reviews)
Reviews frequently highlight UpNest agents’ hard work and ability to sell homes quickly. However, some customers had agents who lacked experience and professionalism.
» READ: Our full UpNest review
- Platform that matches sellers and buyers with full-service real estate agents
- Sellers fill out an online questionnaire and receive agent matches in an online dashboard
- Agents can offer to work for a reduced listing fee, but most charge close to market value (2.5-3%)
- Sellers are responsible for paying a competitive buyer’s agent commission, usually 2.5-3% depending on the market
- UpNest has a 4.7/5.0 rating across 7,000+ reviews
- Not accredited through the Better Business Bureau
- Services may vary by agent, but most offer the same general services as traditional real estate agents (pricing advice, photography, negotiation support, etc.)
- No guaranteed buyer savings
» MORE: Our full list of top low-commission realtors and companies
Effective Agents reviews: Major benefits and drawbacks
| Site | Rating |
|---|---|
| 5/5 (54 reviews) | |
| Shopper Approved | 4.9/5 (1,535 reviews) |
Effective Agents reviews are generally positive, with an average rating of 4.9 out of 5 across 1,589 reviews. However, the vast majority of these reviews are from agents, not customers. If you’re looking to buy or sell a home, you need to know what Effective Agents is like for customers.
The few reviews left by customers provide valuable insights into Effective Agents’ high level of customer service. They also point out the platform’s ability to connect them with real estate agents who facilitate a smooth buying or selling process.
We didn’t find any negative reviews for the company in the last year, but that doesn’t mean Effective Agents has no potential downsides. Some drawbacks of opting to use the company may include:
- Lower agent quality than expected (especially in rural areas)
- No commission savings
Always compare options to find the best agent for your real estate transaction.
Pros
- Smooth process
- High-quality agents
Cons
- N/A — No recent negative reviews
✅ Effective Agents creates a smooth process
Effective Agents uses a matching algorithm and human interaction to find the top three realtors in a customer’s area. This process makes it simple for homeowners to make informed decisions and interview quality agents without needing to search on their own.
Customer reviews point toward matches with high-quality real estate agents and a great overall experience.
Effective Agents was fantastic to work with. [Our agents] were great, and made the entire experience smooth and easy. It was a pleasure to work with such professional and helpful people. Highly recommended!”
— Jerrod S., Nov 2023, Shopper Approved, ★★★★★
✅ The company connects sellers with high-quality agents
While agents operate independently and outstanding service isn’t guaranteed, several customers were happy with how Effective Agents connected them with realtors who genuinely cared.
Sellers also felt like their real estate agent had their best interests in mind and wanted to find the right buyer for their property.
Once I contacted Effective Agents I received a reply within 2 days. I was sent 3 of the top agent[s] in the states to interview. I was so pleasantly surprised by the first call I made [that] I hired her. Amy, our new agent is concerned about us, the sale of our home, and making sure the right buyer moves in.“
— Rev. M., Feb 2024, Shopper Approved, ★★★★★
What is Effective Agents?
Effective Agents is a service that helps home sellers and buyers quickly find a full-service real estate agent.
The company operates nationwide and claims to have a rigorous approval process that includes collecting performance data on over 1.5 million Realtors® and commercial real estate agents.
Our team of mystery shoppers found that, while Effective Agents does a decent job of matching you with an experienced agent, it falls short of competitors in terms of overall value.
Is Effective Agents legit?
Yes, Effective Agents is a legitimate company. It’s a licensed brokerage in Florida. All agent matching services must be licensed to operate legally. Its parent company is Acuity Real Estate Services, which is also based in Florida.
Effective Agents is fairly well established. It operates nationwide and has been around since 2008. It has a partnership with Capital One to give small business owners discounts on real estate transactions.
Online reviews are mostly positive, with an aggregate rating of 4.9 out of 5.
While Effective Agents is a legit company, it makes some misleading marketing claims. For example, it claims to only work with agents who are in the top 3% in terms of sales in their local area, but in rural areas, our mystery shoppers were matched with agents who fell well outside that range.
FAQ about Effective Agents
How much does Effective Agents cost?
Effective Agents is free to use, but it doesn’t offer any built-in savings or discounts on realtor fees. Other companies offer lower real estate agent commission, potentially saving you thousands.
How much is the Effective Agents referral fee?
Effective Agents charges a 35% referral fee to realtors in exchange for finding a lead. This fee is close to the market average charged by a lead-generating business.
How does Effective Agents make money?
Effective Agents makes money by taking a percentage of the commission your agent earns when they complete a transaction. This is called a referral fee, and it’s how all agent matching services make money.
Why do agents work with services like Effective Agents?
Agents typically spend a lot of time and money trying to find new clients. Services like Effective Agents help them cut back on that expense by finding new clients for them.
Because agents can spend more time closing deals and less finding clients, they’re usually happy to pay these referral fees. In the long run, more deals can mean more money for agents, even if they’re making a bit less on each individual transaction.
Methodology
We strive to deliver objective reviews. The Real Estate Witch Team spent 1,400+ hours over a six-week period testing and researching agent matching services. Our goal is to help you find an agent who can get you the best possible value when you buy or sell your home.
Related articles
If you’re looking for more information to help you save on a home sale or purchase, check out the following articles.
How to Save on Realtor Fees: 10 Tips: Realtor fees are a big expense when selling a home. Find out how you can lower yours and potentially save thousands.
Must-See Clever Real Estate Reviews: Wondering if Clever Real Estate’s promise to match you with a top real estate agent while saving you thousands is legit? Find out how Clever works and what customers are saying.
Realtor Fees: Your Questions, Answered: Realtor fees are confusing and they can cost a lot. Find out how realtor fees work and whether you can get a discount on them.
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