Help-U-Sell Reviews: Are the Savings Worth It?

Help-U-Sell is a franchise real estate broker that helps people buy and sell homes. It advertises full service for a discounted commission rate, but the localized fee structure means savings vary widely, and the company encourages sellers to do a lot of the work. For these reasons, Help-U-Sell didn’t make our list of top low commission companies.

The company has positive reviews overall, and could potentially save you money on realtor fees. However, how much you’ll save (and the kind of experience you’ll have) heavily depends on the specific location and agent you work with.

If you're looking for commission savings, but want to be sure you're getting a quality agent, we recommend starting with an agent finding service like Clever Real Estate, which pre-negotiates commission savings with top-rated agents across the country.

Agents are vetted for their sales performance and customer ratings before being accepted into the network and provide a full service experience at a much more competitive rate through Clever's network..

💰 Get a top-rated agent for less. Compare top local agents from the brokerages you trust, and get a pre-negotiated listing fee of just 1.5% through the Clever Real Estate network. Simply answer a few questions, and get agent profiles sent straight to your inbox — no hidden fees or obligation to move forward.

Help-U-Sell at a Glance

Help-U-Sell customer reviews

🟢 Primary positive themes Hands-on support (61% of reviews) Market expertise (42%) Professional service (40%) Prompt communication (31%) Easy process (30%)

🟡 Areas for improvement: Misrepresented services (3% of reviews) Lack of integrity (2%)

We analyzed reviews from about 20 locations and noted relevant themes.

Most reviewers were happy with their agents. They mentioned how their agents were professional, knowledgeable, responsive, and effective at easing their stress.

Almost all the negative reviews were from several years ago, and the few recent ones we found were about issues with particular realtors, rather than the company as a whole.

Remember that Help-U-Sell is a franchise, so its fees, service quality, and overall value will vary considerably between locations.

Here are some of the most common positive and negative themes from Help-U-Sell reviews.

🟢 Positive themes from Help-U-Sell reviews

Hands-on support (61% of reviews). Help-U-Sell reviews consistently highlight agents' dedication to walking clients through the home buying and selling process, being readily available for questions and concerns, and going above and beyond basic service expectations by helping with additional tasks like coordinating repairs or attending inspections. There's a strong emphasis on agents being patient, thorough, and genuinely committed to their clients' success.

• "Even though she didn't have to, she stayed with me during the walk through of my home and even found items that needed to be addressed that I missed."
• "In my absence, Warren acted as a general contractor for all repairs and upgrades needed to prepare the house for going on market."
• "From beginning to end she is on top of communications, and her years of experience gets you connections to people you need after you buy the house"
• "They helped us through the process and even suggested good contractors for various projects that needed to be completed."
• "During our home buying/building process she was present for all important meetings and offered her expertise."
• "From our first encounter we had with him, until closing, and beyond Mike has been there holding our hands."

Market expertise (42% of reviews). Reviews also speak to Help-U-Sell agents' deep knowledge of the geographical areas they serve. Customers particularly value agents' ability to accurately price homes, provide strategic advice based on current market conditions, and leverage their local market knowledge to achieve optimal outcomes.

• "His knowledge of market conditions and years of experience really shows and he saved us a lot of time and money by walking through and telling us what to repair and what not to repair."
• "She has the in-depth knowledge of Chester County and the experience you need in this type of market… knew every school and neighborhood, even citing flood zones and other areas with a lower resale value"
• "They helped my price my property accurately by presenting me with facts and recent market data to support them."
• "Phil has unparalleled knowledge of the Dallas area and market. He is a native and so combines homegrown familiarity with a willingness to research when necessary."
• "The Wright Team thoroughly understands the CA and Local markets to assure the property is positioned appropriately and listed to sell at top dollar."

Professional service (40% of reviews). Many reviewers note that despite the discount business model, they received highly professional service from competent agents. Reviews emphasize agents' commitment to ethical business practices, and their capacity to handle transactions efficiently while maintaining high service standards.

• "When you want the highest level of professionalism, service, and ethics, give them a call… Help-U-Sell does everything a realtor should do, and more…and at a great low rate."
• "Her experience and professionalism was evident from the very start and her calm confidence throughout the process was extremely reassuring."
• "Although they offer a discounted listing price, we received full service for our listing."
• "He handled our transaction professionally and we felt we received the best possible representation… flawlessly executed with integrity and professionalism"
• "Extreme professionalism, and an ability to make you feel like his only client."
• "They are confident, reassuring, and professional with an air of conviction and fortitude"

Prompt communication (31% of reviews). Help-U-Sell customers are also highly pleased with their agents' communication and responsiveness. Customers consistently highlight the agents' accessibility at all hours, quick response times to inquiries, and proactive updates throughout their transactions.

• "He was exceptionally receptive to questions and was accessible and very timely in his responses via phone, text, or email"
• "Communicated daily with updates, always very professional in his emails and texts, and his follow up was thorough and on time."
• "He communicates very thoroughly and unlike almost all real estate agents, he answers his phone"
• "She works diligently to assure that your questions are addressed quickly."
• "Throughout the selling process he kept me informed and always responded promptly, even during off hours."

Easy process (30% of reviews). Another key theme among Help-U-Sell reviews is the agents' ability to handle complicated details while keeping the process simple for clients, which is particularly appreciated by first-time buyers and sellers.

• "The process of finding a house can be stressful; however, Matt seemed to take all that stress away"
• "This was all new to me and should of seamed scary but because of his expertise I had no anxiety"
• "As a first time home buyer I didn't expect the process to be as easy as he made it… handled as many of the numerous details as possible, so we didn't have to."
• "Super easy process! Everything that Ryan could do, he did it… everything that I had to do, he explained it thoroughly so it was as simple for me as it could be."
• "Made handling of voluminous paperwork easy for me; gave excellent advice throughout process"

🟡 Help-U-Sell complaints and areas for improvement

A small percentage of reviews mention discrepancies between what was promised vs. delivered by Help-U-Sell. Particular concerns center on agents misrepresenting their capabilities or experience level, misleading information about buyer qualifications, and agents failing to complete promised tasks or providing inaccurate guidance.

• "Turned out buyers (who I was previously told we're good) were only pre-qualified and not pre-approved."
• "She sells you an inflated image of herself and what she can offer."
• "Agent had lied about completing processes that were in fact never done."
• "Definitely no where near what they advertise"
• "I didn't get the service I was promised…"

Lack of integrity (2% of reviews). A handful of customers also complain about a lack of honest and ethical conduct on the parts of their agents. Specific complaints focus on misrepresentation of property details, withholding of important information, and failure to act in clients' best interests.

• "This shady character sold my mother a FURNISHED home, but when she got the keys it was cleaned out."
• "This company withheld information from my realtor that potentially prevented me from getting the home."
• "Agent had lied about completing processes that were in fact never done."
• "I don't feel like I was represented for my interest in the least bit."
• "it really feels like they were just trying to get there pay check"

Help-U-Sell vs. competitors

Help-U-Sell has the potential to be cheaper than a traditional realtor, but its fees are sometimes higher than those of competitors. And, agent quality can vary from one location to the next.

Depending on your situation and priorities, you may find another low commission real estate company in your area that offers better savings and service quality.

Companies like Clever Real Estate and Ideal Agent screen agents for you, saving you time in your search. Both companies look at an agent’s years of experience, recent transaction history, and customer reviews before letting the agent into their network. Clever also gives you multiple agent options to choose from, so you can select the agent with the experience and market strategy that best fits your needs.

How Help-U-Sell works

As one of the first discount brokers, Help-U-Sell has built a reputation for offering cheap listing fees, which vary by franchise location.

The company’s listing packages vary between locations, but most of its franchises offer the same services as a traditional brokerage. You can also choose to find a buyer yourself and then have the company step in to support you through closing.

Help-U-Sell’s approach could translate into real estate commission savings, but it also creates potential service quality compromises that make this company a riskier option than many of its newer, tech-forward competitors.

What to expect as a seller

Help-U-Sell’s listing services vary by location, but the company advertises two main selling options. You can market your home and find a buyer yourself, or get full service from start to finish. If you choose the full-service route, you’ll generally get the following support:

• Comparative market analysis (CMA)
• Pricing advice
• Professional photography or referral to a photographer
• MLS listing and listing description
• For-sale lawn sign and lockbox for buyer’s agents
• Guidance during due diligence (inspections, appraisals, financing)
• Assistance with evaluating offers and negotiating terms (as needed)
• Support through closing

Before you sign a contract, verify which services your agent will provide. Ask about any specific services you want, like open houses or a 3D house tour. Also, check the agent’s customer reviews to see if past customers received quality service throughout their transactions.

What to expect as a buyer

You can use a Help-U-Sell buyer’s agent to purchase a home. Your agent will provide full service like a traditional agent.

In some locations, the company offers home buyer rebates. If you qualify, you can get part of the buyer’s agent commission (BAC) back as a credit or cash. For example, a San Francisco office offers 25% of the BAC back. These rebates can help offset closing costs and other up-front expenses when buying a home.

Several of Help-U-Sell’s competitors offer buyer rebates in every state where it’s legal.

How much can I save with Help-U-Sell?

The amount you can save with Help-U-Sell depends on your location and your home’s sale price. Each Help-U-Sell office sets its own commission rates, but many local websites aren’t clear about the listing fees they charge. You’ll need to call your local Help-U-Sell office to verify its rates.

We researched fees for several franchise locations. Some offices charge a single flat rate around $3,000-4,000, while others charge on a sliding scale based on the price of your home.

Example: Listing fees at an Arizona office

Some of the rates provide little to no savings. For example, a Help-U-Sell in Tucson, Arizona, charges $4,950 for a $100,000 home sale. That’s effectively a 4.9% listing fee — way more than you’d pay with a traditional agent!

The Tucson office also charges $5,950 for a $300,000 home, which is about a 2% listing fee (close to the national average commission rate of 2.83%). And it charges $8,950 for a $600,000 home, which is 1.5%. That rate is actually in line with the rates that top discount brokers offer.

💰 Want to pay less in realtor fees? Use our free agent finding tool to connect with local realtors who charge a 1.5% listing fee (half the usual rate)

Help-U-Sell company history

Back in the 1980s and 1990s, realtor fees often cost as much as 7% of a home’s sale price. Help-U-Sell's founder, Don Taylor, believed that by advertising commission savings, he would attract enough customers to turn a profit — despite earning less money on individual sales.

The business model was incredibly successful at the outset. Help-U-Sell began franchising in the 1980s. By 2007, it boasted approximately 1,000 locations, making it the fastest-growing real estate franchise in the US.[1]

However, like longtime competitor Assist-2-Sell, Help-U-Sell struggled to recover from the US housing market crash. Its parent company declared bankruptcy in 2008,[2] and while the Help-U-Sell brand survived under new management, it lost many franchise locations.

Increased competition from a new generation of discount real estate services — led by low commission companies like Clever Real Estate and Redfin — only accelerated Help-U-Sell’s decline. Today, it has fewer than 80 US offices, over 90% less than it had in 2007.

The company frequently appears on "cheapest franchises to buy" lists.[3] Owners pay Help-U-Sell an initial $17,750 for the right to use the company’s branding and trademarks, plus 6% of their gross revenue as an ongoing royalty fee.

Bottom line: Should I use Help-U-Sell?

Most people will generally find better value with a different discount broker than Help-U-Sell.

We recommend using Help-U-Sell only if you know and like the agent who works in your area, or if none of the top national discount brokers are available near you.

If you want to try Help-U-Sell, interview the agent you’d be working with before you sign anything. Ensure that the agent is upfront with you over the phone about their pricing, that they have good customer reviews, and that they have a solid track record of selling homes in your area.

We advise interviewing at least 2–3 agents to ensure you find the best fit for your situation.

Methodology

The Real Estate Witch team evaluated Help-U-Sell on various factors, including potential savings, online reviews, customer service, and agent quality. We also considered how it compares to the competition. We aim to help you make the most informed decision possible about whether Help-U-Sell is right for your next real estate transaction.

Our low-commission real estate brokerage rankings are based on three key criteria:

• Cost and savings. We compared Help-U-Sell’s pricing model to top competitors and average prices across the US, including the average listing fee, minimum fees, and any buyer incentives offered.
• Customer service. We performed an in-depth analysis of Help-U-Sell’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 evaluated how efficient it is for customers to find, compare, and select an agent through Help-U-Sell, evaluating their agent network size, technical platforms, communication methods, and post-transaction support.

Related reading

Looking to sell your house without breaking the bank? Read on to learn about alternatives to Help-U-Sell, as well as how to find the right low commission company for your situation.

What Companies Offer the Lowest Real Estate Commission Fees? Help-U-Sell’s listing fees are cheap, but how do they stack up against the competition? Find out which discount service charges the lowest commission rates.

Assist-2-Sell Reviews: Learn the Good and the Bad: Assist-2-Sell is a discount real estate franchise that offers many of the same advantages — and built-in risks — as Help-U-Sell. Read reviews from real Assist-2-Sell customers to learn the truth about this company.

Discount Real Estate Brokers and Agents: Everything You Need to Know: Curious about how discount brokers like Help-U-Sell work? Learn more about how these services create savings, how they’re different from conventional realtors, and how to decide which one is best for you.

Clever Real Estate: Must-See Reviews: Whether you’re buying or selling, Clever can help you find top-rated realtors in your area. Learn how its free agent matching service can help you find full-service agents who charge just 1.5%.