HomeLight Reviews 2024

• 

  Written by Jessica Johansen

• 

  Edited by Josiah Wilmoth

• 

  Reviewed by Kristyn Grewell

Key takeaway: HomeLight offers a quick, easy way to find full-service realtors and compare multiple options, but it doesn’t offer commission savings like some alternative companies do. We recommend comparing HomeLight with companies that offer low realtor commissions to get the best bang for your buck.

» JUMP TO: Who it’s for | Pros & cons | Reviews | How it works | News

Who HomeLight works best for

HomeLight works best for those who want a simple way to find real estate agents who fit their needs and who don’t mind paying a standard commission. Thanks to HomeLight’s technology, customers appreciate the wide selection of agents and the ability to get matched at any time of the day or night.

However, sellers who want to save on agent fees might be better served by competitors like Ideal Agent or Clever Real Estate. Clever, for example, has negotiated lower rates with the realtors in its network, without compromising on the quality of service.

Ready to compare agents and save thousands on commissions? Get connected with top-rated local agents through Real Estate Witch and get the benefits of expert service at a discounted rate.

HomeLight vs. top alternatives

While HomeLight is the largest agent matching service, it’s not necessarily the best. We mystery-shopped HomeLight and nine similar services to see how they compare. 

Here are three full-service discount brokers we think are especially good alternatives. Each is highly rated by customers and offers lower listing fees than the national average of 2.83%.

Clever Real Estate and Ideal Agent have high vetting standards for agents, so any agent they match you with is a top agent. Their customer support representatives are also fully licensed real estate professionals who can answer most questions you have about your transaction or the general home selling process.

UpNest is different because it operates as a real estate agent marketplace, where local realtors submit proposals to compete for your business. In theory, that competition incentivizes agents to offer lower commission fees, but the savings may be minimal compared to Clever and Ideal Agent.

HomeLight reviews: What customers say 

HomeLight reviews online are mostly positive, with an average customer rating of 4.4/5 based on over 700 reviews.

Many customers appreciated the instant agent matches and the convenience of getting agent matches anytime (not just during business hours).

Many of HomeLight’s competitors provide a match only after you speak to a customer service rep on the phone. That means if you initiate the process outside of regular business hours, you may have to wait until the next morning to hear back from anyone.

Here are the common themes we found about HomeLight’s pros and cons:

✅ Pros: Large agent network and streamlined technology

HomeLight provides three agent matches right off the bat. You can easily interview and compare several agents, which we recommend when shopping for the right real estate agent. The service also makes it simple to get more matches if you don’t like the ones initially provided — you just press a button, and two more agent matches appear. 

Deciding to go to Homelight to help us in the search for a good fit for a realtor was one of the best decisions of our property search. Being able to set the criteria and specialization of the type of realtor we were looking for was simple and straightforward. And the speed with which our matches reached out to us was very impressive. We spoke with 5–6 potential realtors shortly after and made a final decision by the end of the week.

— P.S., Site Jabber, ★★★★ 

Other customers say that HomeLight’s dashboard is easy to use and helpful for comparing options. It lists your matches plus useful background information to help you decide who’s the best real estate agent for you. 

The dashboard lets you reach the company or one of your matches directly. It also tracks all communication between you, HomeLight, and your agent matches.

I would highly recommend this service if you are about to put your house on the market. The team were prompt and very kind and may l say very helpful, they are very knowledgeable about the business of selling houses and worked tirelessly to get me the best possible Real Estate Agent.

— Doreen R., Site Jabber, ★★★★★

❌ Cons: No commission savings, inconsistent agent quality

HomeLight doesn’t offer cost-saving benefits for home sellers or buyers. Some agent matching companies do. If you’re looking for savings while still getting a top local agent, we suggest trying some of the top low commission real estate companies.

Most agent matching services require realtors to meet certain standards and requirements to join their agent network. These services also usually get their agents and check their credentials. 

As far as we can tell, any agent can join the HomeLight network. There are no requirements for sales numbers, positive reviews, or level of experience. So, being part of this network doesn’t necessarily mean a real estate agent is credible. 

How HomeLight works

Here’s how you can use HomeLight to get matched with agents:

1. Fill out a form on HomeLight’s website. If you’re a seller, the form will ask about your property type, estimated value, and selling timeline. If you’re a buyer, the form will ask about your desired area, the types of property you’re interested in, and your lender pre-approval status.
2. View recommended agents on the customer dashboard. The dashboard details each agent, like how many homes they’ve sold in your area, a map of their sales, and their notable achievements or skills. If you want, you can click a button to request more agent matches.
3. A HomeLight concierge and your recommended agents will contact you via phone, email, and a message in your dashboard to guide you through the process. 
4. Interview as many agents as you’d like. Look for qualities like local market expertise, communication style, and responsiveness. Here are the best qualities to look for in agents to see if they’re a good fit.
5. Sign with one of the agents or walk away. You’re not obligated to work with any of the recommended agents, giving you full flexibility to explore your options.

How much can I save with HomeLight?

HomeLight is an agent matching service, and that service is free for both buyers and sellers. There are no commitments or obligations to use one of the matched agents. 

That said, you still have to pay realtor commission if you use a HomeLight agent. Unlike some competitors, HomeLight doesn’t offer any discounts on these commissions. Basically, you shouldn’t expect to save anything when using HomeLight—the goal of the service is simply to help you find the right real estate agent. 

As far as what you can expect to pay, listing agents typically get about 2.83% of the sale price of a home. The seller has also traditionally paid the buyer’s agent fee, at an average of 2.66%. 

With the changes from the NAR settlement having taken effect, this may not be a guarantee anymore—some buyers may pay their own agent fees.¹ We think it’s likely that sellers will continue to cover these in the form of concessions to help attract buyers, but only time will tell.

HomeLight service breakdown 

HomeLight is an online real estate company that offers a variety of services to home buyers, home sellers, and real estate agents. Its core offering is its agent matching service that instantly pairs buyers and sellers with a local realtor.

Here are other key takeaways about HomeLight:

• Like all agent matching services, HomeLight is free to use, and you’re not obligated to sign with any of the agents it recommends.
• HomeLight is one of the largest services of its kind, so it offers more options, especially in smaller towns and rural areas.
• The agent matching process is mostly automated. This leads to matches that are always fast but not always the best fit.
• HomeLight doesn’t offer commission savings.
• Some HomeLight competitors provide more value with built-in commission savings and cash-back incentives.

HomeLight news and updates

HomeLight continues to make headlines in 2024 with major expansions and industry recognition: 

• In August 2024, Homelight announced that it partnered with over 10,000 loan officers and 28,000 real estate agents, expanding its ‘Buy Before You Sell’ program to 46 states and Washington, D.C., excluding Alaska, Massachusetts, New York, and Rhode Island.²
• In April 2024, the Financial Technology Report recognized HomeLight as a top 25 real estate technology company.³
• In February 2024, HomeLight was recognized as one of the top 100 technology companies in real estate by HousingWire.⁴

Bottom line: Should I use HomeLight?

HomeLight could work for you if you want a quick, easy way to find realtors and compare multiple options. You get instant agent recommendations after filling out a short form, and the company has a large network of 30,000+ realtors, so you’ll likely have plenty of options.

But alternative companies like Clever Real Estate and Ideal Agent may be better if you want to save on realtor commission and compare only top agents.

HomeLight doesn’t offer commission savings and doesn’t seem to have quality criteria for the agents in its network. The typical listing commission is just under 3%. However, Clever offers a 1.5% listing fee, and Ideal Agent charges a 2% rate. Both companies have high vetting standards for the agents in their networks.

No matter how what service you end up using, we always recommend comparing at least 2–3 agents to ensure you find the best fit for your situation.

» Ready to compare agents and save on commissions? Get matched with a top-rated local agent through Real Estate Witch today!

Methodology

The Real Estate Witch team evaluated HomeLight on various factors, including savings, online reviews, agent quality, ease of use, and how it compares to the competition. Our mission is to empower you to decide whether HomeLight is right for your next real estate transaction.

We look for the following things in a low-commission broker or agent matching service:

• Cost and savings. We compared HomeLight’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 sentiment and trustworthiness. We performed an in-depth analysis on HomeLight’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 consider how efficient it is for customers to find, compare, and select an agent through HomeLight, evaluating their agent network size, technical platforms, communication methods, and post-transaction support.

Sources

1. National Association of REALTORS, “What the NAR Settlement Means for Home Buyers and Sellers”, https://www.nar.realtor/the-facts/what-the-nar-settlement-means-for-home-buyers-and-sellers ↩︎
2. inman, “HomeLight lands $20M, adds 40 new ‘Buy Before You Sell’ states”, https://www.inman.com/2024/08/26/homelight-lands-20m-adds-40-new-buy-before-you-sell-states ↩︎
3. The Financial Technology Report, “The Top 25 Real Estate Technology Companies of 2024”, https://thefinancialtechnologyreport.com/the-top-25-real-estate-technology-companies-of-2024 ↩︎
4. Housing Wire, “Announcing the 2024 Tech100 Real Estate winners!”, https://www.housingwire.com/articles/announcing-the-2024-tech100-real-estate-winners/ ↩︎