Houzeo Reviews: Compare Fees, Ratings, and Alternatives

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  Written by Michael Warford

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  Edited by Josiah Wilmoth

Pros and cons | Should I use Houzeo? | Competitor comparisons | Pricing | Red flags | Will I save money? | Houzeo reviews | Alternatives | FAQ

Houzeo is a nationwide company that can help you get your home listed on the multiple listing service (MLS) for a flat fee. If you’re looking to sell for sale by owner (FSBO), this flat fee MLS listing company allows you to skip the commission fee that you’d typically pay a listing agent. However, Houzeo reviews reveal that those savings come with significant drawbacks.

Overall, we don’t recommend using Houzeo if you’re looking to save money. Other companies offer the same or better services, but for a lower price. Plus, Houzeo’s refund policy and extra charges for basic services makes it less appealing than the competition.

If you want to use a flat fee MLS service, we suggest shopping around for other companies that offer better value. You can start by checking out our list of the top flat fee MLS listing services.

But keep in mind that most sellers have better options to avoid overpaying on realtor fees. Even the best flat fee MLS services come with big legal and financial risks.

If you’re looking for savings without the risk, we recommend trying Clever Real Estate. Clever negotiates low 1.5% listing fees with top local realtors from trusted brands like Keller Williams and Coldwell Banker. You’ll get full service from a great local agent, but pay a fraction of the standard 3% rate most realtors charge. Find a top local agent and get a 1.5% listing fee now!

Pros and cons of Houzeo

Is Houzeo legit?

Yes, Houzeo is a legitimate company, headquartered in New York City. It was founded in 2017 by Amit Dhameja, who was previously an executive director at J.P. Morgan.

One thing to be aware of, however, is that Houzeo — unlike most flat fee MLS companies — does not hold a real estate license. This means that in order to get your home on the MLS, it must refer your listing out to local realtors and brokers who do have real estate licenses. While this practice is legal and a common practice, negative Houzeo reviews show it can lead to customer support issues if you have a problem with your listing.

Should I sell my home with Houzeo?

Houzeo isn’t a good option for most sellers. It’s often more expensive than other flat fee MLS companies, and it charges extra for items and services that you can get for free elsewhere.

Houzeo’s online dashboard for sellers is better than most and makes it easy to manage your listing. However, you’ll only get all of the available features  — like scheduling showings and making counter offers — if you pay for one of Houzeo’s higher-priced plans.

Plus, we don’t think an online dashboard alone is a compelling enough reason to use Houzeo’s services over other brands.

If you’re an experienced home seller, live in a hot market, and you’re looking to sell FSBO, we suggest checking out other flat fee MLS companies. Some of them offer nearly identical packages as Houzeo, but at half the price.

If you don’t have a lot of experience selling homes, you shouldn’t be using flat fee MLS companies at all. Instead, we strongly recommend looking into discount brokerages.

With a discount broker, you get the reassurance that comes with having your own real estate agent, but you won’t have to pay full price. While the initial savings may not seem as good as a flat fee MLS company, sellers who have agents tend to sell for more and face far fewer risks.

If you’d like to save thousands on realtor fees but still have a great local agent on your side, we can’t recommend Clever Real Estate enough. Clever will match you with a top-rated realtor in your area, and also negotiate huge discounts on your behalf. You’ll get full service for just 1.5% in listing fees. That way you can still save thousands of dollars on commission, but without having to deal with the stress and hassle that comes with selling without a realtor.

How does Houzeo compare to top competitors?

Houzeo listings are available in four pricing tiers, with its most basic package holding up poorly to the competition. That package is both more expensive and lacks the services that other companies offer. Houzeo’s premium tier (the Platinum package) also compares unfavorably, due to the high fees and inconsistent service quality.

Its two mid-tier packages — called Silver and Gold — are more in line with what other flat fee MLS companies offer. However, we suggest shopping around since prices vary by state and you’ll likely find a better value package elsewhere.

Here’s how Houzeo compares to top competitors.

Beycome

✅ Best for experienced sellers looking for an affordable MLS listing without any surprise charges.

Beycome is one of the cheapest flat fee MLS options available, with its most basic plan costing less than half Houzeo’s cheapest rate. With an unlimited listing term, unlimited free changes, max photos, and good refund policy, it also beats Houzeo in terms of quality.

However, Beycome is only available in a handful of states and not all of its plans are equally good. We recommend sticking with its cheaper packages as its more expensive options tend to offer less value for money.

Homecoin

✅ Best for DIY sellers who want the cheapest way to get onto the MLS without any extras.

Homecoin is roughly tied with Beycome as the cheapest flat fee MLS company. If you’re a true DIY seller and just want an MLS listing and you’re fine handling everything else yourself, Homecoin is probably the best option.

However, like Beycome, it’s only available in select states. If you need any extras, like a lockbox or yard sign, expect to pay a premium for them, which can quickly drive up your final bill.

Fizber

✅ Best for those who want an affordable MLS listing and live in a state where cheaper options aren’t available.

Fizber doesn’t offer as many add-ons as Beycome or Homecoin, and it’s more expensive. But it is available in every state, so it may be the best available option for you.

While it does offer a free package, we don’t recommend it as it won’t get you on the MLS. Instead, you’ll have to pay closer to $300 for a package that is actually worthwhile. In some states, that’s affordable, while in others you can probably find a better deal (which is possible even with Houzeo).

List With Freedom

✅ Best for experienced FSBO sellers who want an affordable, no-frills flat fee MLS service.

List With Freedom is an affordable listing service available throughout most of the country. It offers three packages, but its premium package (Platinum+) is the only one that will give you the max photo allowance. All three of its packages will get your home on the MLS and top real estate sites, like Zillow, and include unlimited changes to your listing.

List With Freedom is geared toward highly experienced FSBO sellers who can handle most of their home sale. It offers some help with pricing and negotiating, but it charges marked-up prices for these services, making them poor value.

How much does Houzeo cost?

Houzeo has four packages, with its cheapest starting at $99. Actual prices may vary widely by state. While the Bronze Package is $99 throughout most of the country, in Texas it costs $299.

To check the prices for your state:

• Go to Houzeo’s website
• Click the Pricing tab
• Scroll down to the map
• Select your state

Bronze Package

👍 What we like:

• Easy to manage your listing online

👎 What we don’t like:

• $25 fee per change
• Three-month listing period
• Few photos for your listing
• No disclosure forms
• Yard sign not included
• Can’t manage showings online
• Can’t manage offers online

The Bronze Package is Houzeo’s cheapest option, starting at $99 in most states.

With the Bronze Package, you’ll only get a three-month listing — again, very short compared to alternatives — and just six photos, which is also low.

On top of that, you’ll have to pay $25 every time you make a change to your listing, even if you’re just updating the list price. Since pricing is one of the areas many FSBO sellers struggle to get right the first time, there’s a very high chance you’ll have to change your list price at least once (if not more). Other flat fee MLS services tend to offer at least some free listing changes.

The one good thing about the Bronze Package is that its online dashboard makes it easy to view your listing and make changes to it (although you’ll still have to pay for them). But you won’t get all of the features of it, like scheduling viewings and making counter offers.

Silver Package

👍 What we like:

• Unlimited changes
• Easy to manage your listing online
• Includes 24 photos

👎 What we don’t like:

• Expensive for what you get
• Yard sign not included
• No disclosure forms
• Can’t manage showings online
• Can’t manage offers online

The Silver Package is a big step up from the Bronze Package. You’ll get unlimited listing changes, a 24-photo limit, and a 6-month listing — all of which is more in line with what other flat fee MLS companies offer.

If you do decide to go with Houzeo, we think the Silver Package is generally the best option so long as you’re a highly experienced seller and you’re comfortable taking on most of the work of selling your house yourself.

However, prices are still on the high side — starting at $379, but higher in many states — and you don’t get anything that you probably can’t find for less through an alternative company. Plus, you still won’t be able to unlock the full benefits of Houzeo’s online dashboard, and you won’t get disclosure forms.

If you can’t find a cheaper flat fee MLS company in your area — and you’re adamant about using one — then Houzeo’s Silver Package is a worthwhile option. But you’ll need to shop around to make sure you’re actually getting the best value for your money.

Gold Package

👍 What we like:

• Max number of photos
• Ability to manage showings online
• Ability to receive and make counter offers online

👎 What we don’t like:

• Expensive
• Has an additional 0.5% fee at closing
• Yard sign not included

The Gold Package has some legitimately useful features, the most important of which is that you’ll get the maximum number of photos allowed by your local MLS. That’s a big deal since photos are one of the most effective ways of getting the attention of buyers.

Plus, with the Gold Package your digital experience with Houzeo also improves. You’ll be able to manage showings online and receive and make counter offers using your Houzeo listing dashboard.

That said, the Gold Package not only has a high flat fee (starting at $379) but also requires 0.5% (minimum of $995) at closing. That means the minimum cost of the Gold Package is $1,374, which is high for what you get.

Platinum Package

👍 What we like:

• One-year listing with max photos
• Contract review
• Pricing assistance

👎 What we don’t like:

• Very expensive
• Extra charge of 1%
• Not available in all states

The Platinum Package is Houzeo’s top-tier service. In addition to everything you get with the Gold Package, you’ll also get virtual assistance from a full-service broker, who can help with things like contract review, pricing, and filling out forms.

Platinum is Houzeo’s most expensive package, starting at $349. However, prices vary a lot from state to state, and you’re charged a 1% (minimum $995) closing fee on top of the flat fee. The minimum price for this package is well over $1,000, and we just don’t think that’s a good deal.

For most sellers, we don’t think the Platinum Package is the best choice. It’s expensive and the only thing that sets it apart from the Gold Package is that you get a broker’s assistance — the quality of which is inconsistent — plus a longer listing.

If you feel like you need a broker’s assistance, you probably shouldn’t be using a flat fee MLS company at all. Flat fee MLS companies are only suitable for highly experienced sellers in hot markets who are comfortable taking an extreme DIY approach to their home sale.

If that doesn’t describe you, you should consider a low commission real estate agent instead. That way you’ll get a discount on your listing fee, but you’ll have the support of a full-service realtor.

Things to know before choosing to list with Houzeo

Aside from Houzeo’s four pricing plans, there are some other aspects about the company’s policies you should be aware of. While not necessarily deal breakers, these are issues that could potentially have a negative impact on the quality and cost of Houzeo’s services for you. They’re also the most common source of Houzeo complaints.

🚩 Watch out for fees for changes 🚩

If you choose the Bronze Package, watch out for change fees. You’ll have to pay $25 for each change you make to your listing, even if you’re changing essential information like the listing price.

That can be a big problem for FSBO sellers as our own Data Center survey shows that one in five sellers struggle to price their homes correctly. If you’re selling FSBO, there’s a good chance you’ll have to modify the listing price at some point. Every time you do so with Houzeo, you’ll have to pay $25.

On top of other changes that you may have to make — such as adding pictures, editing your listing description, or updating some statistics about your home — the extra change fees can quickly add up.

Houzeo’s change fee stands in stark contrast to other flat fee MLS companies, many of whom allow at least some if not unlimited changes. And given that Houzeo’s Bronze Package isn’t even competitively priced to begin with, the fact that you could pay even more in extra charges makes it less likely to meet your needs.

🚩 Refund and cancellation policy isn’t great 🚩

Houzeo’s refund and cancellation policy is more restrictive compared to many other flat fee MLS companies. To qualify for a refund, you will have to meet four conditions:

1. It’s been less than 14 days since your purchase
2. You haven’t signed a listing agreement
3. Your listing has not yet gone live
4. You haven’t been assigned a draft listing (which you can’t get until after you’ve signed a listing agreement)

Most other flat fee MLS companies have much more lenient cancellation policies. For example, some let you cancel your listing so long as it hasn’t gone under contract, while others give you a much longer time frame for canceling — up to 90 days for some, as opposed to Houzeo’s 14 days.

Even if you meet all of Houzeo’s conditions, you’ll also have to pay a $50 non-refundable deposit, which is higher than what most other flat fee MLS companies charge.

Given that Houzeo is already a bit pricier than alternative flat fee MLS companies, its refund and cancellation policy could be a lot better.

If you do decide to go with Houzeo, make sure you understand their policies. Otherwise you could end up losing out on a lot more money than you anticipated if you need to cancel your Houzeo listing.

🚩 Houzeo provides limited support after your listing is posted 🚩

Houzeo is a bit unusual for a flat fee MLS company in that it doesn’t actually post your listing to the MLS itself. Instead, it partners with local real estate agents who then post on the local MLS themselves.

This is done because — unlike many flat fee MLS companies — Houzeo doesn’t have its own real estate license, which is required to access the MLS. So they have to rely on local agents — who do have real estate licenses — instead.

This can create issues for you because if you have any questions or problems with your listing, Houzeo may not be able to provide much support.

Instead, you’ll need to directly contact the agent who posted your listing. And because you don’t get a say in who your agent is, you’ll have no way of knowing whether or not they’re going to offer adequate support. In fact, a recurring Houzeo complaint from customers is that they were disappointed with the quality of their agents.

Will Houzeo actually save me money?

While Houzeo will save you money on the seller’s agent commission, there are other expenses to keep in mind.

First, Houzeo’s prices are generally higher than other flat fee MLS companies — many of which offer more extensive service at a lower rate. If you shop around, chances are you’ll be able to find a cheaper flat fee MLS company near you. That said, prices for most flat fee MLS companies — including Houzeo — vary by state, so it’s possible that Houzeo is cost effective in your area.

Also, as with every flat fee MLS company, you will still have to pay the buyer’s agent commission, which is currently 2.65% on average nationwide. While you can offer a lower buyer’s agent commission, we strongly advise you not to.

The lower your buyer’s agent commission is, the less the buyer’s agent gets paid if their clients buy your house. So they’re less incentivized to show your house, which ultimately means fewer prospective buyers for you. Since about 90% of buyers use an agent, not offering a competitive buyer’s agent commission is putting your listing at a big disadvantage.

Finally, when selling FSBO, you’re less likely to get the full amount of what your house is worth. On average, FSBO homes sell for 5.5–26% less than what homes with an agent sell for. That more than cancels out the savings you’ll get from avoiding the listing fee of approximately 2.72%.

Houzeo reviews: What real customers say

Houzeo reviews tend to be positive, with its customer service getting especially high praise.

That said, many of the reviews are based on specific customer service interactions rather than the selling experience as a whole. Houzeo may be prompting clients to leave a review when they sign up rather than after they’ve sold their home. So these reviews may not tell the whole story.

Houzeo complaints often reference the inconsistent quality of Houzeo’s partner realtors and its restrictive refund policy.

Houzeo generally gets high marks for customer service

Many Houzeo reviews praise the company’s customer service for being polite and attentive. This customer’s experience with Houzeo’s representatives was typical:

In our own experience talking with Houzeo representatives, we also found them to be eager to help and patient with any questions we had. Unlike some other flat fee MLS companies, we never felt pressured by Houzeo’s representatives into purchasing their services.

However, one thing we didn’t like was that in order to chat online with a Houzeo representative, we had to enter our address, phone number, and email. For a simple chat, this seemed like an excessive amount of information.

You could get matched with a bad agent

While Houzeo itself tends to have good customer service, that’s not always the case with its partner agents — who you may end up working with more than Houzeo.

As we mentioned, Houzeo doesn’t post to the MLS itself. To get your listing on the MLS, Houzeo passes your listing onto a local real estate agent, who then lists your home for you.

Because of this arrangement, if you have any issues with your listing, you will have to talk to your agent instead of Houzeo. That’s where things can go wrong.

Unfortunately, you have no say in which agent you get matched with. So you may be left disappointed if yours fails to meet your expectations, as this customer discovered.

This customer had a similar experience, with their agent being unresponsive despite the customer paying for Houzeo’s most expensive plan:

Houzeo’s refund policy is strict

Houzeo’s refund policy is restrictive and makes it difficult to cancel your listing and get your money back. As this customer discovered, if you notice a problem with Houzeo’s services, trying to get a refund can feel like an uphill battle.

The $50 fee that Houzeo charges for refunds is also high for a flat fee MLS company — especially given that Houzeo’s fee is around $200 for its most basic plan in many markets. Other companies charge much less, if anything at all, to process a refund.

What are some good Houzeo alternatives?

Discount brokers

For most sellers, a discount broker is better than a flat fee MLS company. With a discount broker you’ll get all the services of a traditional realtor, but for a listing fee that is less than the nationwide average of 2.72%.

We believe that the best discount realtor is Clever. Its listing fees are some of the lowest of any discount realtor at 1.5%, about half the typical 3%. And because Clever matches you with a full-service agent from well-known brokerages like Keller Williams and RE/MAX, you’ll get the benefits of a traditional realtor without the cost.

Clever also comes with fewer risks than flat fee MLS companies. There’s no up-front costs and, unlike Houzeo, you get to choose from multiple agents, so you can choose the one who’s best for you. Click the button below to learn more about how Clever can potentially save you thousands of dollars.

Other flat fee MLS services

Houzeo usually isn’t the cheapest flat fee MLS company. If you’re looking for similar alternatives that cost less or offer more extensive service, you may want to research other options.

When shopping for a flat fee MLS service, look into local companies. They may offer better prices and customer service compared to national brands like Houzeo.

Also consider what level of service you need. Flat fee MLS companies can offer a broad range of services, but more support typically means a higher cost. Beware of filler services that drive up the cost but don’t add real value.

You could also consider choosing a local agent who offers a flat fee instead of a company. That way, you can save money on agent commissions while still accessing a local expert. Having a local contact may help you avoid the customer-service problems at national flat fee companies.

Kristyn Grewell, a real estate agent with over 15 years of experience in the Oklahoma City market, offers this advice: “If a homeowner is determined to do a flat fee MLS, some agents in the area may offer this service. That can be better than using the flat fee companies because they have a local contact. However they need to understand they will not receive the same level of service the agent offers other clients.”

FAQ

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The Best Discount Real Estate Brokers for Every Budget: Looking to save money without sacrificing service? A discount real estate broker is probably your best bet. We’ve ranked the ones that’ll keep the most cash in your pocket.

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