Redfin Reviews: Are the Savings Worth It?

Key takeaway: Redfin offers a low 1.5% listing fee that can potentially save sellers thousands of dollars compared to traditional realtor fees, which range from 2.5% to 3%. But while the savings are significant, deciding if Redfin is right for you will depend on your service preferences, as their team-based model may not meet everyone's needs.

Also, Redfin's customer satisfaction ratings on sites like Google and BBB are often lower than those of similar competitors. Redfin's focus on operational efficiency can sometimes lead to a less personalized service experience than what traditional agents offer.

Before signing with Redfin, we recommend comparing it with other low commission options that might offer a wider agent selection for similar or better savings. 

💰 Looking for full-service at a low commission rate? Connect with Clever Real Estate. Its network of top local agents provide comprehensive support and expertise for a 1.5% listing fee. Compare agents side-by-side to find the perfect match for your needs. Just fill out this short quiz to get started today! 

Redfin at a glance

Is Redfin right for you?

Redfin works best for buyers and sellers who prefer to save money while working with an established discount brokerage. Pros of working with Redfin include:

• A competitive 1.5–2% listing fee on Redfin's Full Service package, which offers substantial savings compared to the standard 2.5-3% most traditional realtors charge
• A user-friendly home search feature that makes it easy to save your favorite listings and schedule tours online — often on the same day
• Extra savings if you buy and sell with Redfin

However, Redfin may not be the best fit for those seeking personalized, high-touch service. Potential cons of working with Redfin include:

• Below-average reviews on 3rd-party sites like Google and BBB
• Redfin's high-volume, team-based approach means that Redfin agents are often over-extended and less involved than traditional agents

Remember that Redfin isn’t the only option for saving on commissions. If you'd prefer to choose your own agent, several alternatives offer a wider agent pool for similar savings.

✅ Is Redfin legit?

Yes, Redfin is a recognized low-commission real estate company headquartered in Seattle. It serves over 100 markets across the U.S. and Canada and is publicly traded under the ticker RDFN on the Nasdaq.

According to the company, Redfin agents handled 46,421 transactions in 2024, generating more than $29 billion in sales. This volume places Redfin as the 7th largest in transactions and 8th in sales among U.S. brokers. Also, the average Redfin agent completed over 23 deals in 2024, outpacing the transaction numbers of agents at other top 10 brokerages.[1]

Selling with Redfin reviews: What customers say

🟢 Primary positive themes Hands-on support (26% of reviews) Market expertise (19%) Prompt communication (18%) Easy process (18%) Professional service (16%)

🟡 Areas for improvement: Unprofessional service (30% of reviews) Poor communication (29%) Misrepresented services (26%) Lack of integrity (21%) Poor pricing advice (13%)

Redfin reviews show a mix of positive and negative feedback.

Home sellers appreciate the savings and often report good experiences with their agents. Home buyers appreciate Redfin’s home search app, making it easy to schedule showings and get real-time updates on properties they're interested in.

However, some customers feel Redfin’s agents are more focused on closing deals quickly than on advocating for their best interests, especially during negotiations and inspections.

🟢 Positive themes from Redfin reviews

Hands-on support (26% of reviews). Topping the list of positive themes noted by Redfin customers is the in-depth support provided by Redfin agents — from initial home tours through inspections and closing. Reviews emphasize agents' in-person presence during important milestones like inspections and hands on guidance through complex transactions, such as short sales.

• "She was hands-on the whole time: crawling through crawl spaces, checking out attics, putting last-minute house offers in for us."
• "She was with us every step of the way. She was there with us face to face for inspections, walk throughs, and other important milestones."
• "Keith painstakingly walked us through a grueling 10-month long short sale."
• "Matt took the extra steps of getting our son in touch with inspectors, repairmen, carpet company, painter, and water heater company."
• "Diana provided amazing tips, color choices, décor, and made our home look absolutely stunning."

Market expertise (19% of reviews). Customers praise Redfin agents' ability to provide accurate pricing guidance, market insights, and detailed comparative market analyses. Several customers also note the helpfulness of Redfin's app, citing its accurate, up-to-date market data and comprehensive property information.

• "The comparative analysis is remarkably thorough. Better than anything I have seen from other realtors."
• "Only through his knowledge, expertise, and creativity were we able to successfully come to an agreement."
• "Lucy immediately analyzed the city, market, and neighborhood trends to provide suggestions for our first meeting"
• "Brought relevant comps to the table that she knew a lender would pull to help inform us"
• "Redfin lists home earlier than Zillow which is a huge plus, and Redfin also has photos for older listings which gives great consumer insight into the market."

Easy process (18% of reviews). A significant portion of reviews emphasize Redfin's intuitive website and online dashboard, which makes it easy to schedule home tours, manage paperwork, and track progress toward closing.

• "Online coordination of the process from accepted offer to closing was phenomenal."
• "Redfin's web interface is the best I've seen, and their touring scheduling system is amazing."
• "They do it all electronically and hassle-free."
• "Scheduling tours and managing the tasks in the deal process was made easy and fast."
• "The Redfin dashboard or documents, tasks, and timelines is so user-friendly."

Agent professionalism (16% of reviews) and communication (18%). Customers also highlight agents' availability and responsiveness — even outside of normal business hours — coupled with a lack of pressure to move forward before they're comfortable. Multiple review mention feeling that agents had their best interests at heart.

• "Agents work extremely hard for their clients, are honest, and will work with each client to do what is right for them."
• "AMAZINGLY responsive -- often answering emails/calls at weird hours and on their days off"
• "I don't think any email or phone call ever went more than 30 minutes without being responded to"
• "Not only was he easily reachable via both phone and email, but he also had a team of people working with him to ensure no question went unanswered"
• "They are not here to gouge you or pressure you - they will treat you like a good friend."
• "Each person we worked with was incredibly knowledgeable, professional, and available when we needed them."

Significant savings (14% of reviews). Finally, reviews emphasize the savings offered through Redfin's reduced listing fees and buyer rebates. Customers — especially those who both bought and sold with Redfin — frequently mention receiving commission refunds worth several thousand dollars.

• "I saved $15k using Redfin on the sale and purchase."
• "The 1% sellers realtor commission and 2.5% buyers agent commission is so much better than the 3% and 3% 'norm'."
• "2/3 refund of commission can not be beat! It covered almost all of our closing costs."
• "It's much more honest and transparent and leaves more money in the buyers' and sellers' pockets."

🟡 Redfin complaints and areas for improvement

Lack of professionalism (30% of reviews) and integrity (21%). Redfin reviews highlight significant issues with agent professionalism and integrity. Customers complain about agents being inexperienced, unresponsive, displaying unprofessional attitudes, mismanaging transactions, and prioritizing quick sales over client interests.

• "Agent was rude, on her cell phone the whole time and obviously a rookie."
• "She seemingly disclosed our pre-approval limit and top offer to the other buyer."
• "At best, my agent led me to hastily make decisions and worst, there was gaslighting and manipulation."
• "All documents were delayed, the contract took 5 days before it even made it to the seller."
• "They inundated us with 20 legal documents at the eleventh hour and persistently pushed for immediate signatures."
• "The money spent on fixing things in the house that the 'Redfin-suggested' inspector failed to tell me about has surpassed the savings by about $30,000."

Misrepresented services (26% of reviews). Some reviews reveal a disconnect between what Redfin advertises and what it actually delivers. Customers report minimal agent involvement, lack of promised support, and inadequate representation. Many felt misled about the level of service and expertise they would receive.

• "They do nothing to "represent" you. I did all the leg work in regard to making sure the process was in order. I feel robbed to pay them a substantial commission."
• "Redfin will tell you they're full service, but their effort to sell your house all but stops after they list to the MLS."
• "You do so much work that it's like not even having a real estate agent to advocate for you."
• "They sell it as a 'team' & push 'collective' success- now we know that's code for our agents knows nothing on their own."
• "They continue to advertise 1% listing fee but when the agent shows up with contract in hand 'expecting' you to sign no questions asked it's really 3.5%."
• “As a client of Redfin Premier, I can say that there is nothing premier about this service...the cost of these services are at least 50% more than the going rate - to which Redfin adds another 12%.

Poor communication (29% of reviews). Negative Redfin reviews also highlight communication issues. Customers repeatedly report unresponsive agents, ignored messages, missed appointments, and lack of proactive updates.

• "First and foremost, communication—or rather, the lack thereof—was a major issue."
• "by not responding to interested buyers' agents, doing zero marketing, taking absolutely no initiative and being extremely unresponsive to us."
• "From the time we decided to list till the final sale, this person did not pick up our phone once."
• "Several times I called the agent, always running around too busy to answer questions."
• "We had to continually ask for feedback after every showing - if we didn't ask, we heard nothing."

Poor pricing advice (13% of reviews). A smaller portion of reviews indicate issues with Redfin agents' pricing expertise and recommendations. Customers report inaccurate valuations, questionable pricing strategies, and advice that cost them significant money.

• We paid $100K over asking price at the advise of the Redfin agent in the month of September when house prices were already slumping."
• "Had we used her strategy it would have cost us $200,000."
• "Grossly underestimate your home value, my home is estimated 400,000 less than what other sites are reporting."
• "Our house in fact sold for the fewest dollars per square foot in the entire neighborhood."
• "The Agent said, she could only sell our home for 699k - we thankfully passed and went with a traditional agent who has been marketing our home for 175k more."

Redfin vs. competitors

Redfin stands out among real estate brokerages due to its competitive 1.5–2% listing fee and tech-driven approach, which includes features like 3D walkthroughs and an intuitive home search platform. Its listing fee is attractive and even beats what you’re likely to get from some competitors.

However, its business model means you may get less hands-on support from your lead agent than you’d get with a traditional realtor. Instead, you’ll work with a team of professionals at Redfin. This team-based approach can help streamline some processes, such as booking home tours, but you may not always have a lot of hand-holding during critical times like negotiations and inspections.

Depending on what you're looking for in an agent, other low commission companies may offer a better value at an equally low (or even lower) rate.

How Redfin works for sellers

Selling with Redfin is similar to using a traditional brokerage, but with added savings. If you both sell and buy with Redfin within 12 months, you’ll receive a rebate on your listing fee that will effectively reduce it to 1%, further increasing your savings.

As a seller, you can choose between Redfin’s standard Full Service package costing 1.5–2% or opt for premium services at 3% of the sale price. 

With the Full Service package, you can expect the following services to be included in your listing agreement:

• Comparative market analysis (CMA)
• Pricing guidance
• Staging advice
• Professional photography and 3D tours
• Featured placement within Redfin's website and app
• MLS listing
• Email marketing and social media ads
• For-sale yard sign
• Open house hosting
• Guidance during due diligence (inspections, appraisals, financing)
• Help evaluating offers and negotiating terms as needed
• Support throughout closing

However, at the lower price point, Redfin agents may offer less hands-on support than traditional agents. While the savings can be significant, sellers seeking more personalized service may want to explore other low-commission options. 

Sellers who opt for the more expensive Redfin premier get additional support, including:

• More featured placements on Redfin's website
• 10x more advertising via Redfin's app notifications, social media, and email
• Video footage for virtual tours
• Home improvements handled with $0 due until closing

How Redfin works for Buyers

When you buy with Redfin, your buyer’s agent will provide the same services that traditional agents do, including assistance with showings, making offers, and negotiations. However, there are a few differences. 

Redfin uses a team-based method, so you won’t be working exclusively with your assigned agent but rather with other Redfin members. This team-based model has advantages and drawbacks. For example, scheduling a home tour is generally easy with Redfin since if your lead agent isn’t available, someone else from Redfin will often be able to lead the tour for you.

However, this team-based approach can lead to you feeling less prioritized than you might versus a traditional agent. Because Redfin agents handle more clients than traditional realtors do, you may also find that they have less time to communicate directly with you.

Redfin Sign & Save

Redfin offers savings for buyers called Redfin Sign & Save, which replaced its previous rebate program Redfin Refund. With Redfin Sign & Save you can earn 0.25% cash back at closing if you sign a buyer agency agreement with Redfin before your second home tour.[3] The rebate increases to 0.5% for luxury homes purchased through Redfin Premier.

Note that the following states don’t allow buyer rebates: Alabama, Alaska, Kansas, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Oregon, and Tennessee.

Additional Redfin services

Redfin Concierge

Redfin Concierge is a line of credit that you can use to help get your home ready for market. You can get a line of credit worth up to $50,000 that can be used on items related to the sale of your house, including landscaping, painting, moving, and storage.[4] Redfin Concierge is offered in partnership with Notable Finance.

To qualify, you’ll need to pass a credit check and have sufficient equity in your home. You’ll also need to be working with a Redfin listing agent. The loan must be paid back either at closing or within 12 months of the loan origination date, whichever comes first.

While Redfin Concierge can be a good way to help increase your home’s curb appeal, the interest rates tend to be high, from 8.99% to 16.99%. While these rates are lower than most credit cards, they’re higher than what some financial institutions offer for loans or lines of credit.

Redfin Premier

In select markets, luxury homes are eligible for Redfin Premier. With Redfin Premier, you’ll be paired with an experienced agent in buying and selling high-end properties.

If you’re selling a house, Redfin Premier is designed to attract sophisticated buyers through:

• Listing syndication in global news and luxury lifestyle publications
• Targeted social media advertising
• Email campaigns
• Premium mailers and brochures

You can also use Redfin Premier to buy a luxury property. This service pairs buyers with agents specializing in buying and selling luxury properties.

Redfin fees and savings

Redfin offers some impressive savings — especially if you buy and sell a house with a Redfin agent. 

• For a full-service listing package, Redfin charges a 1.5–2% listing fee, depending on the market, compared to the national average of 5.32%. Note that if the buyer doesn’t have an agent, the listing fee increases by 1%.
• If you buy with Redfin, and sign a representation agreement with one of their agents before your 2nd house tour, you can shave 0.25% off your buyer's agent commission — which is set at 2.5%. 
• If you buy and sell a home with Redfin, your listing fee drops to just 1% — that savings is on top of the 0.25% buyer rebate. 
• However, for a luxury listing through Redfin Premier, you'll pay the industry standard 3% listing fee, or 2.5% if you buy and sell — which doesn't equate to much in savings.

Be aware of Redfin’s minimum fees, which may reduce your savings, especially if your home is priced lower. For example, selling a $300,000 home in Austin will cost you a minimum commission of $5,500 (1.8%) because that’s the minimum fee it charges.

Additionally, you may still need to offer a concession to cover the buyer’s agent commission, which typically ranges from 2-3%, bringing your total commission to 4-4.5%. Due to a 2024 NAR settlement, buyers now negotiate commissions directly with their agent, though they may still ask the seller to cover part or all of the commission.

What to expect from Redfin agents

With Redfin, sellers and buyers are assigned a fully licensed “lead agent” to guide them through key aspects of the sale or purchase.

While many lead agents are experienced and high-performing, Redfin’s minimum qualifications only say that sales experience is “preferred” for lead agents.[5] Partner Agents, who are employed by another brokerage but operate under the Redfin brand, need to have a minimum of only five sales in the past 12 months. This makes it important to thoroughly vet your agent to ensure they have the experience needed for your situation.

Redfin has around 1,700 lead agents across the U.S. and Canada.[6] While Redfin generally offers a larger pool of agents in its markets than local or regional brokerages, it has fewer options than services like Clever Real Estate and UpNest. In large metro areas, you may find 15–20 Redfin agents to choose from, whereas smaller cities might only offer 1–2.

Note: If Redfin agents aren’t available in your area, their Agent Finder tool may suggest Partner Agents, who are local agents affiliated with Redfin. However, these Partner Agents may not offer the same 1.5% listing fee as in-house Redfin agents. While you can negotiate realtor fees with these agents, there’s no guarantee they’ll reduce their rates.

Redfin news and updates

Bottom line: Should I use Redfin?

If Redfin has a franchise location close to you, it’s probably worth checking out. It’s a well-known brand, has some highly experienced agents, and charges up to half the typical listing commission.

However, competitors like Clever Real Estate and Ideal Agent offer a wider agent selection with similar savings. They also have better processes for vetting agents and you’ll typically get more personalized support.

Remember you're hiring the agent, not the brand. So be sure to compare a few different agents before deciding. Look at their customer reviews and recent sales history — and have a conversation to see who you have a rapport with. 

Related reading

If you’re looking for the pros and cons of selling with Redfin, it’s important to compare ALL of your options for saving money. We recommend reading the following resources to learn about other ways to save.

Discount Real Estate Brokers and Agents: Everything You Need to Know: Selling with a discount real estate broker like Redfin is often a very different experience from using a traditional realtor. Learn more about how discount brokers work and how to decide which company is the best fit for your situation.

What Companies Offer the Lowest Real Estate Commission Fees? Redfin offers solid savings for home sellers, but some of its competitors charge even less. Find out which company charges the lowest commission fees.

The Best for Sale by Owner (FSBO) Websites: Want to maximize your savings? Consider rolling up your sleeves by listing your house for sale by owner (FSBO). We’ve compiled a list of the BEST websites for FSBO sellers.

Realtor Fees: Who Pays the Commission and How Much Is It? Wondering how much realtor fees cost? This guide explains what you’ll pay (and how to get discounts) when working with a realtor.

How to Sell Your House without a Realtor: Want to sell your house without a realtor? This guide outlines steps to selling without a realtor, pros and cons, and costs.

Methodology

The Real Estate Witch team evaluated Redfin on various factors, including savings, customer service, online reviews, agent quality, and how it compares to the competition. Our mission is to empower you to make an informed decision about whether Redfin is right for your next real estate transaction.

We employed a robust methodology that included the following key components:

• Data collection: We gathered extensive data from multiple sources, including Redfin's internal reports, verified third-party review sites like Google, BBB, and Consumer Affairs, and direct customer feedback to ensure a wide-ranging perspective.
• Expert analysis: Our team of real estate experts conducted an in-depth analysis of Redfin's services, comparing them against industry standards and top competitors. This analysis focused on pricing, service quality, agent accessibility, and technological integration.
• Customer interviews: We interviewed a diverse group of Redfin customers to gather firsthand accounts of their experiences. These interviews helped us understand the nuances of customer satisfaction and service delivery.
• Market comparison: Redfin's fees, services, and customer ratings were compared with those of other leading real estate brokerages to gauge competitiveness and value.
• Service testing: Our team used Redfin's platform to simulate the customer experience, including listing a property, searching for homes, and interacting with Redfin agents. This hands-on testing provided insights into the usability and efficiency of Redfin's technology and customer service.
• Ongoing monitoring: We continuously monitor updates and changes in Redfin’s service offerings and industry standing to keep our review current and relevant.

This comprehensive methodology ensures that our review of Redfin is detailed, accurate, and unbiased.

Editorial policy

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