Clever Real Estate | Homie | Houwzer | Ideal Agent | Prevu | Redefy | SimpleShowing | Trelora
Redfin is one of the most popular discount real estate brokerages, operating in more than 100 markets across the U.S. and Canada. In 2022 alone, the company attracted nearly half a million customers — in part, thanks to its popular home buying app and website.
It's not the only option, though, and several other low-commission real estate brokerages also provide competitive rates and services.
Alternatives to Redfin
Redfin is a discount real estate brokerage that sells your home with a realtor at a discounted commission rate. If you buy your next home through Redfin, too, you could also earn a rebate.
One of Redfin's key selling points is its low listing agent commission rate (1.5% vs. the traditional 2.5-3%). This fee drops even further to 1% if you also buy a house using Redfin's services within a year.
However, Redfin's low commission rate structure might be offset by less personalized attention. Its agents juggle more clients, which may lead to potentially lower service quality.
Clever Real Estate: Our top pick
Listing Fee
Service
✍️ Our take
Overview
📍 Locations
Clever Real Estate delivers the best combination of savings and service of any discount brokerage that we’ve reviewed. Unlike some competitors, Clever also gives you multiple options for agents, and you can interview and choose the one who best fits your needs.
Pros
- Partner agents charge low 1.5% listing fee
- Fast matching with high-performing local agents, with no obligation
- Massive network of partner agents nationwide
Cons
- No guarantee you’ll get matched with a specific local agent or brokerage.
- Extra cost for add-ons like professional home staging
- Fewer agent options in some rural areas
Cash back vs. rebate
The terms cash back and rebate may be used interchangeably, but they carry different meanings.
Cash back usually refers to a check (sometimes a gift card) that a buyer receives after the sale closes, often coming from the buyer's agent or their brokerage.
Rebates are credits that get applied to the buyer's next real estate transaction. Rebates aren't legal in some states, and they need to be approved by the buyer's lender.
» MORE: How to get a home buyer rebate
Houwzer
Listing Fee
Service
✍️ Our take
Overview
📍 Locations
If you're selling a higher-value home along the East Coast, Houwzer's 1% listing fee can save you a lot of money on realtor commission, and you'll still have access to a top agent and logistics coordinator.
Pros
- 1% listing fee
- Savings increase on higher-priced homes
Cons
- Limited agent options
- Agents handle a high transaction volume
SimpleShowing
Listing Fee
Service
✍️ Our take
Overview
📍 Locations
While SimpleShowing offers a 1% listing fee, it comes with some serious drawbacks: It has far fewer real estate agents than a typical brokerage, and its agents handle five times more customers than the average realtor.
Pros
- 1% listing fee
- Help with closing costs for buyers
Cons
- More than 1% commission on homes below $500,000
- Limited agent options
- Overextended agents
Ideal Agent
Listing Fee
Service
✍️ Our take
Overview
📍 Locations
Ideal Agent's discounted listing fee and selective partnerships with high-performing realtors can give sellers a lot of bang for their buck. But its take-it-or-leave-it policy can leave customers disappointed if they don't click with their agents.
Prevu
Listing Fee
Service
✍️ Our take
Overview
📍 Locations
Prevu offers big savings for home buyers and sellers in higher-value markets like New York City and Los Angeles, but those savings come with major trade-offs, like limited agent selection and customer support.
Pros
- 1.5% listing fee
- Buyer rebates up to 2%
Cons
- Limited agent selection
- Less customer support
Homie
Listing Fee
Service
✍️ Our take
Overview
📍 Locations
Homie’s flat listing fee of $3,500 could save sellers thousands of dollars on higher-priced properties — but expect to do more legwork (like hosting open houses) yourself.
The company's buyer rebate ranks among the most generous in the industry — allowing home buyers to earn as much as 50% of their agent's commission (or 1.5% of the final sale price) back. However, Homie's refund comes with lots of strings, including the need to work with their mortgage and title company.
Pros
- Low, flat listing fee
- Buyer rebates
Cons
- Overworked agents
- Hands-off approach
- Limited availability
Trelora
Listing Fee
Service
✍️ Our take
Overview
📍 Locations
Although Trelora offers decent savings on realtor commissions, the trade-offs in customer service and risk of errors are too big a negative for sellers.
Pros
- Low listing fee
- Generous buyer rebate
- Fast sale process
Cons
- Lack of personalized service
- Spotty communication
- Attention to detail can be questionable
Redefy
Listing Fee
Service
✍️ Our take
Overview
📍 Locations
Using Redefy is risky, as its agents handle 4x as many clients as the typical realtor. This means you may get far less personalized support than you need.
Pros
- Savings for most home sellers
Cons
- Non-refundable deposit
- Overextended agents
- Limited agent selection
Related reading
Redfin vs. Zillow: Which Estimator Is More Accurate? Redfin and Zillow both provide property value estimates, but how accurate are they? We compare Redfin vs. Zillow and help you find an accurate estimate.
Compass vs. Redfin: Which is Better? Home sellers have more options than ever today outside of traditional realtors. We compare each company to determine the best option for you.
Clever Real Estate vs. Redfin: Which Should You Choose? Clever Real Estate and Redfin are two discount real estate brokerages offering low commission rates. Compare their services, fees, and reviews.
Houwzer vs. Redfin: Which Discount Broker is Better? Houwzer and Redfin both sell your home for discount rates. Learn about their differences and which one may work better for you.