Read TopAgentsRanked reviews | How does TopAgentsRanked work? | What is Agent Machine? | Pros and cons | Alternatives | FAQ
What is TopAgentsRanked?
TopAgentsRanked and its sister sites, Agent Machine and RealEstateAgents.com, are free online services that connect home buyers and sellers with real estate agents.
The company has generally positive customer reviews, with an average rating of 4.6/5 stars across 3,655 reviews.
However, it doesn't offer much value beyond providing a list of a few agents in your general area. And there are some red flags and drawbacks to consider:
- Unqualified agents can pay for featured placements and matches, so you may get the realtor willing to shell out the most money instead of the agent who best meets your needs. Our mystery shoppers weren’t impressed with the quality or fit of the agents TopAgentsRanked recommended.
- You may get matched with agents outside your immediate area, since the company's coverage can be spotty. If possible, you want an agent with experience in your zip code. They have more local expertise to help you get the best outcome.
- It doesn't offer any discounts or rebates. Many other agent finding services offer significant commission discounts while still providing full service.
Should I work with TopAgentsRanked?
TopAgentsRanked may be able to match you with a good agent, but you're more likely to find better value elsewhere.
Alternative companies offer the same free agent finding service — but with guaranteed top agents and built-in savings.
For example, Clever Real Estate has strict vetting standards for agents and offers a 1.5% listing fee (half the typical 3% rate), saving sellers an average of $7,000. Eligible buyers get cash back after closing. Ideal Agent only works with the top 1% of agents in a given area, and it offers a 2% listing fee.
Every agent finding service is free, with no obligation to hire the agents you're matched with. So it's worth trying a few alternatives to see how they stack up. Learn more about the best TopAgentsRanked alternatives.
Is TopAgentsRanked legitimate?
Yes, TopAgentsRanked is a licensed brokerage in California. All agent matching companies must be licensed to collect fees from agents, which is how they make money.
TopAgentsRanked's parent company is Referral Exchange, which is Better Business Bureau accredited, with an A+ rating.
The company claims to have facilitated more than 500,000 connections between home buyers and sellers and have 25,000 real estate agents in its network.
Though TopAgentsRanked is a legitimate and licensed business, some of its operating practices are concerning.
🚨 Agents can pay for more visibility
TopAgentsRanked offers a PRIME service that lets agents pay a fee to rank higher in customers' match results.
We don't like pay-to-play options like this because they deceive customers. Buyers and sellers assume they're paired with agents who are uniquely suited to meet their needs — not the ones who paid the most for the lead.
Most alternative agent matching services don't allow this practice.
🚨 The company makes misleading marketing claims
TopAgentsRanked uses deceptive language to make its agents seem better than they are.
For example, the TopAgentsRanked website gives agents a REALTOR® badge and says this is the "highest distinction in the community." Frankly, this isn't true.
Any licensed real estate agent can become a REALTOR® if they pay a membership fee to the National Association of Realtors. More than half of real estate agents in the US are REALTORS®.
TopAgentsRanked also gives some agents a Top Ranked badge. There's no explanation of how agents earn this badge or what it signifies.
Our mystery shoppers didn't find their matches with the Top Ranked distinction to be any better qualified than those who didn't have it.
How does TopAgentsRanked work?
Signing up for TopAgentsRanked is simple:
- Start by answering a handful of straightforward questions on its website.
- A TopAgentsRanked representative will call you within an hour to introduce themselves and learn more about your transaction. Within a few minutes of the call, you'll receive a list of agent matches (usually three) and a link to a dashboard where you can view and compare your matches.
- Your agent matches may begin reaching out to you via phone, text, and email immediately upon receipt of your list. You can communicate directly with your matches to schedule interviews or ask more questions.
- If you don't think any of your initial matches are a fit, you can ask TopAgentsRanked for more matches or decide to walk away. There's no obligation to work with any of the company's agents once you're matched.
- If you decide to use an agent referred by TopAgentsRanked to buy or sell your home, a representative from the company will check in along the way to ensure your transaction is progressing smoothly.
How does TopAgentsRanked make money?
TopAgentsRanked makes money by charging the agents in its network a referral fee, which is a percentage of the commission the agents make on deals they closes for buyers and sellers referred to them through the service.
TopAgentsRanked also charges agents for its premium membership option that promises greater visibility and more customer leads.
Why do agents work with companies like TopAgentsRanked?
Services like TopAgentsRanked are a low-cost, low-risk way for realtors to grow their businesses.
Real estate is a competitive field. Most agents devote substantial time, energy, and resources to attracting new customers.
TopAgentsRanked and similar services deliver a stream of new customers to agents so they can spend less time and money on marketing their services. Since agents don't pay TopAgentsRanked upfront (but only on deals that close), it's less risky than conventional marketing methods, which may cost a lot and net zero new clients.
Agent matching services provide an effective way for realtors to build their business. And the referral fees are affordable enough that agents still turn a profit on referred clients.
What are Agent Machine and RealEstateAgents.com?
TopAgentsRanked has two sister sites called Agent Machine and RealEstateAgents.com. They essentially offer the same service as TopAgentsRanked.
While RealEstateAgents.com is growing, the Agent Machine website seems to be a secondary priority for the company.
We don't recommend using Agent Machine if you're looking for a realtor. TopAgentsRanked and RealEstateAgents.com aren't much better, so check out these alternatives when shopping for a real estate agent.
How much does TopAgentsRanked cost?
TopAgentsRanked is free for home buyers and sellers — all agent matching services are.
But if you're selling, you'll still have to pay your listing agent's commission. You'll also need to offer a buyer's agent commission, which is typically 2.5–3%.
On a $500,000 home sale, here's what the listing fee would look like with TopAgentsRanked versus a low-cost alternative.
| Listing fee | Cost | Savings | |
|---|---|---|---|
| TopAgentsRanked | 2.8%* | $14,000 | None |
| Low-cost broker | 1.5% | $7,500 | $6,500 |
Alternative agent finding services offer better service and discounted commission rates. For example, Clever pre-negotiates a 1.5% listing fee with its agents. It also offers eligible buyers cash back after closing. Find out how much you can save with a low-cost agent.
TopAgentsRanked reviews
| Site | Avg. rating | # of reviews |
|---|---|---|
| Better Business Bureau | 4.8/5 | 293 |
| 4.7/5 | 701 | |
| Shopper Approved | 4.6/5 | 2,598 |
TopAgentsRanked reviews are mostly positive, with an average rating of 4.6 out of 5 stars.
Some customers were happy with the service, but our mystery shoppers' agent matches were off-base in terms of quality and proximity. Plus, TopAgentsRanked doesn't offer commission savings for buyers and sellers.
TopAgentsRanked pros and cons
Pros
Easy sign-up; agent matches arrive quickly
It's simple to sign up for TopAgentsRanked — just answer a few straightforward questions on its website, like what area you're targeting and when you plan to buy or sell.
A rep calls you within the hour to connect and learn more about your transaction. Your agent matches arrive shortly after that, and those agents begin to reach out immediately.
While we appreciate the speed and convenience TopAgentsRanked offers, it isn't a benefit unique to the company. Most agent matching services deliver the same.
TopAgentsRanked reviewers agree about the company's speed and ease:
Knowledgeable customer service reps
TopAgentsRanked's customer service team is smart and responsive. Reps were able to answer our shoppers' questions about the process and provide informed guidance.
Like our concierges, TopAgentsRanked's team consists of licensed realtors, so they're knowledgeable about real estate and qualified to provide customers with advice.
Online reviewers also appreciated TopAgentsRanked's customer service:
Somewhat helpful customer dashboard
TopAgentsRanked gives buyers and sellers a dashboard where they can view and compare their agent matches. The dashboard includes some details to help customers make an informed decision, like each agent's average selling price, number of clients served, and a list of specialties.
But the TopAgentsRanked dashboard leaves out important information like a link to the agent's Zillow profile, a list of recent deals, and other sales stats like average days on market. Some agents' profiles seemed outdated and inaccurate when checked against other information online.
In terms of thoroughness, TopAgentsRanked's dashboard falls somewhere in the middle compared to other agent matching services. Some, like UpNest, provide detailed and thorough information to help customers comparison shop for an agent. Others, like MyAgentFinder, don't even have one. Instead, it provides matches via text.
As this reviewer suggests, do your due diligence and double-check your agent matches' qualifications with a DIY search if you choose to work with TopAgentsRanked:
Another reviewer wished they could access agent sales statistics on TopAgentsRanked:
No commission savings for sellers or refunds for buyers
TopAgentsRanked doesn't deliver any cost-savings benefits for home sellers or buyers. Alternative agent matching services do!
For example, Clever pre-negotiates a 1.5% listing commission with the agents in its network. This lower rate could save you thousands of dollars. Eligible buyers get cash back after closing.
Off-base agent matches
Our shoppers weren't impressed with their agent matches. TopAgentsRanked says its matches are customized by a rep, but they came too fast to be hand-selected by a human.
Some agent matching services don't rely on automation so heavily. While we use an algorithm to initially pull potential matches, our concierges are familiar with our partner network and custom-select agents based on the nuanced needs of its customers.
In many cases, our shoppers' TopAgentsRanked matches had little experience in their target area. This was surprising, since TopAgentsRanked claims to have one of the larger agent networks compared to alternative agent matching services.
Additionally, the order in which TopAgentsRanked ranked our shoppers' matches was confusing. Often, the agents who appeared lower on the list seemed better qualified, with more local area expertise.
We believe this is because the company prioritizes PRIME members and agents who frequently update their TopAgentsRanked profile. This provides no benefit to the customer.
If TopAgentsRanked isn't accurately ranking top agents for customers, we're not sure what the point is.
These reviewers were also disappointed with the quality of their agent matches:
Best TopAgentsRanked alternatives in 2024
After 1,400+ hours of collective research, our team feels most confident recommending these services. Each service connects you to high-quality agents for free, provides full service, and offers discounts on realtor commission.
Clever Real Estate: Clever provides 2–3 matches per customer, like TopAgentsRanked. But Clever's agent matches are tailored by its Concierge team to meet the unique needs of each buyer and seller. Additionally, Clever vets all the agents in its network to ensure they're top performers in their area. Every seller who works with a Clever agent gets a 1.5% listing fee.
Ideal Agent: Ideal Agent has more stringent requirements than TopAgentsRanked for agents to join its network. They must be in the top 1% of sales performers in their area and close a high number of deals annually. However, Ideal Agent only provides a single match. If you try Ideal Agent, we recommend doing so alongside another agent finding service so you can weigh several options.
UpNest: UpNest's model is different than TopAgentsRanked's. It's a "real estate marketplace" platform where agents submit proposals and compete for your business. To make their proposals more attractive, agents may offer a reduced commission rate or a buyer rebate, but savings aren't guaranteed. UpNest's customer dashboard provides more helpful information than TopAgentsRanked's, so customers can easily compare matches to make an informed agent choice.
Listing Fee
Customer Rating
Our take
Overview
Locations
Clever Real Estate delivers the best combination of savings and service of any competitor that we’ve reviewed. Its agents are held to high standards and provide full service and support for just a 1.5% listing fee, saving you thousands when you sell your home. In states where it's permitted, buyers can also get cash back at closing. Clever has more agents (19,000+) in more markets than most other low-commission options, plus the highest customer rating among brands we evaluated. Unlike some of its competitors, Clever also allows you to choose your own agent. It matches you up with multiple agents, and you can choose the one that best fits your needs.
Read the full Clever Real Estate review.
Pros
- Low 1.5% listing fee for sellers — about half the typical rate
- Up to $500 cash back for buyers
- Agents have strong sales records and great customer reviews
- Compare agent service packages and credentials before making a decision
Cons
- Fewer agent options in certain rural areas
- Add-ons like professional home staging may cost extra
Listing Fee
Customer Rating
Our take
Overview
Locations
Ideal Agent can connect you with a full-service realtor at a discounted listing fee of 2%. The company has high standards for the agents it recommends, claiming to work with only the top 1% based on sales volume in each agent's market. While the savings aren't as significant as some low commission alternatives, customers are generally happy with the outcome from their home sale. Not that buyers won't qualify for any saving with Ideal Agent, and the company's small network size means your agent selection will be limited.
Read our full Ideal Agent review.
Pros
- Matched with a vetted, full-service realtor
- 2% listing fee is slightly below industry average
Cons
- Don't get to choose who you're matched with
- Other brands offer better savings
Listing Fee
Customer Rating
Our take
Overview
Locations
UpNest is a legitimate agent matching service, and it can be a good way to compare real estate agents in your area. But there’s no guarantee you’ll save on real estate commissions because UpNest doesn’t negotiate a lower fee with their agents.
Pros
- Fast, easy way to compare local agents
- Agents offer full service and support
- Many customers report a positive experience with their agent
Cons
- No guaranteed savings for buyers or sellers
- Lax vetting standards compared to some competitors
- A small percentage of complaints mention a lack of professionalism and communication
FAQ
What is TopAgentsRanked?
TopAgentsRanked is an online service that matches home buyers and sellers with local real estate agents looking for business. Reviews suggest other agent matching companies provide better customer service and lower commission rates.
Is TopAgentsRanked legitimate?
Yes, TopAgentsRanked is a legitimate and licensed agent matching service. However, our reviewers found some of its business practices to be misleading, and it doesn't offer commission discounts for customers.
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