Trelora Real Estate is a regional discount brokerage that offers a 1% listing fee ($3,000 minimum) for sellers, and a maximum 1% buyer broker commission for buyers.
Trelora's low fees amount to significant savings compared to the traditional 2.5–3% most agents charge. However, customers may encounter a few service tradeoffs in exchange for the savings.
Instead of working with a single dedicated agent throughout their home sale, Trelora clients work with a large team in an "assembly line" fashion. While this model offers increased efficiency — allowing Trelora to handle many transactions at once — some customers have complained about a lack of responsiveness and communication from Trelora's team.
Before signing with Trelora, we recommend comparing it with other low commission real estate options, many of which offer significant savings without sacrificing the full-service experience you'd get with a full-commission brand.
💰 Find the best low commission options near you: Get matched with top local agents offering a 1.5% listing fee through the Clever Real Estate network. View agents from well-known brands like Keller Williams and RE/MAX, compare their experience and ratings side-by-side, and choose the best fit — with no added fees or obligation to move forward.
Trelora at a glance
🏢 Company type | Discount brokerage |
🏴 Active since | 2011 |
💲Listing fee | 1% |
💰 Buyer savings | Max. 1% buyer broker commission |
⭐ Average customer rating | 4.7/5 ⭐ (1,304 reviews)* |
📍Availability | AZ, CA, CO, GA, IL, NC, SC, WA |
Trelora uses an assembly line-style agent model where sellers work with different agents or personnel at each sale stage, from pricing to marketing to negotiating to closing. While this is more efficient than the traditional one-on-one dedicated agent setup, some Trelora reviews have noted that the reviewers fell through the cracks and felt abandoned by their Trelora team.
However, for sellers who don’t need quite as much personalized attention, Trelora offers real savings through its 1% listing fee. Trelora also guarantees that buyers will pay no more than 1% in realtor fees, although some may pay even less if a seller chooses to offer a concession.
Trelora reviews: What customers are saying
Review site | Rating |
---|---|
Google* | 4.7/5 (639 reviews) |
Yelp | 44.3/5 (136 reviews) |
Zillow | 44.9/5 (529 reviews) |
Weighted avg. | 4.7/5 (1,304 reviews) |
🟢 Primary positive themes
| 🟡 Areas for improvement:
|
Most customers were generally pleased about their Trelora real estate experience, especially given the amount of money they saved.
However, clients' experiences with the Trelora home selling process varied. Those who preferred a lot of one-on-one attention from a traditional real estate agent tended to come away with a more negative impression of Trelora, while those who had a fast, frictionless sale tended to have a rosier impression.
🟢 Positive themes from Trelora reviews
Significant savings (52% of reviews). The top theme mentioned in Trelora is the significant savings customer received through the brokerage's low 1% listing fees and buyer rebates. Customers frequently cite savings that are enough to cover closing costs or home improvements. Reviewers frequently note that these savings came without sacrificing service quality.
- "We saved $23,000 between the sale of our condo and the purchase of our new home."
- "We were able to use every last cent of commissions ($10k+) to pay all of our closing costs and prepay the PMI insurance, which significantly reduced our monthly mortgage payment, and saved us tons of $$$ long term."
- "For $3k seller's agent fee, the Trelora team managed the sales process the same as any standard agent or broker."
- "We saved thousands of dollars without compromising professionalism, communication or creative strategy."
- "We used the commission rebate for home renovations and now have beautiful new floors."
- "My total cost was $2,500 on a sale of nearly $600k."
Hands-on support (44% of reviews). Reviewers also have positive feedback for Trelora's team-based approach, with customers noting that there was always someone available to help. Reviewers also mention how agents took time to provide detailed explanations and guidance without making clients feel rushed or pressured.
- "Because it's a team instead of an individual, there was always someone to answer our questions. They work weekends to get you the best deal and always were available for a conversation."
- "They walked us through every step and were there to answer all of our questions. They even helped calm me down when there were little hiccups in the buyers process."
- "Having other agents help us also enabled us to visit homes with a tight deadline. The Trelora team made sure that someone is available whenever I needed help."
- "I had a whole team of knowledgeable people working on my behalf… I feel really supported because there is a whole team working for us."
- "They were calm and kept me calm:) Very detail oriented and made me feel 100% comfortable that everything was well taken care of throughout the process."
Prompt communication (39% of reviews). Other reviews emphasize that Trelora's team-based structure enables near-immediate responses to questions and concerns, with many customers noting that they never had to wait long for updates or answers, even during evenings and weekends. Customers particularly value the real-time updates on offers, showings, and transaction progress.
- "You can text them literally anytime and they will respond almost immediately. Normally we would hear back from Trelora in only a couple of minutes after calling, texting or emailing."
- "I never had to wait more than 5 minutes for Graham or his team to respond. Friendly and knowledgable staff who kept in constant contact throughout the whole process (weekends and evenings included)."
- "The constant communication, checking in, answering questions and providing information was more than I could expect. I'd get notifications in real-time about offers, updates, and showings."
- "Having a team of realtors means Trelora has quick response times and showings. In a market like this, communication and timeliness is of the essence."
- "Far more communication and reliability than we've had from any traditional real estate agent in the past."
Professional service (37% of reviews). Notably, many Trelora customers express initial skepticism about the discount model but report being pleasantly surprised by the quality of service received. Reviews frequently highlight the team's efficiency, competence, and ability to maintain high standards of professionalism while delivering a personalized experience.
- "Our experience was exceptional. We've moved many times, and I can assure you the level of service was above and beyond anything we've had in the past with full service realtors."
- "I thought corners would be cut and I might not get some services that I was used to, but I was pleasantly surprised that this was not the case."
- "From photos and pricing, to negotiations, inspection items, and finally closing, everything was done with professionalism and warmth."
- "There is the highest level of professionalism, experience, knowledge and customer service from everyone we've worked with at Trelora."
- "Professional, excellent service and at a fraction of a full priced Realtor. They will give you excellent service at a fraction of the price."
Easy process (33% of reviews). Reviews consistently highlight Trelora's ability to make the real estate process straightforward and stress-free, with particular emphasis on their effective use of technology, clear step-by-step guidance, and ability to handle both traditional and remote closings seamlessly.
- "Almost the entire process was handled digitally, making it easy for me to manage with an extremely hectic work schedule."
- "The process was very smooth. They walk you through every step, and they make everything super easy."
- "It is a non-traditional method of selling your property, however the process was nearly seamless. Their multi-level agent approach makes it easy to get multiple perspectives and coordinate timing."
- "It was my first house purchase, and honestly the process was so smooth I thought something was missing!"
- "They have such a streamlined process with convenient access to an online portal with all the information."
🟡 Trelora complaints and areas for improvement
Unprofessional service (5% of reviews). While the majority of Trelora's reviews are positive, some customers report concerning instances of unprofessional behavior and service issues. The negative reviews highlight problems with staff turnover, lack of attention to detail, inadequate real estate knowledge, and occasional confrontational or dismissive behavior.
- "They do not have the proper real estate/legal knowledge and they put sellers at risk for lawsuits. This is the definition of a company that churns out work without caring for the client."
- "I used Trelora as a seller and buyer and both quit and left the company and passed me to someone else."
- "Incompetent team of hourly workers. My experience selling my home with your company has been a nightmare."
- "My Denver property has been on market nearly 100 days. Errors on Treloras part all throughout."
- "During that process, I came to find out the closers are not even following the company process."
- "They also tried to start the closing without our broker present.. which is extremely unprofessional."
Misrepresented services (5% of reviews). Some reviews indicate that customers feel misled about the level of guidance and personal attention they would receive.
- "Great if you know what you're doing and are comfortable making major decisions without much guidance."
- "Trelora doesn't fulfill or honor what is posted to their website. This is called bait and switch."
- "You don't have a personal agent and work with multiple people so you're just a product in their factory line."
- "We were first time home buyers, and had to do more groundwork than we expected. It seemed very difficult for Trelora to provide insight, recommendations, or a path forward as an advisor of our best interest."
Poor communication (4% of reviews). While many customers experienced prompt communication from their Trelora agents, several reviewers mentioned mentioned problems with unreturned calls and messages, delays in important contract-related communications, and a lack of proactive updates. Some customers express frustration with the team-based approach leading to disconnected or incomplete communication between different team members.
- "Literally was giving them a $600,000+ listing in Denver… all they had to do was answer the phone or respond to a text message…. They did not do either"
- "Long story short, they received another offer, I was not informed and the [seller] accepted it. This offer was $18k under my maximum number and I was never given the opportunity to make a bid."
- "Their 'team' doesn't have a sense of communication between themselves. Most of their interaction was reactive, not proactive on Trelora's part."
- "Multiple instances of requesting a phone call from someone on the team, with only text replies back. Did not return phone calls and knowledge of listing's she listed was nonexistent."
- "There was a period of time, I felt I was too detached from Trelora (agent wouldn't call for regular sync-up)"
Lack of integrity (3% of reviews). A very small percentage of reviews raise concerns about Trelora's business conduct, with allegations ranging from aggressive sales tactics to failure to present offers.
- "We now have hired an attorney and are filing criminal and civil charges on Trelora. Shady, shady, shady company who doesnt play by most real estate rules."
- "Trelora team didn't present our offer (which is illegal, mind you) to their seller."
- "We were being strong armed into buying a home with serious problems that we knew would be a poor decision.
- "An agent pressured me to put in an offer on a home I was unsure about for an offer price I was unsure about."
Trelora vs. the competition
How Trelora works
Trelora offers sellers a full-service real estate agent experience for buyers and sellers.
The only catch with Trelora’s customer service model is that customers work with a team of agents and personnel rather than a single real estate agent. Home sellers using Trelora might work with different Trelora agents at pricing, showings, negotiating tables, and closing. Buyers may do a lot of the leg work to find and tour homes themselves, then work with Trelora to submit offers and coordinate the closing.
This approach enables Trelora to handle a very high volume of sellers, though it could result in a lack of personalized, one-on-one help from your real estate agent.
What to expect as a seller
The Trelora process is fairly straightforward and resembles a conventional sale— except that you won’t have a dedicated agent you work with throughout the process. Instead, you’ll use a team-based approach.
- First, you’ll book a consultation with a Trelora pricing agent to discuss fair market pricing strategy with you.
- If you choose to sign on with Trelora, your pricing agent will arrange for a photographer to visit your home and take listing photos.
- Your Trelora agent and their team will handle your MLS listing, marketing, and showings.
- Once you have a good fair market offer, your Trelora listing agent will negotiate price with the buyer.
- Your Trelora agent and team will then guide you through your home’s appraisal, inspection, and closing. Your Trelora agent will come to the closing table with you in person if you request.
- You pay a 1% ($3,000 minimum flat fee) listing fee at closing.
What to expect as a buyer
Working with Trelora as a buyer is similar to what a seller would experience with Trelora’s signature team based approach.
- Once you contact Trelora, they’ll connect you with a local Trelora buyer agent, though they won’t be your dedicated agent.
- If your buyer consultation goes well, you’ll sign a buyer agency agreement and then begin touring homes.
- You can schedule showings through Trelora’s app; a showing agent will take you to unlimited showings.
- If you find a home you like, a Trelora buyer’s agent will help you put in an offer.
- At closing, you get half of the buyer’s agent commission as a rebate.
How much can I save with Trelora?
Trelora’s 1% listing fee ($3,000 minimum) offers significant savings over the standard 2.5–3% realtor commission, especially at higher price points. Trelora’s savings also compare well to those of other discount brokerages, many of which have either higher fee minimum or higher percentage-based listing fees.
Enter your estimated home price into the calculator below to see how much you could save with Trelora and other 1% commission real estate companies.
Trelora news and updates
Trelora was founded in 2011 in Denver. After early controversy related to low buyer agent commissions, the company found its footing and quickly expanded to seven additional states. In 2022, Trelora was acquired by competitor Houwzer; though Trelora has fully merged with Houwzer, it has kept the name Trelora in the states where it has a presence. The company’s main service change has been to go from a flat fee brokerage to a discount 1% brokerage.
Bottom line: Should I use Trelora?
Trelora works best for sellers who don’t need a lot of personalized attention from their listing agent. If you have a very desirable home in a hot market or you’re fairly independent, you’ll likely be satisfied with your Trelora experience and its team-based approach.
Even sellers who would prefer a personalized agent experience or a dedicated agent should consider Trelora if they’re selling a high-priced home. Trelora’s 1% listing fee could save them five figures in real estate fees if they sell a home for more than half a million dollars.
On the other hand, if you have a difficult property or need a lot of attention from a dedicated agent, you might be better served finding a conventional real estate agent instead of using Trelora’s team-based approach.
FAQ about Trelora Real Estate
How does Trelora work?
Trelora Real Estate charges sellers a 1% listing fee with a minimum fee of $3,000. Since the company earns less money from each customer, it offsets its discounted rates by having its salaried agents handle 20 times more transactions than the average realtor. How does Trelora stack up against the competition? Check out our rankings of the best low commission companies.
How do you buy a house through Trelora?
When you buy a house with Trelora, you'll work with a team of Trelora employees rather than a single, dedicated agent. One or more "showing agents" will accompany you on home tours, while your "buyer's agent" will provide remote support for writing an offer and negotiating with the seller. You may coordinate with other Trelora team members to schedule inspections, find a lender, and shop for title insurance. Want to save when you buy? Learn how to get a cash-back refund when you find your dream home.
How does Trelora market your property?
If you sell with Trelora, the company will market your property similarly to a traditional brokerage. This includes listing your house on the MLS, advertising your listing on social media sites, and hosting open houses. Looking to save when you sell? Learn how to find a 1% commission realtor.
What states is Trelora in?
Trelora is currently available in select cities in eight states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Washington. Selling somewhere else? Find low cost realtors near you!
Why did the owner of Trelora step down?
When Trelora founder Joshua Hunt stepped down as CEO in December 2018, neither he nor the company provided a clear explanation for his resignation. "I have always known that, at some point, I may not be the best person to run the company, and the time has come to find a leader who can maximize and unlock Trelora's true potential," Hunt said at the time.
Under Hunt's leadership, Trelora developed a combative relationship with conventional real estate brokerages. By his own estimate, 40% of traditional realtors refused to show Trelora listings. Hunt's abrasive rhetoric didn't help. Shortly before he resigned, he boasted that Trelora would make traditional realtors "sh*t themselves." Since Brady Miller succeeded Hunt as CEO, Trelora has appeared to tone down its controversial tactics.
Related articles
If you’re considering Trelora pros and cons, it’s important to compare all of your discount broker options. Read the following resources to learn about other ways to save.
What Companies Offer the Lowest Real Estate Commission Fees? Trelora offers cheap listing fees, but it’s not the only company offering realtor commission discounts. Find out which company charges the lowest commission fees.
Discount Real Estate Brokers and Agents: Everything You Need to Know: Selling with a discount real estate broker like Trelora 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.
Clever Real Estate: Must-See Reviews: Clever connects home buyers and sellers to top-rated real estate agents in their area. Learn how their free agent-matching service can help you sell with full-service realtors for just 1.5%.
Methodology
The Real Estate Witch team evaluated Trelora 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 decide whether Trelora is right for your next real estate transaction.
Our low commission real estate brokerage rankings are based on three key criteria:
- Cost and savings. We compared Trelora'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 service. We performed an in-depth analysis on Trelora'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 evaluated how efficient it is for customers to find, compare, and select an agent through Trelora, evaluating their agent network size, technical platforms, communication methods, and post-transaction support.