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UpNest alternatives | Reviews | Pros | Cons | How it works | Savings
Key takeaway: UpNest matches sellers and buyers with full-service real estate agents, but it won’t necessarily save them money like low commission real estate companies.
UpNest is a great option if your main priority is to find a real estate agent quickly. It lets you compare and interview multiple agents, so you can make sure you get the right one for you.
However, you shouldn’t use UpNest if you want savings on real estate agent commission. Other real estate companies offer lower commission fees while also holding their agents to much higher standards and vetting processes.
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UpNest overview
Listing Fee
Availability
Active Since
Our take
Overview
UpNest is a legitimate agent matching service, but it’s not a great way to save money on realtor fees. 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. For example, its competitor, Clever Real Estate, matches you with top agents and offers a pre-negotiated discounted listing rate of 1.5%.
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 savings for buyers or sellers.
- No guarantee your agent is a top performer or experienced in your market.
- Customer complaints mention a lack of professionalism and communication.
UpNest is an online real estate platform where agents compete for your business. You’ll receive proposals from multiple agents in your area.
Agents on UpNest set their own rates. The company claims that the competition drives agents to lower their rates in order to win your business, but there are no guaranteed savings for sellers or buyers.
In their proposals, agents explain what services they offer. They typically offer full service and support, including a comparative market analysis, photography, virtual tours, staging, and open houses for sellers. Buyers also receive detailed proposals.
UpNest alternatives
Company | Our Rating | Listing Fee | Availability | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Best overall
Clever Real Estate |
3,700+ reviews
|
1.5%
Min. $3,000
|
Nationwide
|
Find Agents |
Ideal Agent |
7,000+ reviews
|
2%
Min. $3,000
|
Nationwide
|
Learn More |
Redfin |
155,000+ reviews
|
1.5-2%
Min. fee varies
|
Multi-state
|
Learn more |
UpNest |
8,000+ reviews
|
Varies by agent
Avg. 2.2%
|
Nationwide
|
Learn More |
HomeLight |
Our rating
|
Varies (2.2% on average)
|
Nationwide
|
Learn More |
UpNest vs. Clever Real Estate
Both UpNest and Clever Real Estate match buyers and sellers with licensed real estate agents. However, Clever has stricter agent vetting requirements. Clever also pre-negotiates a 1.5% listing fee with agents in its network, while UpNest allows agents to set their own rates.
UpNest vs. Ideal Agent
UpNest and Ideal Agent are both highly rated free services. While UpNest will likely match you with more agents on its user-friendly platform, Ideal Agent’s 2% listing fee will save sellers more on commission.
UpNest vs. Redfin
Unlike UpNest, Redfin hires its own real estate agents instead of matching you with an outside agent. Redfin also offers guaranteed discounts, with its standard listing fee of 1.5% better than the average listing fee of 2–2.5% typically available on UpNest.
UpNest vs. HomeLight
HomeLight and UpNest will both match you with a local real estate agent for free. HomeLight typically gives customers more agents to choose from.
Another small difference is the cost. HomeLight agents typically charge the traditional 2.5–3% listing fee, while UpNest encourages agents in their network to discount their listing fees in order to win more customers.
💰 Want to pay less in realtor fees? Use our free agent finding tool to connect with local realtors who charge a 1.5% listing fee (half the usual rate). Fill out a short form, and compare agent matches from your inbox.
UpNest reviews: What customers say
Review site | Rating |
---|---|
ShopperApproved | 4.7/5 (7,800+ reviews) |
4.7/5 (299 reviews) | |
Better Business Bureau | 3.8/5 (24 reviews) |
Average rating | 4.7/5 (8,100+ reviews) |
Overall, positive reviews outweigh the negative ones. While there is some risk that you’ll get matched with a subpar real estate agent, most customers are pleased with the agents they find through UpNest.
Most positive reviews focused on the quality of specific real estate agents. A few customers also appreciated how fast and easy UpNest was and how it allowed them to compare multiple realtors.
Negative reviews tend to be from individual agents who are dissatisfied with the leads and referrals they got from UpNest.
Pros
- Unlimited agent choices
- Great experiences with agents
- User-friendly customer dashboard
Cons
- No guaranteed savings
- Inconsistent agent quality
- Spammy communications
- Poor customer service or realtors
✅ Pros: Great experiences, easy-to-use dashboard
UpNest matches you with several local realtors in its online platform, making it easy to interview and compare your options.
Several reviewers called out how easy it was to find quality agents through UpNest. Customers appreciate the platform’s ability to provide a list of high-quality local realtors, making it easy for them to select the right agent and move on to selling their home.
Finding a quality [agent] at upnest.com was such a breeze. They provide you all the information you could need and no having to contact each prospective realtor individually. I selected two realtors… They were very helpful in guiding me through this arduous process.
— Simon R., January 2024, Shopper Approved
Reviewers often mention their agents’ honesty, hard work, enthusiasm, and communication, which contributes to a positive experience for the customer. Many customers also mention that their agents went the extra mile to ensure a smooth and successful transaction.
The agent I was paired with was a perfect match. … She took the time to keep us updated and took extra steps to ensure we sold quickly. We couldn’t be happier with our experience.
— Feli S. September 2024, Shopper Approved
❌ Cons: No guaranteed savings, lack of experience
While many reviewers say their agent helped them sell their house for a good price, only a few mention commission savings.
UpNest claims to only work with top agents, though its only requirements seem to be for agents to hold a valid realtor license with NAR — that’s a bare minimum requirement and not indicative of quality.
While most UpNest reviews were positive, some customers felt let down by the quality of their home listings. They cited issues such as terrible photos and missing important details about the property, as well as a lack of professionalism and dedication to the client.
Although the process went without many hiccups there were times where I [would] not hear from my realtor for 1-2 weeks at a time. There was no follow-up on some of the items discussed in the beginning pitch that would be done such as photos of the home.
— Anonymous, November 2023, Shopper Approved
[UpNest] was fine but our realtor was subpar. We may have seen her three times and she always had to be contacted for us to find out what was happening next. She did not even come to our closing because she had something else to do. — Pat M., December 2023, Shopper Approved
Some reviews also complained about UpNest sending texts and emails afterward that felt spammy.
How UpNest works
UpNest is a free service that matches buyers and sellers to local agents.
- Fill out a questionnaire online. You’ll provide some basic info, such your desired property and timeline.
- Review your initial agent matches via your customer dashboard. Each agent profile will include their years of experience, track record. and services offered. You’ll also see how much commission refund they offer, if any.
- A representative from UpNest will call and email you within 24 hours. You can go into more detail about what you’re looking for in an agent and request more matches.
- Choose which agents you want to interview through your customer dashboard.
- Sign with your preferred agent, request additional agent matches from UpNest, or simply walk away.
What to expect as a seller
Within 24 hours of confirming your request, you should receive personalized proposals from three to five listing agents you were matched with, outlining their fees and services.
UpNest will feature agents who have more completed profiles and who are more proactive on UpNest higher in your search results. While these metrics may indicate that an agent is more motivated overall, they don’t guarantee that such an agent is right for your sale.
What to expect as a buyer
Buyers’ agents’ profiles on UpNest display a “commission refund” (buyer rebate).
Not all agents offer rebates, though, and rebates are prohibited in Alabama, Alaska, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Oregon, and Tennessee.
» MORE: Here’s how to get a home buyer rebate in your state
UpNest service breakdown
UpNest expects its agents to offer sellers and buyers with full service and support. However, each agent can submit their own proposal, so Make sure to ask your UpNest agent whether they offer all the services.
You can expect to receive the following services from your agent:
- Comparative market analysis (CMA)
- Pricing guidance
- Staging advice
- Professional photography
- Listing description and MLS listing
- For-sale lawn sign and lock box for buyers’ agents
- Guidance during due diligence (inspections, appraisals, financing)
- Help evaluating offers and negotiating terms as needed
- Support throughout closing
How much can I save with UpNest?
Unlike our other top discount real estate broker picks, UpNest doesn’t offer guaranteed savings. Instead, each agent sets their own listing fee.
UpNest claims its platform encourages real estate agents to provide “exclusive savings” to win more proposals. But we found little evidence to prove that. The listing agents on UpNest set their own the real estate commissions, typically the traditional 2.5–3% rate, so those savings aren’t guaranteed.
Since UpNest is free to use, there’s no harm in signing up to see if it matches you with agents who charge a lower listing fee. But if the proposals you receive are close to market value, we recommend checking out a discount real estate brokerage that guarantees a 1.5% listing fee, like Clever Real Estate or Redfin.
UpNest news and updates
In August 2024, realtors from six states filed a class action lawsuit against Move, Inc. (Realtor.com’s parent company), alleging the sale of fake leads through Realtor.com, ListHub, and UpNest. The lawsuit also accuses the National Association of Realtors (NAR) of being complicit in the fraudulent practices. Plaintiffs seek damages and refunds for the misleading sales.1
In June 2022, UpNest was acquired by Realtor.com for an undisclosed amount.2
In 2018 and 2019, UpNest was recognized on Deloitte’s Technology Fast 500 list as a fast-growing private company.3 It was also ranked within the top 400 fast-growing private companies in 2018 and 2019 by Inc. Magazine.4
Related articles
Top 10 Low Commission Real Estate Agents and Top Companies: Want to save money when buying or selling your home? Check out this list of companies that help you save on commissions.
How Does a 3% Real Estate Commission Work? Commissions can be confusing! This article explains how they work and how you can get lower rates when selling your home.
How to Find a Realtor: Don’t sign a contract with a real estate agent until you read this! It’s full of tips to find the best realtor for your needs.
Methodology
The Real Estate Witch team evaluated UpNest 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 UpNest 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 UpNest’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 UpNest’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 UpNest, evaluating their agent network size, technical platforms, communication methods, and post-transaction support.
Sources
- Inman, ‘Move class-action lawsuit shines harsh light on network’s paid leads’ Sept. 23, 2024, https://www.inman.com/2024/09/23/move-class-action-lawsuit-shines-harsh-light-on-networks-paid-leads/ ↩︎
- PR Newswire, ‘Realtor.com® Acquires UpNest,’ June 8, 2022, https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/realtorcom-acquires-upnest-301564136.html ↩︎
- PR Newswire, ‘UpNest Again Named To Deloitte’s 2019 Technology Fast 500™’ Nov. 7, 2019, https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/upnest-again-named-to-deloittes-2019-technology-fast-500-300954415.html ↩︎
- PR Newswire, ‘2019 Inc. 5000: The Most Successful Companies in America’ Aug. 14, 2019, https://www.inc.com/inc5000/2019/top-private-companies-2019-inc5000.html ↩︎
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