HomeLister reviews | Should I use HomeLister? | Pricing and services | How it works | HomeLister vs. competitors | Alternatives | FAQ

HomeLister is a legitimate flat fee MLS company that lets you list your home on major real estate sites without using an agent.

The company offers many helpful add-ons to its listing plans, including lockboxes, disclosure forms, and access to ShowingTime (the app agents use to schedule home tours). It also has an easy-to-use website and good customer reviews.

But HomeLister's service packages aren't cheap. And depending on the plan you choose, you might have to pay BEFORE closing on your sale.

While HomeLister saves you 2.5–3% on listing fees, you'll have to work hard to sell the house yourself, and you'll likely make a lot less on your home sale. Real estate data shows that homes sold without an agent sell for an average of 6% less than homes sold with an agent.[1]

HomeLister does have a plan that offers phone-based agent support throughout the selling process. But it costs $3,000, and at that point, you're probably better off with a full-service discount realtor.

If you want a low-cost listing service, we recommend other options over HomeLister. These alternatives include cheaper flat fee MLS services and low-commission real estate agents who offer full service.

» SAVE: Get a full-service agent, save thousands on commission

Should you use HomeLister to sell your house?

Easy-to-use website and listing portal

Selling your home by yourself is hard, requiring a lot of paperwork, prep, and energy. We tested HomeLister's listing portal — we were immediately impressed. It makes this complicated process easier (and even a little fun).

On its listing portal, HomeLister breaks down the process into easy and quick steps, with some pages including FAQ in case you have trouble understanding what info you need to provide — or why that info is necessary in the first place. You can also see your progress throughout the process, plus an estimate on how much you'll save on realtor commission.

Great customer service

HomeLister has great customer reviews on Trustpilot, the Better Business Bureau, Google, and Zillow.

While mystery shopping, we also found HomeLister has a highly responsive staff through phone, email, and the site's chat feature.

Still, HomeLister loses a point for how it portrays itself to customers. It's honest about how much you would save vs. selling with an agent. BUT HomeLister frames its services as unique among flat fee MLS companies to justify how expensive some of their services are. In turn, you end up paying way more for MLS access — something offered by all of HomeLister's competitors at a lower cost.

Variety of à-la-carte services

HomeLister offers add-on services so you can customize your plan. You can add professional photography, a home price report (CMA), a 3D interactive video tour, and help with paperwork.

The cost of these services can add up quickly, so take that into account when choosing whether to use HomeLister, another flat fee company, or a real estate agent.

Pricey plans

HomeLister scores low here because their Premium and Platinum plans are much more expensive than those offered by other companies.

While you get more in these packages, the services themselves are overpriced. For instance, HomeLister charges $149 for a yard sign, something going for less than $100 with other companies.

And while you would pay more if you worked with an agent, you'd get virtually ALL of the stuff in HomeLister's Platinum package. Plus, you'd also get the advice of a real estate expert that would likely translate into a better sale price for your home.

Up-front fee

HomeLister's plans require you to pay an up-front fee of $99–699 — something you DON'T do with an agent or most other companies.

HomeLister pricing and services

HomeLister has three price plans for customers that offer varying degrees of service. All of these plans, including HomeLister's cheapest one, are more expensive than the plans offered by competitors.

Basic plan: $599

HomeLister's basic plan gets you on the MLS and major real estate sites like Zillow and Redfin and a few extra services:

• Access to ShowingTime, an app that helps you schedule showings for your home
• The Virtual Tours app
• A yard sign

While these aren't "nothing," you are overpaying for this plan when considering you'd get much of this with other flat fee MLS companies at a lower price.

With HomeLister's basic plan, you pay $99 upfront and $500 when you close on the sale. However, if you pick any of the add-on services (e.g., a comparative market analysis, marketing assistance, or professional photography), you're charged for these when you list.

Premium plan: $1,699

With this plan, you pay $599 upfront, BEFORE your listing is posted on the MLS and other sites. You pay the remaining $1,100 at closing.

Along with all the stuff included in the basic plan, HomeLister's premium plan adds other services:

• Professional photography of your listing
• Seller's paperwork management services
• A custom flyer for marketing
• Offer review and counteroffer prep provided by HomeLister's experts

It's important to note what's NOT included in this plan: a comparative market analysis (CMA) that will give you the most accurate estimate of how much you could make from this sale. CMA's are invaluable tools offered (with no extra cost!) by agents; with HomeLister, you're paying $1,699 and STILL not getting a CMA and other services.

Platinum plan: $2,999

To get HomeLister's full suite of services, you need to shell out $2,999 — $699 when you list and $2,300 at closing.

In addition to all of the stuff offered in HomeLister's basic and premium plans, the platinum plan includes services that are much closer to what you'd get with an agent:

• Offer negotiation assistance
• A CMA
• Staging consultation
• Email marketing of your listing
• Support from HomeLister's agents during a "welcome call" and advice when you get an offer and reach closing

Choosing HomeLister means you don't have to work with an agent, potentially saving you thousands of dollars. BUT your buyer will probably still have an agent.

You'll still need to offer commission to the buyer's broker, and HomeLister recommends offering 2.5%, the industry standard.

With any of these plans, HomeLister offers to refer you to a local agent if you decide to cancel your listing.

HomeLister's cancellation policy

If you cancel your listing within 30 days of posting it, HomeLister charges you $99. If you cancel after 30 days, you aren't charged unless the state MLS requires a fee.

All listings on HomeLister last for six months.

How does HomeLister work?

HomeLister's process is arguably its strongest asset. The site's listing portal is incredibly intuitive, making it easier for you to list your home than on other sites.

To begin, enter your address on HomeLister's site and make an account. This will give you access to your account dashboard and listing portal.

The listing portal (below) is easy to navigate and displays everything you'll need to post on the MLS.

Let's have a quick look at the portal's key components:

1. On the left-hand side is a list of all of the steps you need to take before your listing is live. You can follow the steps as listed, or jump ahead to other steps.
2. At the top is an estimated range of what you would save on realtor commission when you close. If you click on the info icon, you'll see an explanation on how this is calculated.
3. A progress bar showing how far along you are is at the top.
4. At the top right corner, you can leave the listing portal and go to your dashboard, which lets you manage your profile and any other listings.
5. At the bottom right corner is HomeLister's chat feature. A chat bot will share FAQs and articles based on your questions, or connect you with a HomeLister rep.

On the portal, HomeLister will ask for info on your home, like the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, the home's condition, and details on your neighborhood. You can also share photos and write a description of the listing to be posted on the MLS.

After providing these details and setting a price, you set the terms of the future purchase agreement (like setting contingencies) and ownership terms. Then, just pick a price plan and review your listing before submitting.

Your listing should be posted on the MLS and other major sites within 72 hours.

HomeLister reviews and complaints

HomeLister has positive customer reviews, with an average rating of 4.8/5 across 429 reviews on Trustpilot, the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Google, and Zillow.

After analyzing the reviews, we found these themes:

Intuitive website and listing process: "This technology and service works exactly as advertised. … The entire listing process was very easy thanks to their website and we saved tens of thousands of dollars in commissions." — Vishal, Trustpilot

Real savings: "Our home went into contract within a week of listing and we saved over $25,000 compared to if we had used a normal realtor." — Stephanie Y., BBB

When reading these reviews of HomeLister and other flat fee MLS companies, take each anecdote about savings with a grain of salt. Yes, you'll likely pay more to sell your home if you work with an agent. BUT you're also much more likely to sell your home for a better price.[1]

Good customer service: "Our assigned agent was responsive, knowledgeable, and personable. The team who handled our paperwork and forms were attentive to details and helpful when we had questions. We felt supported and guided throughout the listing and selling process." — Tina C., Trustpilot

Unexpected listing cancellations: "I listed with HomeLister and paid the fee up-front plus a reactivation fee of $69 to extend my agreement to 10/18/2023. … I was advised on 6/8/2023 ‘Due to current market conditions and overall lack of demand in your area, we are canceling your listing effective 6/9/2023.'" — Mark G., BBB

HomeLister vs. competitors

» MORE: Find the best flat fee MLS listing services near you

HomeLister offers more services than many of its competitors, and all of its services are available à la carte. However, HomeLister is more expensive than other flat fee MLS companies, and it's not as widely available.

FSBO.com and ISoldMyHouse.com are available nationwide and have lower costs across plans than HomeLister. But FSBO.com has limited add-on services.

Homecoin offers one basic MLS listing plan for a low flat fee. This plan may work for experienced sellers who don’t want additional support. Like HomeLister, Homecoin also offers add-on services. But the cost of these services can add up quickly, and they're not available in all locations.  

Beycome stands out because it doesn't set a time limit on your listing. Its entry-level plan is cheaper than HomeLister’s and has similar service quality. But Beycome has fewer service areas.

Best HomeLister alternatives

The best alternative to HomeLister may be a discount real estate brokerage instead of another flat fee MLS company. With a discount broker, you pay less than the standard 2.5–3% listing fee, but you still get all the perks of working with a top local agent.

Clever charges a 1.5% listing fee and connects you with multiple top agents in your area. Getting matched with agents is free, and there's no obligation to move forward.

Redfin is another well-known brand that charges a 1.5% listing fee. It has great tech and some highly regarded agents, but its team-based approach doesn't work for everybody.

Ideal Agent charges a 2% listing fee and matches you with a top seller's agent. The company has some of the strictest criteria to determine which agents can join its network.

Where is HomeLister available?

HomeLister is available in these locations:

How to contact HomeLister

FAQ about HomeLister

Flat Fee MLS Listing Services: A Better Way to Sell a House?

Flat fee MLS companies put your home on the MLS for a set rate, saving you potentially thousands of dollars on realtor commission costs. Read on to learn more.

Best For Sale By Owner (FSBO) Websites of 2024

Thinking about selling your house without an agent? Check out our list of the best for sale by owner websites, including the best paid and free FSBO websites.

The post HomeLister Reviews: Pros, Cons, and Alternatives appeared first on Semya-Moya.

Luckily for you, our team of experts at Semya-Moya have spent hours vetting Michigan's top real estate companies so you can find an agent or team that's right for you.

These include companies that are:

• Best for saving money
• Best for a fast sale
• Best for finding great agents
• Best by transaction volume

Best for saving money: Discount brokers

Discount brokers are a great choice for sellers looking to save on listing fees and realtor commission. Some even offer buyers cash back or credits at closing.

Companies like Clever and Redfin operate in Michigan, offering you several options that could ultimately save you some money.

Semya-Moya

Get Started

💲 Listing Fee

1.5% (min. $3,000)

💰 Avg. Savings

$5,625

⭐ Avg. Customer Rating

5/5 (2,735 reviews)

✍️ Editor's Take

Pros

Cons

Reviews

Locations

Clever is a quick, easy, and free way to find a top-rated local agent. And, unlike many similar companies, Clever pre-negotiates big discounts on your behalf, so you can save thousands without sacrificing on service. Try Clever for free — save thousands on commission.

• Clever offers a free, nationwide agent-matching service that partners with full-service local agents from conventional brokerages like Keller Williams, Century 21, and RE/MAX.
• You get multiple agent matches so you can interview, compare marketing plans, and choose the best fit.
• Clever pre-negotiates low rates on your behalf — you get full service for a low 1.5% listing fee.
• If you buy with Clever, you could get cash back after closing.

• You may not get matched with an agent from your preferred real estate brokerage.
• Agents may not provide premium services like drone photography and professional home staging.

Clever has a 5.0 out of 5 rating on Trustpilot, based on 2,589 reviews.

Read reviews from real Clever customers.

Clever has pre-negotiated low commission rates with top agents in all 50 states and Washington, DC.

Redfin

Full Review

💲 Listing Fee

1.5% (min. fees vary)

💰 Avg. Savings

$5,550

⭐ Avg. Customer Rating

2.9/5 (331 reviews)

✍️ Editor's Take

Pros

Cons

Reviews

Locations

Redfin offers real savings and is a proven brand. But sellers could compromise on service — especially agent experience and availability.

Read the full Redfin review.

• If you buy and sell with Redfin, you'll get a 0.5% listing fee discount.
• Redfin gives its listings premium placement in its popular home search app.

• If finding the right agent is a top priority, you'll have limited options — Redfin only has a few agents in each of its markets.
• Redfin agents handle more customers at once than the average realtor, so they may not be able to provide as much personalized service.

Redfin has a 2.9 out of 5 rating (331 reviews) across popular review sites like Google and Yelp.

Read reviews from real Redfin customers here.

Redfin is available in 80+ U.S. markets (see all locations).

Ideal Agent

Full Review

💲 Listing Fee

2% (min. $3,000)

💰 Avg. Savings

$3,750

⭐ Avg. Customer Rating

4.9/5 (6,254 reviews)

✍️ Editor's Take

Pros

Cons

Reviews

Locations

Ideal Agent can match with a great agent from a traditional brokerage. But its 2% listing fee makes Ideal Agent a lot more expensive than other full-service discount brands.

Read the full Ideal Agent review.

• You'll get a full-service agent from a traditional brokerage.
• It's free to request an agent match, and you can walk away at any time.

• Ideal Agent costs more than most other full-service, low commission companies.
• You'll get matched with only one realtor — most similar services recommend multiple agents so you can compare your options and pick the one you like best.

Ideal Agent has a 4.9 out of 5 rating (6,254 reviews) across popular review sites like Google and Trustpilot.

Read reviews from real Ideal Agent customers here.

Ideal Agent is available to home sellers nationwide.

Assist-2-Sell

💲 Listing Fee

$2,995-8,995

💰 Avg. Savings

$6,500

⭐ Avg. Customer Rating

No online reviews

✍️ Editor's Take

Pros

Cons

Assist-2-Sell's service and pricing vary by location, but generally it offers poor value for sellers.

Read the full Assist-2-Sell review.

• Higher-value homes may be able to get significant savings with a flat fee.

• Prices are inconsistent but generally higher than the competition.
• Some customers complain about poor service and support.

Help-U-Sell

💲 Listing Fee

$2,950-7,950

💰 Avg. Savings

$6,550

⭐ Avg. Customer Rating

No online reviews

✍️ Editor's Take

Pros

Cons

Locations

Help-U-Sell's pricing and service quality varies a lot depending on location, but in general it offers poor value for money.

Read the full Help-U-Sell review.

• The flat-fee pricing can offer big savings on higher-value homes.
• Some Help-U-Sell offices offer excellent service and support.

• Pricing generally increases as home sale price increases, undercutting potential savings.
• Service and pricing are highly inconsistent between Help-U-Sell offices.

Help-U-Sell is available in AL, AZ, CA, CO, FL, HI, ID, MI, MN, MO, NV, NC, OK, OR, PA, TX, UT, VA, WA.

Best for a fast sale: Cash buyers

In a rush to sell your home? Some companies make cash offers within days or even hours if you're willing to sell at a lower-than-market price.

Cash buyers, or "We Buy Houses" companies, make offers well below fair market value — sometimes as little as 50% — in exchange for a quick closing on the property. While not ideal, working with a cash buyer can be a lifeline for sellers who otherwise can't find a traditional buyer.

We Buy Houses

Full review

Time to offer

24–48 hours

Minimum closing time

7–14 days

Closing costs

No cost to seller

✍️ Editor's take

Pros and cons

Locations

Reviews

Contact

Working with We Buy Houses is more likely to be positive than working with a local private real estate investor. We Buy Houses vets all of its investors and gives them an exclusive license to operate in its territory, so investors who use the brand name have an incentive to work hard in order to maintain their advantage.

While We Buy Houses doesn't exercise control over how much its investors offer, it does reserve the right to rescind licenses if investors don't meet its ethical standards.

Pros

• Offer in 24–48 hours
• Vetted, reputable real estate investors
• No need to worry about repairs
• Close in just seven days

Cons

• Little to no room for negotiation
• Individual investors have different strategies, so they may value your home differently
• Licenses are exclusive, so there's only one We Buy Houses option in your area

We Buy Houses operates in 200 markets in over 30 states.

Reviews online are available only for local franchises.

The vast majority are positive, with customers saying that the We Buy Houses investor they worked with was fast and professional.

• Website: webuyhouses.com
• Phone: (877) 932-8946

We Buy Ugly Houses

Full review

Time to offer

Varies

Minimum closing time

3 weeks

Closing costs

No cost for seller

✍️ Editor's take

Pros and cons

Locations

Reviews

Contact

We Buy Ugly Houses has a better reputation than most individual cash buyers, but your experience can vary based on the quality of the local franchise. While We Buy Ugly Houses can close in as little as three weeks, it pays far less than fair market value.

Pros

• Trusted, nationally recognized brand
• No need to worry about repairs
• Close in just three weeks

Cons

• Quality of service may vary between franchises
• Pays far less than fair market value

We Buy Ugly Houses has over 800 independently owned and operated franchises across 47 states and Washington, DC.

As of October 2022, We Buy Ugly Houses's parent company, Homevestors, has an A+ rating on the Better Business Bureau. No other third-party reviews are available at this time.

This rating is based on overall national data. Research local franchises for specific reviews that reflect their quality of service.

• Website: webuyuglyhouses.com
• Phone: (866) 288-9516

I Buy Michigan Homes

Website

Phone Number

(248) 871-7736

Time to Offer

24-48 hours

Time to Sale

10 days

Why We Chose It

Details

Locations

Reviews

I Buy Michigan Homes is a local buyer that understands the Michigan real estate market. This makes it an excellent option for an offer to compare against other cash buyers.

I Buy Michigan Homes is a local, Michigan property investor that buys homes for cash in select cities across the state. To sell your home to I Buy Michigan Homes, you can:

• Fill out the online form or call directly to provide basic home details - number of bedrooms, bathrooms, etc
• Schedule an in-person assessment and show the property
• Receive an offer either on-site or within 48 hours

I Buy Michigan Homes operates within Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, Washtenaw, Livingston and Genessee counties.

I Buy Michigan Homes received an average of 5 stars from 2 customer reviews.

Google: 5 stars/2 reviews

Best for finding top agents: Agent-matching services

Finding a great real estate agent in Michigan is made easy when you use an agent-matching service.

With an agent-matching service, you provide basic information about your budget. Within a few minutes, you're given a list of agents and companies to compare to fit your needs.

Some agent-matching services (like Clever and UpNest) even offer discounts for buyers and sellers.

Semya-Moya

Full Review

💲 Listing Fee

1.50%

💰 Buyer Savings

Up to $500 cash back

⚡ Avg. Customer Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

✍️ Editor's Take

✔️ Pros

❌ Cons

🏆 Reviews

Clever is a quick, easy, and free way to find a top-rated local agent. And, unlike many similar companies, Clever pre-negotiates big discounts on your behalf, so you can save thousands without sacrificing on service.

Learn how Clever helps you find the perfect agent and save thousands

• Free, nationwide agent-matching service that partners with full-service local agents from conventional brokerages like Keller Williams, Century 21, and RE/MAX
• Provides multiple agent matches so you can interview, compare marketing plans, and choose the best fit
• Pre-negotiates low rates on your behalf — you get full service for 1.5% with a $3,000 minimum
• If you buy with Clever, you may get up to $500 cash back if you qualify

• You may not get matched with an agent from your preferred real estate brokerage.
• Like other agent matching services, Clever may have fewer agents in rural areas.
• Agents may not provide premium services like drone photography and professional home staging.

As of 11/6/2023, Clever has an average customer rating of 5.0 on Trustpilot, based on 2,589 reviews.

Read reviews from real Clever customers here.

UpNest

💲 Listing Fee

Varies

💰 Buyer Savings

Varies

⚡ Editor's Rating

3 out of 5

✍️ Editor's Take

✔️ Pros

❌ Cons

🏆 Best for

UpNest has agents compete for your business, which often results in you getting a discounted rate. But savings aren't guaranteed and you will usually find a better rate with competitors like Clever.

• Agents compete for customers, which often results in slightly discounted rates
• Customer dashboard is easy to use and provides lots of each information about each agent

• Savings are not guaranteed and are often only a little better than the national average
• Agent quality and coverage varies, with smaller markets having fewer options than big cities

• Home buyers and sellers needing help choosing a real estate agent
• Buyers and sellers that can navigate the UpNest dashboard without customer support
• Real estate agents seeking potential clients

Ideal Agent

💲 Listing Fee

2% ($3k minimum fee)

💰 Buyer Savings

None

⚡ Avg. Customer Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

✍️ Editor's Take

✔️ Pros

❌ Cons

🏆 Reviews

Ideal Agent can match you with a local realtor who sells a lot of homes. But although it pre-negotiates discounted listing fees, you can save twice as much with competitors like Clever.

• Agents in network must meet strict quality standards
• Pre-negotiated listing fees of 2% (or $3k for homes under $150,000)

• 2% listing fee is less than the national average, but it's not the best rate out there
• No built-in savings for buyers
• Only matches you with a single agent

As of 3/28/2023, Ideal Agent has an average customer rating of 4.9, based on 6,254 reviews across Google and Trustpilot.

HomeLight

Full Review

💲 Listing Fee

Standard rate (2.5-3%)

💰 Buyer Savings

None

⚡ Avg. Customer Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

✍️ Editor's Take

✔️ Pros

❌ Cons

🏆 Reviews

HomeLight is an excellent tool for finding a great local agent quickly. However, it offers zero built-in commission savings for sellers or buyers.

Read the full HomeLight review.

• Get a list of local real estate agents in as little as two minutes
• One of the largest agent networks in the industry makes it less challenging to find an agent who specializes in short sales and other non-traditional sales
• Optional Trade-In program makes it easier to buy a new house if you need to sell your current one first

• No built-in savings for home sellers or buyers
• No minimum qualifications for partner agents, so quality may vary between locations

As of 8/23/2023, HomeLight has an average customer rating of 4.6 across 1,178 reviews on Google, Sitejabber, and the Better Business Bureau.

Read reviews from real HomeLight customers.

Best by transaction volume

You can also compare the total dollar value of all of a company's sales to gauge success. This won't say much about customer service, but it can tell you which companies perform well overall.

Below are the top performing real estate companies in Michigan based on total transaction volume and team size.

🏆 Best small teams

🏆 Best medium teams

🏆 Best large teams

Fast facts about real estate in Florida

FAQs about the best real estate companies in Michigan

Methodology

Clever's editorial team spent hundreds of hours researching real estate companies and services in Michigan. Here's how we did it:

• Interviews with local real estate agents and companies
• Mystery shopping of companies to learn more about their customer-facing processes
• Comparative analysis of companies' different services and features, fees, and customer satisfaction

Transaction volume data for brokerages in Michigan was sourced from RealTrends' state rankings.

Related links

Average Cost to Sell a House in Michigan

It costs michigan to sell a house in Michigan on average! Use our cost of selling a house calculator to see how much you'll pay when you sell your home.

8 Steps to Selling a House in Michigan

Selling your house in Michigan? Our in-depth guide breaks down the process into 8 easy-to-understand steps, from listing through closing.

The Best Low Commission Realtors (2023 Broker Rankings)

Find the best low commission real estate agents and brokers, so you can sell with a full-service realtor and save thousands on commission fees!

The post Top Real Estate Companies in Michigan appeared first on Semya-Moya.

Clever's team of experts is here to help. We've found and vetted Florida's top real estate companies for different situations, including:

• Best for saving money
• Best for a fast sale
• Best for finding great agents
• Best by transaction volume

Best for saving money: Discount brokers

Discount brokers charge lower listing fees, making them a great option for home sellers who want to save. Some also offer buyers a rebate after they close on a new home.

In Florida, you have your pick between discount brokers with nationwide reach — like Semya-Moya and Redfin — as well as regional companies like 1 Percent Lists.

Semya-Moya

Get Started

💲 Listing Fee

1.5% (min. $3,000)

💰 Avg. Savings

$5,625

⭐ Avg. Customer Rating

5/5 (2,735 reviews)

✍️ Editor's Take

Pros

Cons

Reviews

Locations

Clever is a quick, easy, and free way to find a top-rated local agent. And, unlike many similar companies, Clever pre-negotiates big discounts on your behalf, so you can save thousands without sacrificing on service. Try Clever for free — save thousands on commission.

• Clever offers a free, nationwide agent-matching service that partners with full-service local agents from conventional brokerages like Keller Williams, Century 21, and RE/MAX.
• You get multiple agent matches so you can interview, compare marketing plans, and choose the best fit.
• Clever pre-negotiates low rates on your behalf — you get full service for a low 1.5% listing fee.
• If you buy with Clever, you could get cash back after closing.

• You may not get matched with an agent from your preferred real estate brokerage.
• Agents may not provide premium services like drone photography and professional home staging.

Clever has a 5.0 out of 5 rating on Trustpilot, based on 2,589 reviews.

Read reviews from real Clever customers.

Clever has pre-negotiated low commission rates with top agents in all 50 states and Washington, DC.

Redfin

Full Review

💲 Listing Fee

1.5% (min. fees vary)

💰 Avg. Savings

$5,550

⭐ Avg. Customer Rating

2.9/5 (331 reviews)

✍️ Editor's Take

Pros

Cons

Reviews

Locations

Redfin offers real savings and is a proven brand. But sellers could compromise on service — especially agent experience and availability.

Read the full Redfin review.

• If you buy and sell with Redfin, you'll get a 0.5% listing fee discount.
• Redfin gives its listings premium placement in its popular home search app.

• If finding the right agent is a top priority, you'll have limited options — Redfin only has a few agents in each of its markets.
• Redfin agents handle more customers at once than the average realtor, so they may not be able to provide as much personalized service.

Redfin has a 2.9 out of 5 rating (331 reviews) across popular review sites like Google and Yelp.

Read reviews from real Redfin customers here.

Redfin is available in 80+ U.S. markets (see all locations).

1 Percent Lists

💲 Listing fee

1% (min. fees vary)

💰 Avg. Savings

$8,000

⭐ Avg. Customer Rating

5.0/5.0 (389 reviews)

✍️ Editor's Take

Pros

Cons

Reviews

Locations

1 Percent Lists is one of the better discount real estate brokers available in the Southeast. But other companies provide more one-on-one support for a similar price.

Read the full 1 Percent Lists review.

• 1 Percent Lists offers one of the lowest listing fees on the market at 1%.
• Sellers receive full service.

• Limited agent selection may mean you have to work with an agent who isn't a good fit.
• Agents handle more customers than traditional realtors, so you may not get as much one-on-one support.

1 Percent Lists has a 5.0 out of 5 rating (389 reviews) across popular review sites like Google, Trustpilot, and Zillow.

Read reviews from real 1 Percent Lists customers here.

1 Percent Lists is available in the following areas: FL, GA, LA, MS, NC, RI, SC, TN.

SimpleShowing

Full Review

💲 Listing Fee

1% (min. $3,500)

💰 Avg. Savings

$6,375

⭐ Avg. Customer Rating

5.0/5 (336 reviews)

✍️ Editor's Take

Pros

Cons

Reviews

Locations

SimpleShowing’s commission savings are solid — but you may compromise on agent selection and hands-on service.

Read the full SimpleShowing review.

• SimpleShowing is one of the only true 1% commission companies.
• It also offers one of the largest home buyer rebates of any low-fee brokerage.

• You have very few options when it comes to selecting your agent.
• Agents handle more customers than the average realtor, which could impact service quality.

SimpleShowing has a 5.0 out of 5 rating (336 reviews) across popular review sites like Google, Trustpilot, and Zillow.

Read reviews from real SimpleShowing customers here.

SimpleShowing is available in the following areas: FL, GA, TX.

Redefy

Full Review

💲 Listing Fee

$3,500 (1% above $1M)

💰 Avg. Savings

$8,500

⭐ Avg. Customer Rating

4.6/5 (300 reviews)

✍️ Editor's Take

Pros

Cons

Reviews

Locations

Redefy’s flat fee could offer big savings. But hands-off service and non-refundable upfront fees make it a hard sell over other, less risky options.

Read the full Redefy review.

• Flat $3,500 listing fee is an excellent value for higher-priced homes
• Agents provide more in-person services than some similarly-priced low commission brands

• Redefy charges an upfront, non-refundable $500 fee (most companies don't make you pay anything until your house sells)
• Your agent will not host an open house for you

Redefy has a 4.6 out of 5 rating (300 reviews) across popular review sites like Google and Zillow.

Read reviews from real Redefy customers here.

Redefy is available in the following areas: CO, FL, GA, IL, NC, SC, TN, TX, VA.

Best for a fast sale: iBuyers and cash buyers

For homeowners who want to sell their homes in a matter of weeks, some companies will make a cash offer and close on your sale quickly.

iBuyers (companies like Offerpad and Opendoor) pay slightly less than a traditional buyer. However, they usually buy homes that can be sold as-is and avoid properties that require repairs. iBuyers in Florida mostly operate in major metropolitan areas, like Jacksonville, Miami, and Tampa.

» FIND: The Best 6 iBuyer Companies Ranked & Reviewed

Conventional cash buyers ("We Buy Houses" companies) make low offers — as little as 50% of the fair market value. They're best suited for sellers who otherwise won't find traditional buyers or who need to offload a property ASAP.

Offerpad

Full review

Service fee

6%

Closing date window

8–60 days

Average rating

4 (2,656 reviews)

✍ Editor's take

Pros and cons

Locations

Reviews

Contact

Offerpad promises the certainty of a cash offer and a fast closing on a date you choose. Of all the iBuyers, Offerpad has the most flexibility when it comes to closing (8–60 days) and is liked by customers for its personalized customer service and perks like a free local move.

Pros

• There's a longer closing window compared to competitors.
• The late checkout option gives sellers up to three days to move out after closing.
• You can access additional services, such as free local moves within 50 miles.

Cons

• There's a 1% cancellation fee if you back out of the sale.
• It's not as widely available as competitors like Opendoor.

Offerpad is currently purchasing homes in 25 locations, including:

• AL: Birmingham
• AZ: Phoenix, Tucson
• CA: Riverside, Sacramento, San Bernardino
• CO: Colorado Springs, Denver, Fort Collins
• FL: Jacksonville, Orlando, Tampa
• GA: Atlanta
• IN: Fort Wayne, Indianapolis
• KS: Kansas City
• MO: Kansas City, St. Louis
• NV: Las Vegas
• NC: Charlotte (+ neighboring parts of SC), Raleigh
• OH: Columbus
• SC: Columbia
• TN: Nashville
• TX: Austin, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio

As of 8/7/2023, Offerpad's average customer rating is 4 based on 2,656 reviews.

• Review.io: 2.1 (21 reviews)
• Better Business Bureau: A+ | 4.18 (262 reviews)

• Website: offerpad.com
• Phone: (844) 388-4539
• Email (sellers): info@offerpad.com
• Email (buyers): buyers@offerpad.com

Opendoor

Full review

Service fee

5%

Closing date window

14–60 days

Average rating

4.2 (3,419 reviews)

✍ Editor's take

Pros and cons

Locations

Reviews

Contact

Opendoor is a good option for home sellers who need a fast, predictable sale with minimal hassle. While the price that Opendoor pays might be slightly below the value of comparable homes on the open market, the difference might be worth it for people who value convenience and speed.

Pros

• The 5% service fee is lower than some competitors.
• Many customer reviews rate the company highly.

Cons

• Offer prices may vary by market.
• You have a limited ability to negotiate.
• Buyers may find Opendoor's repairs insufficient.

Opendoor is currently purchasing homes in 47 locations, including:

• AZ: Phoenix, Tucson
• CA: Los Angeles, Riverside, Sacramento, San Diego
• CO: Denver
• FL: Jacksonville, Orlando, Tampa
• GA: Atlanta
• MN: Minneapolis–St. Paul
• NV: Las Vegas
• NC: Asheville, Charlotte, Raleigh-Durham
• OR: Portland
• TN: Nashville
• TX: Austin, Dallas–Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio
• UT: Salt Lake City

As of 8/7/2023, Opendoor's weighted average is 4.2 based on 3,419 reviews.

• Reviews.io: 4.4 (3078 reviews)
• Better Business Bureau: 1.57 (180 reviews)

• Website: opendoor.com
• Phone: (888) 352-7075
• Email: contact@opendoor.com

We Buy Ugly Houses

Full review

Time to offer

Varies

Minimum closing time

3 weeks

Closing costs

No cost for seller

✍️ Editor's take

Pros and cons

Locations

Reviews

Contact

We Buy Ugly Houses has a better reputation than most individual cash buyers, but your experience can vary based on the quality of the local franchise. While We Buy Ugly Houses can close in as little as three weeks, it pays far less than fair market value.

Pros

• Trusted, nationally recognized brand
• No need to worry about repairs
• Close in just three weeks

Cons

• Quality of service may vary between franchises
• Pays far less than fair market value

We Buy Ugly Houses has over 800 independently owned and operated franchises across 47 states and Washington, DC.

As of October 2022, We Buy Ugly Houses's parent company, Homevestors, has an A+ rating on the Better Business Bureau. No other third-party reviews are available at this time.

This rating is based on overall national data. Research local franchises for specific reviews that reflect their quality of service.

• Website: webuyuglyhouses.com
• Phone: (866) 288-9516

We Buy Houses

Full review

Time to offer

24–48 hours

Minimum closing time

7–14 days

Closing costs

No cost to seller

✍️ Editor's take

Pros and cons

Locations

Reviews

Contact

Working with We Buy Houses is more likely to be positive than working with a local private real estate investor. We Buy Houses vets all of its investors and gives them an exclusive license to operate in its territory, so investors who use the brand name have an incentive to work hard in order to maintain their advantage.

While We Buy Houses doesn't exercise control over how much its investors offer, it does reserve the right to rescind licenses if investors don't meet its ethical standards.

Pros

• Offer in 24–48 hours
• Vetted, reputable real estate investors
• No need to worry about repairs
• Close in just seven days

Cons

• Little to no room for negotiation
• Individual investors have different strategies, so they may value your home differently
• Licenses are exclusive, so there's only one We Buy Houses option in your area

We Buy Houses operates in 200 markets in over 30 states.

Reviews online are available only for local franchises.

The vast majority are positive, with customers saying that the We Buy Houses investor they worked with was fast and professional.

• Website: webuyhouses.com
• Phone: (877) 932-8946

South Florida Cash Home Buyers

Website

Phone Number

(305) 458-8826

Time to Offer

24 hours

Time to Sale

7 days

Why We Chose It

Details

Locations

Reviews

South Florida Cash Home Buyers is a fast local buyer with excellent reviews from past clients.

South Florida Cash Home Buyers is a local, Florida property investor that buys homes for cash in Miami-Dade county. To sell your home with South Florida Cash Home Buyers:

• Fill out their online form or call them directly
• Set up a physical appointment and receive your offer after the walkthrough
• Expect to close in 7 days or on your own schedule

South Florida Cash Home Buyers is based in Miami Beach, and buys homes throughout Miami/Dade county.

South Florida Cash Home Buyers received an average of 5 stars from 9 customer reviews.

Facebook: 5 stars/9 reviews

Best for finding top agents: Agent-matching services

If you'd prefer working with a real estate professional, agent-matching services can connect you with top agents in Florida.

Using an agent-matching service is easy and quick — it usually takes five minutes or less. After you give some basic information like your budget, you can easily compare agents and companies to find the best fit for your needs. Services like Semya-Moya and UpNest also offer buyers and seller discounts.

Semya-Moya

Full Review

💲 Listing Fee

1.50%

💰 Buyer Savings

Up to $500 cash back

⚡ Avg. Customer Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

✍️ Editor's Take

✔️ Pros

❌ Cons

🏆 Reviews

Clever is a quick, easy, and free way to find a top-rated local agent. And, unlike many similar companies, Clever pre-negotiates big discounts on your behalf, so you can save thousands without sacrificing on service.

Learn how Clever helps you find the perfect agent and save thousands

• Free, nationwide agent-matching service that partners with full-service local agents from conventional brokerages like Keller Williams, Century 21, and RE/MAX
• Provides multiple agent matches so you can interview, compare marketing plans, and choose the best fit
• Pre-negotiates low rates on your behalf — you get full service for 1.5% with a $3,000 minimum
• If you buy with Clever, you may get up to $500 cash back if you qualify

• You may not get matched with an agent from your preferred real estate brokerage.
• Like other agent matching services, Clever may have fewer agents in rural areas.
• Agents may not provide premium services like drone photography and professional home staging.

As of 11/6/2023, Clever has an average customer rating of 5.0 on Trustpilot, based on 2,589 reviews.

Read reviews from real Clever customers here.

UpNest

💲 Listing Fee

Varies

💰 Buyer Savings

Varies

⚡ Editor's Rating

3 out of 5

✍️ Editor's Take

✔️ Pros

❌ Cons

🏆 Best for

UpNest has agents compete for your business, which often results in you getting a discounted rate. But savings aren't guaranteed and you will usually find a better rate with competitors like Clever.

• Agents compete for customers, which often results in slightly discounted rates
• Customer dashboard is easy to use and provides lots of each information about each agent

• Savings are not guaranteed and are often only a little better than the national average
• Agent quality and coverage varies, with smaller markets having fewer options than big cities

• Home buyers and sellers needing help choosing a real estate agent
• Buyers and sellers that can navigate the UpNest dashboard without customer support
• Real estate agents seeking potential clients

Ideal Agent

💲 Listing Fee

2% ($3k minimum fee)

💰 Buyer Savings

None

⚡ Avg. Customer Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

✍️ Editor's Take

✔️ Pros

❌ Cons

🏆 Reviews

Ideal Agent can match you with a local realtor who sells a lot of homes. But although it pre-negotiates discounted listing fees, you can save twice as much with competitors like Clever.

• Agents in network must meet strict quality standards
• Pre-negotiated listing fees of 2% (or $3k for homes under $150,000)

• 2% listing fee is less than the national average, but it's not the best rate out there
• No built-in savings for buyers
• Only matches you with a single agent

As of 3/28/2023, Ideal Agent has an average customer rating of 4.9, based on 6,254 reviews across Google and Trustpilot.

HomeLight

Full Review

💲 Listing Fee

Standard rate (2.5-3%)

💰 Buyer Savings

None

⚡ Avg. Customer Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

✍️ Editor's Take

✔️ Pros

❌ Cons

🏆 Reviews

HomeLight is an excellent tool for finding a great local agent quickly. However, it offers zero built-in commission savings for sellers or buyers.

Read the full HomeLight review.

• Get a list of local real estate agents in as little as two minutes
• One of the largest agent networks in the industry makes it less challenging to find an agent who specializes in short sales and other non-traditional sales
• Optional Trade-In program makes it easier to buy a new house if you need to sell your current one first

• No built-in savings for home sellers or buyers
• No minimum qualifications for partner agents, so quality may vary between locations

As of 8/23/2023, HomeLight has an average customer rating of 4.6 across 1,178 reviews on Google, Sitejabber, and the Better Business Bureau.

Read reviews from real HomeLight customers.

Best by transaction volume

Here's another way to measure the best real estate companies in Florida: the total dollar value of all of a company's deals.

While this WON'T tell you anything about companies' customer service record, it can show which are performing at a high level.

Below are the top performing real estate companies in Florida based on total transaction volume and team size.

🏆 Best small teams

🏆 Best medium teams

🏆 Best large teams

Fast facts about Florida real estate

FAQs about the best real estate companies in Florida

Methodology

Clever's editorial team spent hundreds of hours researching real estate companies and services in Florida. Here's how we did it:

• Interviews with local real estate agents and companies
• Mystery shopping of companies to learn more about their customer-facing processes
• Comparative analysis of companies' different services and features, fees and customer satisfaction

Transaction volume data for brokerages in Florida was sourced from RealTrends' state rankings.

Related links

Average Cost to Sell a House in Florida

It costs $47,088 to sell a house in Florida on average! Use our cost of selling a house calculator to see how much you'll pay when you sell your home.

Buying a House in Florida in 8 Easy Steps

From saving for a down payment to reaching the closing table, learn how to navigate the key steps to buying a house in Florida.

The Best Low Commission Realtors (2023 Broker Rankings)

Find the best low commission real estate agents and brokers, so you can sell with a full-service realtor and save thousands on commission fees!

The post Top Real Estate Companies in Florida appeared first on Semya-Moya.

While the variety of agents and real estate companies can be good for buyers and sellers in Ohio, it can also complicate their understanding of the market.

Luckily, Semya-Moya is here to help trek a path through this dense forest of housing and real estate services. Here are lists of some of Ohio's the top companies, organized in a few different ways:

• Best for saving money
• Best for a fast sale
• Best for finding top agents
• Best by transaction volume

Best for saving money: Discount brokers

If your #1 priority is saving money when you buy or sell your home, consider working with a discount broker. These companies connect you with an agent while charging reduced realtor commission. Some — like Semya-Moya — even offer buyers cash back when they close.

A trade-off that comes with a discount broker's affordability is that some companies cut costs on their end to help you save. This might mean they hire fewer real estate agents while expecting them to handle a higher-than-usual volume of clients, which means you'd get less personal attention than if you found an agent through other means.

Clever, Redfin, and other discount brokers operate in Ohio, meaning there are ample opportunities for you to save as a buyer or seller.

Semya-Moya

Get Started

💲 Listing Fee

1.5% (min. $3,000)

💰 Avg. Savings

$5,625

⭐ Avg. Customer Rating

5/5 (2,735 reviews)

✍️ Editor's Take

Pros

Cons

Reviews

Locations

Clever is a quick, easy, and free way to find a top-rated local agent. And, unlike many similar companies, Clever pre-negotiates big discounts on your behalf, so you can save thousands without sacrificing on service. Try Clever for free — save thousands on commission.

• Clever offers a free, nationwide agent-matching service that partners with full-service local agents from conventional brokerages like Keller Williams, Century 21, and RE/MAX.
• You get multiple agent matches so you can interview, compare marketing plans, and choose the best fit.
• Clever pre-negotiates low rates on your behalf — you get full service for a low 1.5% listing fee.
• If you buy with Clever, you could get cash back after closing.

• You may not get matched with an agent from your preferred real estate brokerage.
• Agents may not provide premium services like drone photography and professional home staging.

Clever has a 5.0 out of 5 rating on Trustpilot, based on 2,589 reviews.

Read reviews from real Clever customers.

Clever has pre-negotiated low commission rates with top agents in all 50 states and Washington, DC.

Redfin

Full Review

💲 Listing Fee

1.5% (min. fees vary)

💰 Avg. Savings

$5,550

⭐ Avg. Customer Rating

2.9/5 (331 reviews)

✍️ Editor's Take

Pros

Cons

Reviews

Locations

Redfin offers real savings and is a proven brand. But sellers could compromise on service — especially agent experience and availability.

Read the full Redfin review.

• If you buy and sell with Redfin, you'll get a 0.5% listing fee discount.
• Redfin gives its listings premium placement in its popular home search app.

• If finding the right agent is a top priority, you'll have limited options — Redfin only has a few agents in each of its markets.
• Redfin agents handle more customers at once than the average realtor, so they may not be able to provide as much personalized service.

Redfin has a 2.9 out of 5 rating (331 reviews) across popular review sites like Google and Yelp.

Read reviews from real Redfin customers here.

Redfin is available in 80+ U.S. markets (see all locations).

Ideal Agent

Full Review

💲 Listing Fee

2% (min. $3,000)

💰 Avg. Savings

$3,750

⭐ Avg. Customer Rating

4.9/5 (6,254 reviews)

✍️ Editor's Take

Pros

Cons

Reviews

Locations

Ideal Agent can match with a great agent from a traditional brokerage. But its 2% listing fee makes Ideal Agent a lot more expensive than other full-service discount brands.

Read the full Ideal Agent review.

• You'll get a full-service agent from a traditional brokerage.
• It's free to request an agent match, and you can walk away at any time.

• Ideal Agent costs more than most other full-service, low commission companies.
• You'll get matched with only one realtor — most similar services recommend multiple agents so you can compare your options and pick the one you like best.

Ideal Agent has a 4.9 out of 5 rating (6,254 reviews) across popular review sites like Google and Trustpilot.

Read reviews from real Ideal Agent customers here.

Ideal Agent is available to home sellers nationwide.

Assist-2-Sell

💲 Listing Fee

$2,995-8,995

💰 Avg. Savings

$6,500

⭐ Avg. Customer Rating

No online reviews

✍️ Editor's Take

Pros

Cons

Assist-2-Sell's service and pricing vary by location, but generally it offers poor value for sellers.

Read the full Assist-2-Sell review.

• Higher-value homes may be able to get significant savings with a flat fee.

• Prices are inconsistent but generally higher than the competition.
• Some customers complain about poor service and support.

Best for a fast sale: iBuyers and cash buyers

If speed is more your game, you're in luck: several Ohio real estate companies specialize in quick sales. While the average time a home in Ohio stays on the market is 39, iBuyers and cash buyers will buy your home in two weeks or less after you contact them.

Cash buyers, or "We Buy Houses" companies, buy distressed properties and homes that require a ton of work. However, they'll make below-market offers — as low as 50% of the market value — in exchange for the speed and ease of the sale.

» COMPARE: Top 5 We Buy Houses for Cash Companies in Ohio

iBuyers will pay much closer to the fair market value for your home. However, they typically focus on homes with little to no repairs needed instead of distressed properties.

Offerpad is the only major iBuyer that operates in Ohio, though it works exclusively in the Columbus metropolitan area.

We Buy Houses

Full review

Time to offer

24–48 hours

Minimum closing time

7–14 days

Closing costs

No cost to seller

✍️ Editor's take

Pros and cons

Locations

Reviews

Contact

Working with We Buy Houses is more likely to be positive than working with a local private real estate investor. We Buy Houses vets all of its investors and gives them an exclusive license to operate in its territory, so investors who use the brand name have an incentive to work hard in order to maintain their advantage.

While We Buy Houses doesn't exercise control over how much its investors offer, it does reserve the right to rescind licenses if investors don't meet its ethical standards.

Pros

• Offer in 24–48 hours
• Vetted, reputable real estate investors
• No need to worry about repairs
• Close in just seven days

Cons

• Little to no room for negotiation
• Individual investors have different strategies, so they may value your home differently
• Licenses are exclusive, so there's only one We Buy Houses option in your area

We Buy Houses operates in 200 markets in over 30 states.

Reviews online are available only for local franchises.

The vast majority are positive, with customers saying that the We Buy Houses investor they worked with was fast and professional.

• Website: webuyhouses.com
• Phone: (877) 932-8946

We Buy Ugly Houses

Full review

Time to offer

Varies

Minimum closing time

3 weeks

Closing costs

No cost for seller

✍️ Editor's take

Pros and cons

Locations

Reviews

Contact

We Buy Ugly Houses has a better reputation than most individual cash buyers, but your experience can vary based on the quality of the local franchise. While We Buy Ugly Houses can close in as little as three weeks, it pays far less than fair market value.

Pros

• Trusted, nationally recognized brand
• No need to worry about repairs
• Close in just three weeks

Cons

• Quality of service may vary between franchises
• Pays far less than fair market value

We Buy Ugly Houses has over 800 independently owned and operated franchises across 47 states and Washington, DC.

As of October 2022, We Buy Ugly Houses's parent company, Homevestors, has an A+ rating on the Better Business Bureau. No other third-party reviews are available at this time.

This rating is based on overall national data. Research local franchises for specific reviews that reflect their quality of service.

• Website: webuyuglyhouses.com
• Phone: (866) 288-9516

NeedToSellMyHouseFast

Website

Phone Number

(800) 234-4361

Time to Offer

Undisclosed

Time to Sale

Undisclosed

Why We Chose It

Details

Locations

Reviews

NeedtoSellMyHouseFast.com is a cash buyer operating in several states across the U.S. with generally positive reviews.

Need to Sell My House Fast buys homes for cash throughout the United States. To sell your house to Need to Sell My House Fast, you can:

• Meet with a representative in person and ask questions
• Read the background research and market analysis made to accompany the initial offer
• Take as much time as you need to consider their offer

Need to Sell My House Fast buys homes across the country. Some of their serviced states include:

• Alaska
• Arkansas
• Maine
• Ohio
• Vermont
• West Virginia

NeedToSellMyHouseFast.com received an average of 4.3 stars from 23 customer reviews.

Facebook: 4.3 stars/23 reviews

Offerpad

Full review

Service fee

6%

Closing date window

8–60 days

Average rating

4 (2,656 reviews)

✍ Editor's take

Pros and cons

Locations

Reviews

Contact

Offerpad promises the certainty of a cash offer and a fast closing on a date you choose. Of all the iBuyers, Offerpad has the most flexibility when it comes to closing (8–60 days) and is liked by customers for its personalized customer service and perks like a free local move.

Pros

• There's a longer closing window compared to competitors.
• The late checkout option gives sellers up to three days to move out after closing.
• You can access additional services, such as free local moves within 50 miles.

Cons

• There's a 1% cancellation fee if you back out of the sale.
• It's not as widely available as competitors like Opendoor.

Offerpad is currently purchasing homes in 25 locations, including:

• AL: Birmingham
• AZ: Phoenix, Tucson
• CA: Riverside, Sacramento, San Bernardino
• CO: Colorado Springs, Denver, Fort Collins
• FL: Jacksonville, Orlando, Tampa
• GA: Atlanta
• IN: Fort Wayne, Indianapolis
• KS: Kansas City
• MO: Kansas City, St. Louis
• NV: Las Vegas
• NC: Charlotte (+ neighboring parts of SC), Raleigh
• OH: Columbus
• SC: Columbia
• TN: Nashville
• TX: Austin, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio

As of 8/7/2023, Offerpad's average customer rating is 4 based on 2,656 reviews.

• Review.io: 2.1 (21 reviews)
• Better Business Bureau: A+ | 4.18 (262 reviews)

• Website: offerpad.com
• Phone: (844) 388-4539
• Email (sellers): info@offerpad.com
• Email (buyers): buyers@offerpad.com

Best for finding top agents: Agent-matching services

Agent-matching services make connecting with one of the 34,000 real estate agents in Ohio easier than ever.

With an agent-matching service, you just need to provide some basic information about your budget and needs. Within minutes, you'll have a list of local agents and companies in Ohio to compare.

A few agent-matching services, like Clever and UpNest, go further and offer discounts for buyers and sellers.

Semya-Moya

Full Review

💲 Listing Fee

1.50%

💰 Buyer Savings

Up to $500 cash back

⚡ Avg. Customer Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

✍️ Editor's Take

✔️ Pros

❌ Cons

🏆 Reviews

Clever is a quick, easy, and free way to find a top-rated local agent. And, unlike many similar companies, Clever pre-negotiates big discounts on your behalf, so you can save thousands without sacrificing on service.

Learn how Clever helps you find the perfect agent and save thousands

• Free, nationwide agent-matching service that partners with full-service local agents from conventional brokerages like Keller Williams, Century 21, and RE/MAX
• Provides multiple agent matches so you can interview, compare marketing plans, and choose the best fit
• Pre-negotiates low rates on your behalf — you get full service for 1.5% with a $3,000 minimum
• If you buy with Clever, you may get up to $500 cash back if you qualify

• You may not get matched with an agent from your preferred real estate brokerage.
• Like other agent matching services, Clever may have fewer agents in rural areas.
• Agents may not provide premium services like drone photography and professional home staging.

As of 11/6/2023, Clever has an average customer rating of 5.0 on Trustpilot, based on 2,589 reviews.

Read reviews from real Clever customers here.

UpNest

💲 Listing Fee

Varies

💰 Buyer Savings

Varies

⚡ Avg. Customer Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

✍️ Editor's Take

✔️ Pros

❌ Cons

🏆 Reviews

UpNest has agents compete for your business, which often results in you getting a discounted rate. But savings aren't guaranteed and you will usually find a better rate with competitors like Clever.

• Agents compete for customers, which often results in slightly discounted rates
• Customer dashboard is easy to use and provides lots of each information about each agent

• Savings are not guaranteed and are often only a little better than the national average
• Agent quality and coverage varies, with smaller markets having fewer options than big cities

As of 10/13/2023, UpNest has an average customer rating of 4.6, based on 6,641 reviews across Better Business Bureau, Google, Facebook, and Shopper Approved.

Ideal Agent

💲 Listing Fee

2% ($3k minimum fee)

💰 Buyer Savings

None

⚡ Avg. Customer Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

✍️ Editor's Take

✔️ Pros

❌ Cons

🏆 Reviews

Ideal Agent can match you with a local realtor who sells a lot of homes. But although it pre-negotiates discounted listing fees, you can save twice as much with competitors like Clever.

• Agents in network must meet strict quality standards
• Pre-negotiated listing fees of 2% (or $3k for homes under $150,000)

• 2% listing fee is less than the national average, but it's not the best rate out there
• No built-in savings for buyers
• Only matches you with a single agent

As of 3/28/2023, Ideal Agent has an average customer rating of 4.9, based on 6,254 reviews across Google and Trustpilot.

Best by transaction volume

Looking at a company's total dollar value of all of its sales can tell you a lot about their level of success. While this won't say anything about a group's customer service, you can get a better idea of their performance!

Below are Ohio's top performing real estate companies based on total transaction volume and team size.

🏆 Best small teams

🏆 Best medium teams

🏆 Best large teams

Fast facts about real estate in Ohio

FAQs about the best real estate companies in Ohio

Methodology

Our research team at Clever compiled this info after hundreds of hours of analysis on real estate companies and services in Ohio. Here are the steps we took:

• Interviews with local real estate agents and companies
• Mystery shopping of companies to learn more about their customer-facing processes
• Comparative analysis of companies' different services and features, fees, and customer satisfaction

Transaction volume data for brokerages in Ohio was sourced from RealTrends' state rankings.

Related links

How Much Does it Cost to Sell a House in Ohio? (2023 Updates!)

It costs $27,383 to sell a house in Ohio on average! Use our cost of selling a house calculator to see how much you'll pay when you sell your home.

How to Buy a House in Ohio [8-Step Guide for 2023]

From saving for a down payment to reaching the closing table, learn how to navigate the key steps to buying a house in Ohio.

The Best Low Commission Realtors (2023 Broker Rankings)

Find the best low commission real estate agents and brokers, so you can sell with a full-service realtor and save thousands on commission fees!

The post Top Real Estate Companies in Ohio appeared first on Semya-Moya.

Whether you're a buyer, seller, or agent yourself, Semya-Moya is here to help you navigate the real estate landscape in Washington. We've compiled lists of the best real estate companies in the state, including:

• Best for saving money
• Best for a fast sale
• Best for finding top agents
• Best by transaction volume

Best for saving money: Discount brokers

Discount brokers offer built-in commission savings for home sellers when they connect with an agent. Some also offer cash back to buyers when they close on a new home.

Just know, some discount brokers help you save by cutting their own costs. For example, they might hire fewer real estate agents while expecting each to handle a higher volume of clients, so you might not get as much attention from your agent as your would through other services.

Semya-Moya, Redfin, and several other discount brokers operate in Washington, giving you an opportunity to save when you buy or sell.

Semya-Moya

Get Started

💲 Listing Fee

1.5% (min. $3,000)

💰 Avg. Savings

$5,625

⭐ Avg. Customer Rating

5/5 (2,735 reviews)

✍️ Editor's Take

Pros

Cons

Reviews

Locations

Clever is a quick, easy, and free way to find a top-rated local agent. And, unlike many similar companies, Clever pre-negotiates big discounts on your behalf, so you can save thousands without sacrificing on service. Try Clever for free — save thousands on commission.

• Clever offers a free, nationwide agent-matching service that partners with full-service local agents from conventional brokerages like Keller Williams, Century 21, and RE/MAX.
• You get multiple agent matches so you can interview, compare marketing plans, and choose the best fit.
• Clever pre-negotiates low rates on your behalf — you get full service for a low 1.5% listing fee.
• If you buy with Clever, you could get cash back after closing.

• You may not get matched with an agent from your preferred real estate brokerage.
• Agents may not provide premium services like drone photography and professional home staging.

Clever has a 5.0 out of 5 rating on Trustpilot, based on 2,589 reviews.

Read reviews from real Clever customers.

Clever has pre-negotiated low commission rates with top agents in all 50 states and Washington, DC.

Redfin

Full Review

💲 Listing Fee

1.5% (min. fees vary)

💰 Avg. Savings

$5,550

⭐ Avg. Customer Rating

2.9/5 (331 reviews)

✍️ Editor's Take

Pros

Cons

Reviews

Locations

Redfin offers real savings and is a proven brand. But sellers could compromise on service — especially agent experience and availability.

Read the full Redfin review.

• If you buy and sell with Redfin, you'll get a 0.5% listing fee discount.
• Redfin gives its listings premium placement in its popular home search app.

• If finding the right agent is a top priority, you'll have limited options — Redfin only has a few agents in each of its markets.
• Redfin agents handle more customers at once than the average realtor, so they may not be able to provide as much personalized service.

Redfin has a 2.9 out of 5 rating (331 reviews) across popular review sites like Google and Yelp.

Read reviews from real Redfin customers here.

Redfin is available in 80+ U.S. markets (see all locations).

Ideal Agent

Full Review

💲 Listing Fee

2% (min. $3,000)

💰 Avg. Savings

$3,750

⭐ Avg. Customer Rating

4.9/5 (6,254 reviews)

✍️ Editor's Take

Pros

Cons

Reviews

Locations

Ideal Agent can match with a great agent from a traditional brokerage. But its 2% listing fee makes Ideal Agent a lot more expensive than other full-service discount brands.

Read the full Ideal Agent review.

• You'll get a full-service agent from a traditional brokerage.
• It's free to request an agent match, and you can walk away at any time.

• Ideal Agent costs more than most other full-service, low commission companies.
• You'll get matched with only one realtor — most similar services recommend multiple agents so you can compare your options and pick the one you like best.

Ideal Agent has a 4.9 out of 5 rating (6,254 reviews) across popular review sites like Google and Trustpilot.

Read reviews from real Ideal Agent customers here.

Ideal Agent is available to home sellers nationwide.

Trelora

Full Review

💲 Listing Fee

1% (min. $3,000)

💰 Avg. Savings

$7,375

⭐ Avg. Customer Rating

4.7/5 (1,308 reviews)

✍️ Editor's Take

Pros

Cons

Reviews

Locations

Trelora's flat fee offers big savings at higher price points — but the company may provide less personalized service and local support than a traditional agent.

Read the full Trelora review.

• Trelora's 1% listing fee makes it one of the cheapest real estate companies for home sellers
• Trelora's commission rebate offers qualifying home buyers solid overall value

• Trelora agents juggle up to 20x as many customers as the average realtor
• Since agents handle so many customers at once, you'll be competing with a LOT of other people for your agent's time and attention
• This high-volume approach greatly increases the risk of mistakes, oversights, and delays that could impact your experience

Trelora has a 4.7 out of 5 rating (1,308 reviews) across popular review sites like Google, Yelp, and Zillow.

Read reviews from real Trelora customers here.

Trelora is available in the following areas: AZ, CA, CO, GA, NC, SC, WA.

Assist-2-Sell

💲 Listing Fee

$2,995-8,995

💰 Avg. Savings

$6,500

⭐ Avg. Customer Rating

No online reviews

✍️ Editor's Take

Pros

Cons

Assist-2-Sell's service and pricing vary by location, but generally it offers poor value for sellers.

Read the full Assist-2-Sell review.

• Higher-value homes may be able to get significant savings with a flat fee.

• Prices are inconsistent but generally higher than the competition.
• Some customers complain about poor service and support.

Best for a fast sale: Cash buyers and iBuyers

Homeowners looking to sell quickly have several options in Washington. While the process may take as little as a few weeks, sellers should be aware that they likely won't receive a high price for their home.

Cash buyers ("We Buy Houses" companies) will buy homes that require all kinds of work. However, these companies will make fairly low offers — sometimes as low as 50% of the fair market value — in exchange for these distressed properties.

» FIND: Top 5 We Buy Houses for Cash Companies in Washington State

We Buy Houses

Full review

Time to offer

24–48 hours

Minimum closing time

7–14 days

Closing costs

No cost to seller

✍️ Editor's take

Pros and cons

Locations

Reviews

Contact

Working with We Buy Houses is more likely to be positive than working with a local private real estate investor. We Buy Houses vets all of its investors and gives them an exclusive license to operate in its territory, so investors who use the brand name have an incentive to work hard in order to maintain their advantage.

While We Buy Houses doesn't exercise control over how much its investors offer, it does reserve the right to rescind licenses if investors don't meet its ethical standards.

Pros

• Offer in 24–48 hours
• Vetted, reputable real estate investors
• No need to worry about repairs
• Close in just seven days

Cons

• Little to no room for negotiation
• Individual investors have different strategies, so they may value your home differently
• Licenses are exclusive, so there's only one We Buy Houses option in your area

We Buy Houses operates in 200 markets in over 30 states.

Reviews online are available only for local franchises.

The vast majority are positive, with customers saying that the We Buy Houses investor they worked with was fast and professional.

• Website: webuyhouses.com
• Phone: (877) 932-8946

We Buy Ugly Houses

Full review

Time to offer

Varies

Minimum closing time

3 weeks

Closing costs

No cost for seller

✍️ Editor's take

Pros and cons

Locations

Reviews

Contact

We Buy Ugly Houses has a better reputation than most individual cash buyers, but your experience can vary based on the quality of the local franchise. While We Buy Ugly Houses can close in as little as three weeks, it pays far less than fair market value.

Pros

• Trusted, nationally recognized brand
• No need to worry about repairs
• Close in just three weeks

Cons

• Quality of service may vary between franchises
• Pays far less than fair market value

We Buy Ugly Houses has over 800 independently owned and operated franchises across 47 states and Washington, DC.

As of October 2022, We Buy Ugly Houses's parent company, Homevestors, has an A+ rating on the Better Business Bureau. No other third-party reviews are available at this time.

This rating is based on overall national data. Research local franchises for specific reviews that reflect their quality of service.

• Website: webuyuglyhouses.com
• Phone: (866) 288-9516

iwillbuyhouse.com

iwillbuyhouse.com

Phone Number

(206) 231-5864

Time to Offer

24 hours

Time to Sale

Under 30 days

Description

Locations

Reviews

iwillbuyhouse.com is a local, Washington property investor that buys homes for cash in select cities across the state. To sell your home to iwillbuyhouse.com you can:

• Call or fill out a form online to submit information about your home
• iwillbuyhouse will present a no-obligation cash offer within 30 minutes
• From there, set a closing date in as soon as 2 weeks

iwillbuyhouse specializes in buying property in Seattle, Washington and the surrounding areas.

iwillbuyhouse.com received an average of 4.2 stars from 168 customer reviews. It's accredited by the Better Business Bureau and it has an A rating.

Google: 4.7 stars/107 reviews
Facebook: 4.6 stars/58 reviews
Yelp: 3.5 stars/3 reviews

Meanwhile, iBuyers like RedfinNow will pay slightly less than a traditional buyer. They also focus on buying homes that can be sold as-is, avoiding properties that require repairs. iBuyers mostly operate in urban parts of Washington, like Seattle.

RedfinNow (No longer available)

Full Review

Service Fee

5–13%

Closing Date Window

10–30 days

Average Rating

Not available

❗Note

Pros & Cons

Locations

Reviews

Contact

In November, 2022, Redfin announced that its home-buying service, RedfinNow, would be shut down. If you're still looking for an iBuyer, check out our list of top iBuyers.

Pros

• Expanded presence in cities across California, including several not served by other iBuyers
• Large and trusted corporate brand
• Older homes (built after 1930) are eligible in select cities

Cons

• Relatively expensive services fees (up to 13% of the offer price)
• Relatively limited flexibility on closing window, compared to competitors

RedfinNow is currently purchasing homes in 31 locations, including

• AZ: Phoenix
• CA: Inland Empire, Los Angeles, Orange County, Palm Springs, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco
• CO: Denver
• TX: Austin, Dallas, Houston, San Antonio
• WA: Seattle

As of 10/21/2022, RedfinNow's weighted average is 2.5 based on 7 reviews.

• Trustpilot: 2.5 | {ibuyers.redfinnow.trustpilot_count} reviews

• Website: www.redfin.com/
• Phone: (951) 229-0511
• Email: redfinnow@redfin.com

Flyhomes

Full Review

✍ Editor's take

Pros and cons

Locations

Reviews

Contact

Flyhomes isn't purely an iBuyer: it's a home trade-in service that can help you win the bid on your next home and move in before you sell your old home. The company will buy your home from you if you can't sell on the open market. But the offer will represent the home's appraised value, not it's actual fair market value, which is likely higher.

Pros

• Don't pay two mortgages at the same time
• Move into your new home immediately

Cons

• Daily rental fees while you wait for your old home to sell
• Offer from Flyhomes is only a backup option, so it's not competitive

Flyhomes is available in select cities in 6 states: CA, CO, MA, OK, TX, WA.

Flyhomes has an average customer rating of 4.9 across 1210 reviews.

• Website: flyhomes.com
• Phone: (833) 3-FLYHOMES
• Email: hello@flyhomes.com

Best for finding top agents: Agent-matching services

Agent-matching services help you find local real estate agents in Washington who best fit your needs.

After you submit some basic info on your budget and time frame, you're free to compare agents and real estate companies based on expertise, price, and customer reviews.

As an added bonus, services like Semya-Moya and UpNest also offer discounts to buyers and sellers when they match with an agent.

Semya-Moya

Full Review

💲 Listing Fee

1.50%

💰 Buyer Savings

Up to $500 cash back

⚡ Avg. Customer Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

✍️ Editor's Take

✔️ Pros

❌ Cons

🏆 Reviews

Clever is a quick, easy, and free way to find a top-rated local agent. And, unlike many similar companies, Clever pre-negotiates big discounts on your behalf, so you can save thousands without sacrificing on service.

Learn how Clever helps you find the perfect agent and save thousands

• Free, nationwide agent-matching service that partners with full-service local agents from conventional brokerages like Keller Williams, Century 21, and RE/MAX
• Provides multiple agent matches so you can interview, compare marketing plans, and choose the best fit
• Pre-negotiates low rates on your behalf — you get full service for 1.5% with a $3,000 minimum
• If you buy with Clever, you may get up to $500 cash back if you qualify

• You may not get matched with an agent from your preferred real estate brokerage.
• Like other agent matching services, Clever may have fewer agents in rural areas.
• Agents may not provide premium services like drone photography and professional home staging.

As of 11/6/2023, Clever has an average customer rating of 5.0 on Trustpilot, based on 2,589 reviews.

Read reviews from real Clever customers here.

UpNest

💲 Listing Fee

Varies

💰 Buyer Savings

Varies

⚡ Editor's Rating

3 out of 5

✍️ Editor's Take

✔️ Pros

❌ Cons

🏆 Best for

UpNest has agents compete for your business, which often results in you getting a discounted rate. But savings aren't guaranteed and you will usually find a better rate with competitors like Clever.

• Agents compete for customers, which often results in slightly discounted rates
• Customer dashboard is easy to use and provides lots of each information about each agent

• Savings are not guaranteed and are often only a little better than the national average
• Agent quality and coverage varies, with smaller markets having fewer options than big cities

• Home buyers and sellers needing help choosing a real estate agent
• Buyers and sellers that can navigate the UpNest dashboard without customer support
• Real estate agents seeking potential clients

Ideal Agent

💲 Listing Fee

2% ($3k minimum fee)

💰 Buyer Savings

None

⚡ Avg. Customer Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

✍️ Editor's Take

✔️ Pros

❌ Cons

🏆 Reviews

Ideal Agent can match you with a local realtor who sells a lot of homes. But although it pre-negotiates discounted listing fees, you can save twice as much with competitors like Clever.

• Agents in network must meet strict quality standards
• Pre-negotiated listing fees of 2% (or $3k for homes under $150,000)

• 2% listing fee is less than the national average, but it's not the best rate out there
• No built-in savings for buyers
• Only matches you with a single agent

As of 3/28/2023, Ideal Agent has an average customer rating of 4.9, based on 6,254 reviews across Google and Trustpilot.

Best by transaction volume

Another way to measure the best real estate companies in Washington is the total dollar value of all the deals a company makes. This tells you which companies are performing at a high level, though it won't say much about their customer service.

Here are the top performing real estate companies in Washington, based on total transaction volume and team size.

🏆 Best small teams

🏆 Best medium teams

🏆 Best large teams

Fast facts about real estate in Washington

FAQs about the best real estate companies in Washington

Methodology

We compiled our analysis through hundreds of hours of research on real estate companies and services in Washington. Here are the steps we took:

• Interviews with local real estate agents and companies
• Mystery shopping of companies to learn more about their customer-facing processes
• Comparative analysis of companies' different services and features, fees, and customer satisfaction

Transaction volume data for brokerages in Washington was sourced from RealTrends' state rankings.

Related links

How Much Does It Cost to Sell a House in Washington State?

On average, it costs $65,431 to sell a house in Washington. Use our cost-of-selling-a-house calculator to see how much you might pay when you sell your home.

8 Steps to Selling a House in Washington

Selling your house in Washington? Our in-depth guide breaks down the process into 8 easy-to-understand steps, from listing through closing.

The Best Low Commission Realtors (2023 Broker Rankings)

Find the best low commission real estate agents and brokers, so you can sell with a full-service realtor and save thousands on commission fees!

The post Top Real Estate Companies in Washington appeared first on Semya-Moya.

Competitors | Alternatives | Customer reviews | How it works | Who should use it? | FAQs

Equity Cash Offer (ECO) is a Texas-based real estate company specializing in wholesale deals (transactions that can include "flipping" properties).

In real estate, a wholesaler is basically a middleman between a seller and potential buyers. They and the seller sign a contract that allows the wholesaler to seek buyers. This type of transaction works best for sellers with distressed properties.

Like other cash buyer companies, ECO will make cash offers on as-is homes. The process is quick — faster than selling on the open market — and requires much less pre-sale work for the homeowner.

However, this speed and ease of sale come with a tradeoff: a smaller offer on your home than what you'd get on the market with an agent. We recommend only selling to ECO or other cash buyers if you're OK with selling below the fair market value of your home.

While Equity Cash Offer has positive customer reviews, they did not respond when we asked questions about their process or what kinds of homes they prefer to buy. With this in mind, we recommend using Clever Offers — our free no-obligation service where you can compare cash offers from companies like ECO to your home's actual value. Sign up and get cash offers today!

Who should use Equity Cash Offer?

Equity Cash Offer is a cash buyer, making it ideal for homeowners looking to sell quickly and with as little hassle as possible.

Sellers looking for speed

Traditionally, selling a property can take weeks; on average, it takes 83 days to sell a home in the U.S. right now.

Equity Cash Offer did not respond to our review questions, but through customer reviews and their website we know that working with them can be faster than selling on the open market. ECO will make an initial offer within 24 hours; one customer noted in a review that they closed within nine days.

Sellers who want to avoid making repairs and paying fees

The conventional sale process requires a good deal of prep, including repairs, which can significantly stretch your timeline and cost you thousands of dollars. Pre-sale repairs cost $7,495 on average in the U.S.

Like other cash buyers, Equality Cash Offer will buy your home as-is. You don't have to invest further in your home and you'll also avoid listing fees or realtor commission costs.

Alternatives to Equity Cash Offer

While working with Equity Cash Offer can speed up and simplify the sale, you're better off selling to an iBuyer or on the open market if you want to get a higher price for your home.

Selling to an iBuyer

iBuyers are a lot like cash buyers: They make cash offers on as-is homes. However, they differ from cash buyers in some important ways;

• iBuyers are more selective in the homes they buy, focusing on properties with little or no repairs to make.
• Since they're more selective in which homes they buy, iBuyers will usually make higher offers than traditional cash buyers.
• iBuyers buy homes across several states, yet operate predominantly in major metropolitan areas.

Many of the biggest iBuyers will consider homes in Texas, including Offerpad, Opendoor, and RedfinNow. In other words, you have your pick of potential buyers if you're selling a home in the Lone Star State. Use this to your advantage by comparing bids from multiple companies.

Plus, some iBuyers include perks when they buy your home. For example, Offerpad throws in free local moving services as long as your new home is within 50 miles of the property they bought.

Selling on the market with an agent

The best way to maximize the price of your home is by selling with an agent on the open market (i.e., the traditional way). But take note that this will take weeks longer than selling to Equity Cash Offer or an iBuyer — and it will cost you some money upfront.

Selling your home on the market is a multistep process. You'll need to figure out how much your home is worth, what projects you should do before listing it, how much repairs will cost, and how to negotiate the purchase with a buyer.

» MORE: Everything You Need to Know About How to Sell Your House

Luckily, a real estate agent will advise you through every step to make sure your home sells for its highest possible price. That includes using local market data to set a competitive price for your home — something they can do for free before you sign a listing agreement.

To get all of the perks of working with an agent while still saving money, use Clever Offers. We'll match you with an agent who will help you compare cash offers from other companies and provide a free home valuation.

Equity Cash Offer vs. the competition

If you're considering selling to a cash buyer in Texas, Equity Cash Offer is a viable option thanks mostly to its positive customer reviews. However, the Semya-Moya team can't outright recommend ECO until we learn more about their practices.

If you're considering selling to ECO, shop for offers from other cash buyers. Since many cash buyers make initial offers within 24 hours, this should be a quick and easy comparison to make!

House Cashin: Best customer reviews

HouseCashin

Website

Phone Number

(877) 355-1244

Time to Offer

24 hours

Time to Sale

3 - 30 days

Why we chose it

Details

Locations

Reviews

HouseCashin combines the knowledge of local investors with the strength of a national brand. The company can close as soon as a few days.

HouseCashin is a national service that has partnered with local investors across the country to buy houses for cash.

Steps to sell with HouseCashin:

1. Call and speak with representative of HouseCashin, or submit a form on its website, and provide details about your home
2. Schedule a visit with a HouseCashin representative to view your home. If the representative wishes to buy your home, you will be presented with a cash offer
3. Set a closing date and fill out the proper paperwork. When the sale is done, receive the cash for your home

HouseCashin has partnered with local investors in the following states:

Alabama	Louisiana	Ohio
Alaska	Maine	Oklahoma
Arizona	Maryland	Oregon
Arkansas	Massachusetts	Pennsylvania
California	Michigan	Rhode Island
Colorado	Minnesota	South Carolina
Connecticut	Mississippi	South Dakota
Delaware	Missouri	Tennessee
Florida	Montana	Texas
Georgia	Nebraska	Utah
Hawaii	Nevada	Vermont
Idaho	New Hampshire	Virginia
Illinois	New Jersey	Washington
Indiana	New Mexico	West Virginia
Iowa	New York	Wisconsin
Kansas	North Carolina	Wyoming
Kentucky	North Dakota

House Cashin received an average of 4.4 stars from 25 customer reviews.

Google: 4.7 stars/14 reviews
Facebook: 5 stars/8 reviews
Yelp: 3.5 stars/3 reviews

House Cashin is a national cash buyer that partners with local investors, including ones in Texas. The company has great reviews on Google and Trustpilot, and they'll take 3–30 days to close.

Texan Home Buyer: Fastest sale

Texan Home Buyers

Website

Phone Number

(713) 321-2888

Time to Offer

24 hours

Time to Sale

7 days

Why we chose it

Details

Locations

Reviews

As a local buyer, Texan Home Buyers has its pulse on the market in the cities it operates in. The company can close on your home in just a week.

Texan Home Buyers is a local, Texas property investor that buys homes for cash in select cities across the state. To sell your home to Texas Home Buyer you can:

• Submit information about your property online or by phone and set up an appointment for an investor to see your home
• Show your home to the investor and receive a no-obligation offer
• Set a closing date on your own schedule as soon as 7 days after accepting the offer

Texas Home Buyer purchases homes throughout the state of Texas.

Texan Home Buyers received an average of 2.6 stars from 6 customer reviews.

Google: 1 star/1 review
Facebook: 4.2 stars/5 reviews

Like Equity Cash Offer, Texan Home Buyer is a cash buyer focusing on the Lone Star state's major cities. They're a great choice if you're prioritizing speed: You can close in as little as seven days.

We Buy Ugly Houses: Nationally recognized

We Buy Ugly Houses

Full review

Time to offer

Varies

Minimum closing time

3 weeks

Closing costs

No cost for seller

✍️ Editor's take

Pros and cons

Locations

Reviews

Contact

We Buy Ugly Houses has a better reputation than most individual cash buyers, but your experience can vary based on the quality of the local franchise. While We Buy Ugly Houses can close in as little as three weeks, it pays far less than fair market value.

Pros

• Trusted, nationally recognized brand
• No need to worry about repairs
• Close in just three weeks

Cons

• Quality of service may vary between franchises
• Pays far less than fair market value

We Buy Ugly Houses has over 800 independently owned and operated franchises across 47 states and Washington, DC.

As of October 2022, We Buy Ugly Houses's parent company, Homevestors, has an A+ rating on the Better Business Bureau. No other third-party reviews are available at this time.

This rating is based on overall national data. Research local franchises for specific reviews that reflect their quality of service.

• Website: webuyuglyhouses.com
• Phone: (866) 288-9516

We Buy Ugly Houses is probably the best recognized cash buyer in the U.S. Although you'll take longer to close — a minimum of three weeks — you can expect great customer service, thanks to glowing reviews.

How Equity Cash Offer works

According to Equity Cash Offer's website, the sale process is fairly straightforward:

1. Over the phone, you provide basic information on your home — its location, if it needs repairs, etc. You'll also be asked to send pictures.
2. Equity Cash Offer will make an initial offer based on this information, which you can negotiate. If you decline their offer, you aren't charged a fee.
3. After accepting the offer, you pick a closing date. An ECO rep will conduct a quick home walk-through; they might make changes to their offer after this visit.

As the seller, you aren't responsible for any repairs or staging before closing. You simply hand over the keys and get paid.

Customer reviews for Equity Cash Offer

Equity Cash Offer has positive customer reviews, with an average review score of 4.7 from 52 online reviews.

Good customer service

The majority of reviews center on Equity Cash Offer's customer service. Many sellers described ECO staff as "kind," "professional," and "patient."

A customer who has sold multiple properties to ECO said an agent "made everything easy and understandable," and that they "went out of their way to accommodate (the seller's) needs and schedule."

Easy process

Others complimented Equity Cash Offer's process, calling it "super easy" and "quick."

One customer said it was "a walk in the park," while another shared that they closed on the sale within nine days.

Negative reviews

Some customers did leave negative reviews for ECO. Most notably, one customer referred to ECO's staff as "inconsistent" and "disorganized." However, these negative reviews are at least two years old, whereas most positive reviews were posted more recently.

Equity Cash Offer did not get back to us about how they interact with customers or about these reviews.

Where is Equity Cash Offer available?

Equity Cash Offer did not share where they buy and sell properties with Clever. But based on customer reviews and their business address, ECO appears to focus predominantly on homes in Texas.

FAQs about Equity Cash Offer

Contact Equity Cash Offer

Related links

Best Cash Home Buyers in Texas (2023)

We ranked 'we buy houses' for cash companies in Texas based on time to offer, time to close, and real customer reviews.

10 Best Companies That Buy Houses for Cash

Looking to sell your home fast? From "we buy houses" companies to iBuyers like Opendoor, we found the best companies that buy houses for cash.

The Top 6 iBuyer Companies to Buy Your Home

Find out which iBuyer companies offer the best combination of value and convenience when you're ready to sell your house.

The post Equity Cash Offer: Reviews & How It Works appeared first on Semya-Moya.

Customer reviews | How it works | Who should use Tarek Buys Houses? | Competition | Alternatives | Locations | FAQs

Tarek Buys Houses (TBH) is a real estate group that makes cash offers for homes. TBH works mostly in Southern California, but the company does purchase properties throughout the U.S.

Selling with Tarek Buys Houses is straightforward. Within 24 hours of a consultation call, they'll submit a quote based on info you shared on the phone. After a walk-through, they'll give you an official offer. Closing can be as quick as 10 business days, though they offer flexible closing dates up to 90 days after an offer is accepted.

Tarek Buys Houses will make offers for homes as-is. This can be especially useful for owners who want to sell quickly, or don't want to spend the energy and money making repairs before listing their property on the open market.

However, Tarek Buys Houses usually offers bids below market rate (like most other cash buyers) since the home is likely in need of some repair. If you want to compare local cash offers, you can sign up for Clever Offers and a local agent will shop around to present you with fair cash offers for your home.

Get offers from cash home buyers near me! ⚡️

Who should use Tarek Buys Houses?

As a cash buyer, Tarek Buys Houses is best suited for property owners who:

• Own a property in disrepair BUT want to avoid the costs and time required to improve the home before selling it.
• Need or want to sell the property fast, which is difficult when selling on the open market.
• Own a property they inherited but DON'T want the additional responsibility of maintaining and improving it.

Sellers who don't want to make repairs before listing

Tarek Buys Houses makes bids on homes in any condition.

In the U.S., it costs an average of $7,495 to make repairs to prep a home for sale. Selling to TBH lets you offload the property while avoiding this additional cost.

However, selling to Tarek Buys Houses (and other cash buyers) also means the bid on your home will reflect the company's renovation costs and be significantly lower than what you'd get on the open market.

Homeowners who need to sell fast

If you just experienced a significant life event (e.g., a divorce or job change) and need cash quickly, Tarek Buys Houses will make a bid and close on your home within 10 days. Compare that to 83, the national average time to sell.

Owners who recently inherited a property

Suppose you recently inherited a property but you DON'T want to maintain it or pay its property taxes. However, selling it can add an additional headache when factoring in hiring an agent, listing the property, hosting tours, etc.

Tarek Buys Houses makes the sale much easier. All you have to do is call them, share details on the house, and schedule a walk-through before they make an official offer.

Alternatives to Tarek Buys Houses

If you aren't in a hurry to sell or if your home is in good condition, we recommend considering other services that can maximize your home's sale price:

• Working with an iBuyer to sell as quickly while garnering a better bid
• Selling on the open market with an agent, who will help you get the best deal for your home

Sell to an iBuyer

Like your average cash buyer, an iBuyer makes an offer on your home without having to list it on the market — but iBuyers typically pay more.

iBuyers are very selective in which homes they buy; most prefer properties that require little to no repairs or maintenance. This means they probably won't buy your home if it's in poor condition.

Offerpad, Opendoor, and RedfinNow are all iBuyers that operate in Southern California as well as major markets across the U.S.

Some iBuyers offer unique perks for sellers. For instance, Offerpad offers free local moving services if your new home is within 50 miles of the one you sold.

Sell with an agent

Selling your home on the open market with the help of a realtor can be a better option if:

• You have more time to prep and sell your home
• You can afford to make some repairs on your home
• Your home is already in good condition

Selling on the market requires a lot of steps — determining your home's price, prepping and staging your home, negotiating a purchase agreement with your buyer, etc. — which can take you months. BUT doing so will mean you'll get offers that best reflect your home's ACTUAL value.

Agents use a combination of local market knowledge and recent home sale data in your neighborhood to establish a competitive price for your home. The best part? Most agents will give you this information FOR FREE before you sign a listing agreement.

If you aren't sure which route to take, Clever has you covered. With Clever Offers, you can work with a real estate expert who will provide a free home valuation AND help you compare cash offers. Plus, you'll still save money, compared to a traditional agent.

Tarek Buys Houses vs. the competition

If you're set on selling to a cash buyer in Southern California, we recommend Tarek Buys Houses. The company has excellent customer reviews and often makes competitive bids.

Still, you could also consider other cash buyers that work in this region. Since cash buyers usually make offers within 24 hours, you could quickly compare bids to make the right decision.

Sundae: Multiple bids

Sundae

Full review

Time to offer

Varies

Minimum closing time

10 days

Closing costs

Varies

✍️ Editor's take

Pros and cons

Locations

Reviews

Contact

Sundae is a marketplace that pairs home sellers of distressed properties with investors. Compared with other cash buyer companies, Sundae’s business model gives you the best chance for a high off-market offer.

Pros

• You receive multiple cash offers from pre-vetted investors.
• You can skip repairs and preparations.
• You get a $10,000 cash advance to help with expenses.

Cons

• Offers are less than fair market value.
• The bidding process takes longer than a cash offer from other cash buyer companies.
• Limited locations mean few home sellers can use Sundae.

Sundae operates in 10 metro areas across CA, GA, NV, TX, and WA.

Reviews of Sundae Real Estate are generally positive, with home sellers highlighting Sundae's customer service and the competitive prices created by its unique bidding process.

• BBB: 3.9/5 stars (95 reviews)
• Yelp: 4/5 stars (80 reviews)

• Website: sundae.com
• Phone: 1 (800) 214-4426

If you're selling a distressed property and want easy access to multiple bids, consider Sundae. Unlike Tarek Buys Houses, Sundae connects you with its network of 2,600 real estate investors to give you more options to sell.

We Buy Ugly Houses: Worth comparing

We Buy Ugly Houses

Full review

Time to offer

Varies

Minimum closing time

3 weeks

Closing costs

No cost for seller

✍️ Editor's take

Pros and cons

Locations

Reviews

Contact

We Buy Ugly Houses has a better reputation than most individual cash buyers, but your experience can vary based on the quality of the local franchise. While We Buy Ugly Houses can close in as little as three weeks, it pays far less than fair market value.

Pros

• Trusted, nationally recognized brand
• No need to worry about repairs
• Close in just three weeks

Cons

• Quality of service may vary between franchises
• Pays far less than fair market value

We Buy Ugly Houses has over 800 independently owned and operated franchises across 47 states and Washington, DC.

As of October 2022, We Buy Ugly Houses's parent company, Homevestors, has an A+ rating on the Better Business Bureau. No other third-party reviews are available at this time.

This rating is based on overall national data. Research local franchises for specific reviews that reflect their quality of service.

• Website: webuyuglyhouses.com
• Phone: (866) 288-9516

Perhaps the best known cash buyer brands, We Buy Ugly Houses will make an offer within 48 hours. Closing takes a minimum of three weeks — longer than Tarek Buys Houses — but We Buy Ugly Houses has positive customer reviews, too.

Express Homebuyers: Fastest bid

Express Homebuyers

Website

Phone Number

877-804-5252

Time to Offer

7 minutes

Time to Sale

7 days

Why we chose it

Details

Locations

Reviews

Express Homebuyers is really fast: it provides offers in just minutes and can close in just a week in many circumstances. Plus, the company has mostly positive reviews on Google.

Express Homebuyers is a national service that has partnered with local investors across the country to buy houses for cash.

Steps to sell with Express Homebuyers:

1. Submit your home's information to receive an initial "as is" offer
2. Meet with the local investor to assess your property and answer any questions
3. Discuss the local investor's final cash offer and, if you're willing to sell, sign a sales agreement then and there
4. Choose a closing day on your schedule
5. Show up on the day of the sale to sign the paperwork and receive cash within hours

Express Homebuyers has partnered with local investors in the following states:

Alabama	Louisiana	Ohio
Arizona	Maryland	Oklahoma
California	Massachusetts	Oregon
Colorado	Michigan	Pennsylvania
Delaware	Minnesota	South Carolina
Florida	Missouri	Tennessee
Georgia	Nebraska	Texas
Hawaii	Nevada	Utah
Illinois	New Jersey	Virginia
Indiana	New Mexico	Washington
Kansas	New York	Wisconsin
Kentucky	North Carolina

Express Home Buyers received an average of 3.7 stars from 261 customer reviews. It's accredited by the Better Business Bureau, and it has a B+ rating.

Google: 4.2 stars/122 reviews
Facebook: 4.6 stars/113 reviews
Yelp: 2.5 stars/26 reviews

Express Homebuyers is a national cash buyer that works with local investors, including many of the regions covered by Tarek Buys Houses. If you're looking for speed, Express Homebuyers is your best bet: they make an offer within 7 minutes and close within 7 days.

How Tarek Buys Houses works

Tarek Buys Houses touts a simple and quick process for selling your home. You can start by visiting tarekbuyshouses.com or calling (866) 914-2217.

Source: Tarek Buys Houses

Step 1: Share details about your home

Over the phone, talk to a consultant about the property. They'll ask for basic information (e.g., the address, how you came to own the home, etc.) and detailed information (e.g., the condition of the home) to begin determining your property's value. From here, they'll give you an estimate of how much they'll pay for your home.

Step 2: Schedule a walk-through

If you like the initial offer, you can schedule a walk-through with a representative from Tarek Buys Houses. This is an opportunity for the rep to take a look at the home's condition.

If there are major issues with the property (e.g., signs of foundational issues), Tarek Buys Houses might schedule a separate appointment with a licensed home inspector.

After this, Tarek Buys Houses will give you an updated offer on your property to reflect any additional info they collected during the walk-through.

Step 3: Accept the offer and move

After Tarek Buys Houses extends an official offer, you can accept it immediately if you're satisfied. If you're unsure, you can always compare their bid with competitors.

If Tarek Buys Houses' bid doesn't meet your expectations and you no longer want to sell to them, they will connect you with other cash buyers. You won't be charged a penalty if you decide to decline.

Seven to 10 days after accepting the offer, you're on your way with cash for your home. Tarek Buys Houses doesn't charge any processing fees or commission, and they'll also take care of any objects or mess you leave behind.

Tarek Buys Houses reviews from customers

Tarek Buys Houses has positive reviews from customers, with an average review score of 4.6 across 81 reviews.

Several customers said the group was easy to work with, has great customer service, and made attractive offers on properties.

Easy to sell

One customer was happy to avoid all of the repairs and hassle of selling on the market they otherwise would have needed to do. Another said working with Tarek Buys Houses was "easy and painless," and another said it was "smooth and quick."

Several customers also shared their initial anxiety related to selling, only to be put at ease by the simple and quick process. One also said Tarek Buyer Houses bought their home, even though it had property liens.

Great customer service

Numerous customers described Tarek Buys Houses employees as "professional," "honest," "friendly," and "patient."

One customer said the representative on the consultation call answered every question posed by the seller, and was willing to explain the process in great detail.

Fair prices

Several customers stated they received reasonable bids on their properties, despite Tarek Buys Houses being a cash buyer.

One reviewer described the bid as "far higher than what I thought they would offer." Another reviewer said the price was "fair."

Where is Tarek Buys Houses available?

Tarek Buys Houses operates predominantly in Southern California, but a company employee who we interviewed said that they also buy properties across the U.S.

FAQs about Tarek Buys Houses

Contact Tarek Buys Houses

Related links

10 Best Companies That Buy Houses for Cash

Looking to sell your home fast? From "we buy houses" companies to iBuyers like Opendoor, we found the best companies that buy houses for cash.

Best Cash Home Buyers in California (2023)

We evaluated 90 cash home buyers serving California based on their credibility, activity, and customer satisfaction. Check out the best seven.

The Top 6 iBuyer Companies to Buy Your Home

Find out which iBuyer companies offer the best combination of value and convenience when you're ready to sell your house.

The post Tarek Buys Houses: Reviews, Competitors, and How It Works appeared first on Semya-Moya.

Rent-to-own condos offer a potential housing option if you want to lease a specific unit before committing to buying it. This option can be less costly up front and offers low maintenance, plus the potential for amenities such as a community gym or pool.

But rent-to-own condo agreements are not widely available and may not be a good fit for you. The contracts are often complex, more expensive than buying in the long run, and have low success rates.

If you're interested in this housing option, our guide helps you weigh the most important things to consider first.

» LEARN: How rent-to-own homes work

1. Your housing choices may be limited

Only 6% of home purchases are rent-to-own agreements, and rent-to-own condos are even rarer.

Many rent-to-own companies, including Divvy Homes, don't offer condos as an eligible property type because they don't want to own the condo if the customer doesn't end up buying, explains Marjorie Scholtz, CEO of Verbhouse.

"Condos often don't rise as much in value as single-family homes, which discourages rent-to-own companies from including them in their portfolios," she says.

Other complexities include condo building limitations on rentals, and mortgage lender restrictions. It's best to consult with a real estate agent for more market-specific advice, and to help you weigh your housing options. Get free advice from a fully licensed concierge with Semya-Moya!

2. They may be cheaper than traditional rent-to-own homes

One key advantage to condos is affordability. According to the National Association of Realtors, the average sales price for a condo is $323,500, compared with $378,700 for a single-family home.

Condos are often smaller and require less maintenance than single-family homes, too. Plus, the condo's homeowner's association (HOA) typically handles exterior, roof, and lawn maintenance, saving you a ton of time on upkeep.

On the other hand, condos are not likely to appreciate in value as much as traditional homes, so keep this in mind before deciding on a property type.

3. Condos may offer more amenities

Condo complexes often feature extra perks, including:

• Communal pool
• Gym
• Garage parking
• On-site dog park
• Lounge or coffee bar
• Dry cleaning
• Office space

However, more perks usually lead to higher HOA fees.

You may also be subject to dozens of community rules and restrictions when you agree to live in a condo complex, including restrictions on pets, guests, and noise.

4. You might pay HOA fees as a renter

Normally, condo owners pay monthly HOA or regime fees, while renters just pay rent. The seller might agree to cover HOA fees during the rental term, but it’s not guaranteed. The rules vary by rent-to-own company and contract.

For example:

• Verbhouse pays all or most of a customer's HOA fees. It's deducted from repairs and maintenance reserves, which is already built into a customer's monthly payment, according to Scholtz.
• Divvy Homes and Trio Homes pass the entire cost of HOA fees onto you, and Trio also charges a one-time $325 fee.

Carefully review the rent-to-own agreement to determine who's legally the owner during the lease period, and who's responsible for HOA fees. And remember that even if your landlord agrees to cover the fees, you still need to abide by the HOA’s rules.

5. You may have other options

While the up-front cost of buying a condo or single-family home now is steeper, you'll probably save money over the long term and avoid the risks of rent-to-own agreements.

In any case, talk to a real estate professional or financial adviser to set realistic expectations.

Clever will match you with an experienced local buyer's agent to help you find the best rent-to-own condo options in your area and make the process smooth and stress-free. Get matched with an agent today!

More to consider

Rent-to-Own Townhouses: Best Options and How to Find Them

Our guide breaks down where to find quality rent-to-own townhouses, with tips on comparing options and spotting fraudulent listings.

How to Find Rent-to-Own Homes Near Me (2023 Guide)

Learn how to find legitimate rent-to-own homes near you. Our guide breaks down how to find and vet rent-to-own listings before committing to one.

Rent-to-Own Contracts: What You Need to Know

Rent-to-own contracts often include confusing and unfamiliar terms and conditions. Here's what you should expect before signing.

The post Rent-to-Own Condos: 5 Things You Need to Know appeared first on Semya-Moya.

» FIND: Expert guidance tailored to your market. Clever can connect you to experienced buyer’s agents who specialize in rent-to-own properties.

5 signs of a rent-to-own scam

🚩 The landlord requests money before signing

Scammers may ask for a nonrefundable deposit before you sign a contract or move into the property. This is an easy scam because most rent-to-own arrangements require an up-front payment. However, legitimate landlords should not ask for money without an agreement in place.

🌟 What you can do

Make sure the company or landlord requesting the money actually owns the home (yes, really). The Federal Trade Commission warns that scammers may sometimes list a home online that they don’t own to try to collect up-front fees.

You can verify the real homeownership by researching the property’s tax records, which should list the owner's name. If you’re interacting with a company, check online reviews and call to speak with a representative.

🚩 The property is way overpriced (or underpriced)

Overpricing a listing could help a landlord or scammer justify a larger down payment or higher rent.

However, underpricing a home could be used to lure you in. The deal could seem too good to be true and may tempt you to jump at the opportunity by paying up-front fees quickly.

🌟 What you can do

Your best defense against this type of exploitation is by knowing the market. Look into how comparable properties are listed. Better yet, work with a local realtor, who can give you unmatched insight.

Ready to take the next step? Clever can help you find and compare local buyers agents who specialize in rent-to-own, so you can compare and choose the best fit for your unique needs.

🚩 The home is marketed as move-in ready — but is in bad shape

Sometimes, the scammer will misrepresent the home’s condition when they list it. Other times, they promise to address these concerns before you move in but never do. Unfortunately, this kind of malpractice has contributed heavily to rent-to-own’s bad reputation.

A home with asbestos, bad plumbing, mold, or other problems can be hard to sell. Sketchy homeowners might try to offload the property by listing it as rent-to-own because they may attract people who overlook these issues.

🌟 What you can do

Read your state's landlord–tenant laws. Local laws should outline what landlords in your state are legally required to repair. For example, most states require rentals to be in safe and habitable condition, which means that all major systems (roof, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, etc.) are in working order.

Get a home inspection before signing. Not only will a licensed inspector or contractor give you an honest take on whether the home is up to code, but they could also uncover problems you may not be aware of. And if the homeowner objects, you’ll know you’re dealing with something shady.

🚩 The landlord accepts poor credit or doesn’t run a credit check

Rent-to-own providers are usually more flexible on the buyer’s credit score than typical sellers. Ideally, the buyer will improve their credit during the rental term to eventually qualify for a mortgage.

However, if the landlord accepts a low credit score (550 FICO or lower) or doesn’t even conduct a credit check, this could be a warning sign that they might try to charge you illicit up-front fees.

🌟 What you can do

If you have poor credit, be careful or skeptical of any company that’s willing to take you on as a customer, says Michelle Boyd, a housing policy expert.

"Unless the rent-to-own program is driven by a local nonprofit or counselor, it’s hard for consumers to succeed if they enter the agreement with a really low credit score," Boyd says.

🚩 The rent-to-own contract is actually a contract for deed

A contract for deed, also called seller financing, is an arrangement where the buyer moves into the property and begins making payments, but the seller retains the title to the property. A contract for deed cuts out the traditional lender: monthly payments, the down payment, and interest are all paid directly TO the homeowner.

However, contract-for-deed agreements lack the security of borrowing from a bank. Since you don’t own the home until you have fully paid for it, the seller retains all of the home’s equity and can evict you at any time.

Contract for deed arrangements have a long history of abuse, particularly in stealing wealth from low-income and Black families after World War II.

🌟 What you can do

If possible, have a realtor or attorney review the agreement to make sure it is NOT a contract for deed being misrepresented as rent-to-own.

Suspect a scam? Get advice from a pro

You should lean heavily on a real estate lawyer or realtor, especially during negotiations with landlords. Not only can they better understand the contract's fine print, but they can also help you recognize signs of risk or scams.

Related reading

Rent-to-own Pitfalls: How to Avoid Getting Stuck in a Bad Deal

Learn more about the biggest rent-to-own pitfalls to avoid, including paying more for a house than necessary and choosing the wrong home for your needs and budget.

How to Rent-to-Own a Home With Bad Credit

Learn how to rent-to-own a home with bad credit in our 2023 guide. Discover options for rent-to-own properties, credit score requirements, and alternatives to consider.

Renter, Beware. Avoid These House Rental Scams

Realtor-writer Dan Goldstein says renters must be wary in today's housing market. Watch out for these two scams and one generally bad idea.

The post 5 Signs of a Rent-to-Own Scam (and How to Avoid One) appeared first on Semya-Moya.

The overall goal is to ensure the property is in the same condition (or better!) it was when you agreed to buy it. This requires you to look at every space with a fine-tooth comb.

Ultimate final walk-through checklist | Why it matters | Conducting a walk-through | Found an issue? | FAQs

The basics of a final walk-through

Usually, the final walk-through takes place within 24 hours of closing. You can do it earlier — just make sure the seller has already left so you can look for any post-move damage.

You should have your agent with you as you take a look around; they can help you notice any issues and keep you focused. If your agent can't make it or if you didn't work with one, you should still consider bringing someone with you as an extra pair of eyes.

Why the final walk-through matters

The final walk-through isn't legally required — but it's heavily recommended. If you're a buyer, this is your last chance to look at your potential home and address any issues before closing.

Catching an issue during the walk-through means you can save yourself some trouble and have the seller take care of it instead.

For example, if you find a window broken during your final walk-through, you have the option to ask the seller to repair it (or at least pay for the repair). And while it might not be fixed before you move in, you're aware of it and won't be surprised by it later.

How to conduct a final walk-through

Bring along another pair of eyes

One of the best ways to set yourself up for success is to have your agent with you during the final walk-through. They know the property as well as you do, and they've likely conducted a walk-through before.

If your agent can't make it, you should still bring someone else along to make sure you catch any problems with the home.

Buying without an agent? Clever helps you find and compare the top real estate agents in your area so you can have a true home buying expert on your side. Plus, get cash back after closing to use toward moving costs or other home buying expenses.

Be thorough in inspecting the space

Check each room, and don't forget any crawlspaces and the home's exterior. And take as much time as you need!

» JUMP: A checklist makes things easier to remember

Focus on any issues you've already discussed with the seller

If your purchase agreement covered fixing problems (e.g., a broken appliance, chipped paint), the seller is obligated to follow through.

What if the buyer discovers an issue during the walk-through?

If you find an issue during the final walk-through, you have a few options for how to address it.

If it's a minor issue, you can ask the seller to take care of the issue and renegotiate the purchase agreement to include as much. This makes it easier to hash out how this would be paid for, like through a seller concession or with money withheld from seller proceeds, and you have it in writing.

If the issue is major, you could ask to delay closing until it's resolved. While a delay might complicate your move (and the seller's), it would give both parties more time.

If you find something unresolvable, you could cancel the home purchase as a last resort. This doesn't happen often — only 7% of purchase agreements are canceled, according to a recent survey from the National Association of Realtors.

Navigating changes to a purchase agreement can be complicated. As a buyer, your best bet is to work with a real estate expert.

Purchase agreements are most easily canceled thanks to contingencies, or conditions that need to be met for the sale to go through.

Final walk-through checklist

» Download and print a final walk-through checklist

What to bring

When prepping for the final walk-through, bring these with you:

• Purchase agreement to give you a better idea of the property
• Inspection report to make sure the seller completed all repairs noted in the inspection
• Your phone for pictures and a flashlight
• Your phone (charger or something to plug in) to check outlets
• Your agent or a friend

Inside the home

📋 Check for repairs listed on the inspection summary. If there's something the seller missed, they would need to repair the issue before closing.

🚚 Look for damages from the seller's move, like scuff marks on the floor or damage to the walls from furniture.

🚽 Inspect the bathrooms. Check the water pressure and temperature from the faucets, showers, and bathtubs. Flush each toilet to make sure they work, and check how each sink drains. Also look for mold or water damage.

🍳 Inspect the kitchen. Check that every appliance — the fridge, stove, dishwasher, etc. — is functioning. Make sure the sink and garbage disposal work properly.

🔌 Use every outlet to see if any don't work.

💡 Check each lighting fixture.

🚪 Make sure each door and window closes and locks properly.

❄️ Test the HVAC system for both cold AND hot air. Check any radiators or window air conditioning units, too.

🪳 Look for signs of pests and rodents, like droppings, holes in the floors or walls, and signs of nesting (e.g., shredded paper, leaves, or packaging).

🛋 Make sure any items included in the sale (like furniture, appliances, window blinds) are still there after the seller has moved out.

Outside the home

🏚 Check for damage to the home's exterior, like chipped paint, broken siding, or cracked window frames.

🐀 Look for signs of pests and rodents. Some states require sellers to disclose any history of a pest or rodent infestation.

🌳 Make sure all yard items included in the sale, like trees or a tool shed, are still there.

⚙️ Inspect the property's exterior lights, garage doors, gutters, and other home systems.

🚘 Check the driveway for any debris.

FAQs about the final walk-through

Related links

Can a Seller Back Out of an Accepted Offer on a House?

A home seller can sometimes back out of an accepted offer, but it's tricky. Learn how to do it, plus what could happen if you cancel a contract the wrong way.

What is a Buyer's Agent?

Buyer's agents are real estate agents who represent home buyers, but there's a lot more to their job than you might think. Find what buyer's agents do and whether or not you need one.

How Long Does a Wire Transfer Take After Closing on a Home?

Find out how long it takes to wire money before and after closing, and how wire transfers generally work in a real estate transaction.

The post The Complete Guide to Your Final Walk-through appeared first on Semya-Moya.