Flat rate real estate brokers work on a flat rate, rather than on a commission basis, which allows sellers to be in control of the sale process and monitor the transactions themselves. This allows sellers to control the timeline for the sale, as well as price projections. It also allows sellers to take control of the time and effort necessary to complete a sale.
Houwzer
Homewzer is a socially conscious real estate and mortgage brokerage that rebuilt the traditional brokerage model around the customer. Their flat rate agents save home sellers an average of $15,000 on their listing fees, focus on their buyer’s needs and give back to communities. Their clients have given the company a 4.9 average rating on client reviews.
Houwzer’s technology streamlines the transaction from beginning to end. The company also offers real estate agent tools, including a comprehensive dashboard and 100% digitized paperwork. Customers can also expect responsive customer support teams. Houwzer currently serves a number of counties in the United States, including Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia.
As a flat rate real estate brokerage, Houwzer works with real estate agents who work regular nine-to-five hours and are employed by the company. The company’s fee is set at $2,500, which is much lower than the traditional market’s 3% commission. In addition, homeowners can choose to receive a cash offer from Houwzer, which may help them get a higher offer from other buyers. They can also receive a pre-qualification for a mortgage before listing their home.
Houwzer also offers a rebate program to help customers save money. If your home sells and no buyer’s agent buys it, your flat rate real estate brokerage will refund your money. The rebate is $2,500, and it can reduce your listing fee from $5,000 to $2,500!
Another benefit of flat rate real estate brokerages is that they hire salaried agents. This ensures that their agents follow standardized procedures and avoid being pushy. In addition, unlike pay-for-performance agents, Houwzer agents are less likely to push sellers and buyers. This means you will get more bang for your buck. Houwzer agents will also personally handle most aspects of the sale, including marketing, accounting, and paperwork.
The company also offers a mortgage adviser service. They help customers find discounted mortgage rates and handle the paperwork. And their new in-house title company launched in 2018. They are planning to expand into the insurance industry next.
Clever Real Estate
Clever Real Estate offers a unique service to consumers looking to sell their homes for flat fees. The company matches home sellers and buyers with licensed real estate agents. The service has many positive reviews from satisfied customers. However, you should always research real estate agents before hiring one. Specifically, you should read about their performance results and ask questions about how they market their listings and work with clients.
While buyer’s agents are often paid a commission, this commission varies from state to state, and can range anywhere from 2.5-3 percent nationwide. With Clever, the company matches buyers and sellers with top-rated agents in their area and price range. This way, buyers and sellers can get the same suite of services for far less than they would typically pay with a traditional real estate agent. And, if the transaction goes through, the buyer’s agent is reimbursed for his/her commission.
Many customers find that Clever Real Estate agents are affordable and provide excellent service. Clever partners with top-rated real estate agents who are licensed and experienced. This allows buyers and sellers to pay a lower commission to a top-performing agent. The service also gives buyers the benefit of receiving expert guidance and professional representation.
Clever also offers rebate programs for buyers. The rebate program is available nationwide in most major metro areas and a few smaller markets. Clever has 12,000 real estate agents in its network. They negotiate for discounts on behalf of buyers and sellers. These programs are legal in 42 states, although not in all areas.
Another benefit of Clever is that it allows buyers to avoid paying a seller’s agent commission. This is because a seller’s agent charges a standard listing fee of 2.5-3% of the home’s value, which amounts to about five to six percent of the home’s price. This means that the buyer is paying half of the commission and will save around $8,000 if the home is worth $350,000.
Compared to other brokerages, Clever’s commission rates are among the lowest in the industry. Its listing fee is only 1%, while the traditional real estate brokerages charge from 2.5-3%. Other discount agent matching services, such as Ideal Agent, are nowhere close to Clever’s low fees. While Redfin has a flat-rate listing fee of 1%, it is only applicable to properties listed on the site.