HomeLight Reviews: Should You Buy Or Sell With HomeLight?

HomeLight is an online real estate platform offering a wide range of options for home buyers and sellers, including options to find local real estate agents, buy-before-you-sell, and cash offer programs.

The company matches customers with multiple agents in their area to help them find a good fit, but you won’t receive a discount for using the service. HomeLight customers pay the standard 2.5-3% realtor commission that most realtors charge unless they negotiate for a lower rate.

Recommendation: If you want a better deal on your realtor fees, a low-commission real estate company or matching service like Clever may work better.

Clever pre-negotiates a low 1.5% listing fee on behalf of sellers. That's about half of what you'd pay if you found a conventional agent on your own (most charge between 2.5–3%). Fill out this form to match with top-rated agents near you!

Who HomeLight works best for

HomeLight works for homebuyers and sellers looking for a one-stop shop for real estate services. The company offers realtor-matching services, lending solutions, cash-buying services, and more.

If you prioritize speed and convenience over affordability, HomeLight could be a good choice because you can handle many transaction components through the company’s services. However, you’ll pay standard realtor rates and won’t receive a discount for Buy Before You Sell, lending, or cash-buying options.

Who HomeLight doesn't work best for

HomeLight isn’t a good fit for buyers and sellers who care more about their bottom line than convenience. If you don’t need an all-in-one solution, alternatives like 1% commission realtors will maximize your profits.

To put it in perspective, selling a $400,000 home with a 1% commission realtor – who doesn't compromise on service – versus a 2.5% commission saves you $6,000 on realtor fees.

You may also want to stay away from HomeLight if you only want to work with highly rated agents. The platform rewards better-performing agents with more referrals, but any agent can sign up to work with HomeLight, meaning you could match with new, less-qualified agents on the platform.

» Looking for lower commission and more agent options? Clever Real Estate might be a better fit. Get connected with top-rated local agents and save thousands on commission fees. Try Clever Real Estate today.

HomeLight reviews

HomeLight customer reviews are generally positive, with an average rating of 4.4/5 from more than 1,200 reviews across the Better Business Bureau, Google, and Sitejabber. The company also has a robust testimonial list with more than 5,000 positive in-house reviews ^[1].

Positive customer feedback praises HomeLight for offering a convenient matching service that simplifies finding a realtor. Most customers are happy with the realtor HomeLight chose and feel like the service made their real estate transactions easier.

By contrast, negative customer reviews feel HomeLight’s sign-up process is misleading. Multiple reviewers complain about constant calls and texts from brokers they didn’t connect with through the platform.

‘They made the process easy’

HomeLight users praise the platform for eliminating the hassle of searching for an agent by instantly connecting users with multiple local realtors.

‘They’ll be my first choice for future needs’

HomeLight’s matching service connects many customers with reliable agents, earning repeat business for the company in the future.

‘I did not want to be contacted by an agent’

Prospective customers complain about constant unsolicited phone calls and texts from realtors, even when they specify not to be contacted.

‘Didn’t read the fine print’

Although HomeLight states that using the platform is consent to receive calls from agents in its terms of service ^[2], some customers feel the process isn’t transparent because the matching service only states that information in the fine print.

HomeLight pros and cons

Pros

HomeLight offers a nationwide network of more than 30,000 realtors that extends to areas beyond major metros. And once you sign up for its matching service, you can access an intuitive dashboard to compare your realtor options.

The online broker offers more than agent-matching services, with financing, cash-buying, and buy-before-you-sell options available. Working within this ecosystem will streamline your buying and selling process.

Cons

HomeLight’s expansive agent network is also a drawback. Because any licensed agent can sign up to be in the HomeLight system, you may run into inexperienced agents who don’t have a deep understanding of your market.

You also receive no discount on realtor fees when you match with HomeLight agents, and while negotiation is possible, you’ll most likely pay full commission.

HomeLight’s services outside of the matching platform come with significant costs as well. For example, the Buy Before You Sell program charges 2.4% — Knock, a Buy Before You Sell competitor, only charges 1.25%.

Low-commission alternatives to HomeLight

If you want the best deal when selling your home, consider a low-commission alternative to HomeLight. Ideal Agent’s network is smaller but offers a similar matching service and only charges 2% listing fees. And Redfin provides an even lower 1.5% commission when working with its salaried agents.

To get the best deal on commissions and work with an expansive realtor network, Clever is your best choice. The realtor-matching service has more than 14,000 members from reputable brokerages like Re/Max and Compass, and Clever negotiates on your behalf to secure a 1.5% listing fee.

HomeLight: How it works

HomeLight provides multiple services for homebuyers and sellers to help them streamline the process. Here’s how it works for each type of customer:

For sellers

Step 1: Select the “I’m selling” option on the home page, enter your address, and answer some general questions about your property.

Step 2: Connect with up to three agents in your area via the HomeLight matching platform.

Step 3: Interview agents and choose the one who best suits your needs.

Step 4: Stage and sell your home with your selected agent.

For cash offers (Simple Sale)

Step 1: Visit the Simple Sale page, fill out the online form to answer specific questions about your property, and speak to a Home Consultant.

Step 2: Connect with a member of HomeLight’s cash-buying network.

Step 3: Receive a cash offer for your home. It’s important to note that there’s no realtor fee for selling to a cash buyer, but real estate investors will offer less than you could make on the open market.

Step 4: Close in as few as ten days, with a flexible moving date.

For Buyers

Step 1: Choose the “I’m buying” option on the home page and fill out the online form to answer questions about your city, type of home, and price range.

Step 2: Connect with up to three agents in your area and interview the agent who best meets your needs.

Step 3 (Optional): Submit a preapproval application through HomeLight’s mortgage service to keep the process in-house.

Step 4: Work with your agent to find and purchase your new home.

HomeLight reviews: The bottom line

HomeLight gives customers multiple ways to buy or sell a home with more flexibility than other brokers. From standard matching services to Buy Before You Sell, the company offers various services to streamline the process.

But that convenience comes at a premium. HomeLight customers pay full commission to its matched agents without discounts for bundling services.

If you want a low-commission alternative to HomeLight, check out Clever Real Estate. Clever matches you with top realtors in your area and negotiates to score discounted commissions as low as 1.5% on your behalf.