10 Top Online Real Estate Companies to Sell Your Home

10 of the top online real estate companies

1. HomeLight

Pros:

• Comprehensive network of top agents
• Customer dashboard is easy to use
• Sellers who use top agents typically sell for more money than average agents
• Has expanded services such as providing cash offers and a Buy Before You Sell program

Cons:

• Recommended top agents don’t typically offer discount commission fees

• Full automation can occasionally result in less-than-ideal agent matches, but multiple options are provided

About HomeLight

HomeLight provides several valuable real estate services, the most popular of which is a 100% free tool that matches you with top-rated local real estate agents. With more than 30,000 agents in-network, HomeLight commands the most extensive matching service in the United States, making it one of the top online real estate companies.

You can take the hassle out of researching and locating an agent because HomeLight will do it for you. The service is free, fast, and convenient. The comprehensive network of agents provides you with the flexibility and information to make the right choice for your needs.

What does HomeLight offer home sellers?

HomeLight offers home sellers a convenient and reliable way to sell their homes faster by matching them with the right agent for their market and circumstances. It takes only two minutes to get connected with up to three trusted, proven agents who can sell your home faster and for more money.

HomeLight’s transaction data shows the top 5% of agents across the U.S. help clients sell their homes for as much as 10% more than the average real estate agent. Use HomeLight to get data-backed recommendations at no cost to you.

HomeLight offers:

• Agent Match: Analyzes millions of home sales, thousands of reviews, and other factors, including a real estate agent’s sale-to-list price ratio and how that relates to local price trends, to put more money in your wallet at closing.
• HomeLight Simple Sale: Provides you with a convenient, all-cash offer to sell your home on your timeline. All you have to do is answer a few simple questions, and you can receive a no-obligation cash offer on your house within 24 hours. You can sell your house as-is with no additional repairs, prep costs, agent commissions, or fees.
• HomeLight Buy Before You Sell (BBYS): Removes the stress of buying and selling a home at the same time. Unlock a portion of your current home’s equity to make a strong, non-contingent offer on a new home.* Sell your place vacant and avoid the hassle and expense of moving twice.
• HomeLight’s free seller guides with tips and expert advice: Provides you with expert tips, tailored guides, checklists, and other resources for selling your house for any reason. The resources help you navigate the entire process, from getting started to closing the deal.

*HomeLight’s Buy Before You Sell program is available in most states throughout the country.

How does HomeLight make its money?

HomeLight makes money through agent matching by charging the network agent a referral fee. Agents pay the company a portion of their commission when the real estate transaction is finalized. This is standard for all agent-matching services in the industry. The referral fee enables HomeLight to offer its matching service to sellers for free.

With Simple Sale, HomeLight earns money by receiving referral fees from pre-approved real estate cash buyers or investors who purchase homes through the platform. For the Buy Before You Sell (BBYS) program, HomeLight charges a flat fee of 2.4% of the departing residence’s sale price.

Is there a cost for home sellers to use HomeLight?

It does not cost you anything to connect with a top local real estate agent through HomeLight. Requesting an offer through Simple Sale is also free, and there are no additional fees or agent commissions. If you decide to transact using the BBYS program, there is a flat fee of 2.4% of the departing residence home sale.

Other services provided by HomeLight

• Home Value Estimator: Provides a real-world home value estimate in as little as two minutes. You answer seven simple questions, and HomeLight pairs your answers with housing market data to provide a ballpark estimate of your home’s value.
• Agent Commissions Calculator: Calculates the commission a real estate agent in your area may charge using transaction data from thousands of home sales.
• Home Affordability Calculator: Estimates the cost of selling your home and the net proceeds you could potentially earn from the sale.
• Best Time to Sell Calculator: Uses housing market data from your area to estimate the best and worst months to sell your home. See the best time to sell your home quickly and for the most money.

All in all, almost everyone uses a real estate agent to make the home selling process more accessible. According to the National Association of Realtors®, 90% of sellers were assisted by an agent last year when selling their home. Finding a top real estate agent is the most valuable and crucial step you’re likely to take when you sell your home.

HomeLight’s Agent Match service makes finding a competent, local real estate agent easy. In less than two minutes, you can find a top agent in your area and start planning the sale of your home.

2. Redfin

Pros:

• Can be good savings for sellers
• Relatively low risk
• Modest listing fee

Cons:

• Lack of hands-on services
• Some programs only available in select markets
• Must own luxury home for premier service

About Redfin

Redfin is a Seattle-based discount real estate brokerage company. Redfin lists the seller’s home for a modest fee and offers money back for buyers.

One thing to note is that Redfin does not allow FSBO (for sale by owner) listings.

What does Redfin offer home sellers?

• Redfin Full Service: This service allows you to list your home for a 1%–2% fee (compared with the standard 3% fee). You have access to a full-service agent, premium placement on Redfin, free professional photos, and a free 3D walkthrough. (Note that the 1% fee is only available if you also buy a home with Redfin within 365 days of your home sale closing; otherwise, you’ll pay Redfin’s listed fee for your market.)
• Redfin Concierge: Available in 15 markets across the country, Redfin Concierge partners the seller with a professional who creates a design plan. For a 1%–2% listing fee, the professional recommends a plan to ease the sale of your home and connect you with vendors and contractors. There is no upfront cost for staging and renovation, but you pay for the improvements out of the proceeds when you sell the house. (Note that the 1% fee is only available if you also buy a home with Redfin within 365 days of your home sale closing; otherwise, you’ll pay Redfin’s listed fee for your market.)

• Redfin Premier: You need a luxury home to qualify for this program. The service provides Redfin Premier clients access to local agents with expertise in selling high-end homes. For a 1%–2% listing fee, Redfin offers a sophisticated marketing plan that includes syndication on global news and luxury lifestyle websites, targeted ads on Facebook and Instagram, coordinated email campaigns, and luxe mailers and brochures. (Once again, note that the 1% fee is only available if you also buy a home with Redfin within 365 days of your home sale closing; otherwise, you’ll pay Redfin’s listed fee for your market.)

How does Redfin make its money?

Redfin charges sellers a listing fee of 1% to 2%. They also generate revenue through transaction services, online advertising, subscription-based services, mortgages, and other sources.

Is there a cost for home sellers to use Redfin?

Yes, there is a cost for home sellers. To use Redfin, sellers typically pay 1%–2% of the home’s value as a listing fee.

Other services provided by Redfin

• Find an agent: Redfin connects you with a local real estate agent.
• Selling Resources: Redfin provides resources and articles about their services and the selling experience. The resources hub includes ways to find an agent, home value analysis, a calculator for the sales process and affordability, and local housing market reports.

3. Opendoor

Pros:

• Convenient to use
• Instant cash can be helpful for hurried sellers
• Offers a trade-up program

Cons:

• Motivated sellers may lose out on cash
• Limited market availability

About Opendoor

Opendoor is the largest iBuying company in the U.S. It’s in the house-buying business — the company makes cash offers online and relists the home for sale on its website. Opendoor deducts repair costs from the seller’s net proceeds so the seller avoids the typical home preparation expenses. Opendoor says, “We do the work. You think about repairs only once.” It offers a mobile app and financing to make the home selling and buying process more manageable.

What does Opendoor offer home sellers?

Opendoor gets your home’s information, and then you do a video walkthrough of your home. The company makes a cash offer, and if you decide to accept it, they’ll close and pay within days.

Opendoor will also connect you with an agent if you prefer to take a more traditional home selling route.

How does Opendoor make its money?

Opendoor collects a service charge similar to an agent’s commission. Typically, the amount is between 5% and 6% but can be as high as 14% in some cases.

The company may also make money from reselling the homes it has acquired through its iBuying efforts.

Is there a cost for home sellers to use Opendoor?

If you sell to Opendoor, there is a 5%–14% service charge that Opendoor levies on each sale.

If you list on Opendoor, they generally estimate a 5% service charge, 1% closing costs, and 0%–2% seller concession costs.

Other services provided by Opendoor

• Opendoor Complete: This service lets you get an instant cash offer and use that cash toward making an offer on your next home. It enables you to avoid double moves and mortgages.
• Builder Trade-Up: A service available in select markets allows you to sell your home to Opendoor and then use the cash from your sale to buy your dream Lennar home. You work with Opendoor to close on the same day for both houses.
• Opendoor Help Center: Provides information about Opendoor, sellers guide, buyers guide, and FAQs.

4. Realtor.com

Pros:

• Broad reach (second only to Zillow)
• Strong name recognition
• Website of NAR

Cons:

• Can receive numerous calls from agents
• No FSBO option
• May lock you into an agent

About Realtor.com

Realtor.com is a real estate listing website maintained by the National Association of Realtors. It offers a list of for-sale properties, information, and services to assist with real estate transactions. It is the second-most visited real estate listing website in the U.S. The parent real estate company, Move, Inc. (owned by News Corporation), also owns:

• Moving.com 
• Avail
• ListHub
• UpNest

What does Realtor.com offer home sellers?

Along with its vast MLS listings reach and a solid reputation, Realtor.com offers home sellers a seller guide for planning and a Seller’s Marketplace.

• Seller Guides: Offers advice about the right time to sell your home, your home’s value, how to sell, and how to prepare your home for sale.
• Seller’s Marketplace: This service allows you to sell your home directly to Realtor.com’s partners. You can choose to:
  • List with an agent
  • Sell for a cash offer
  • Use your home equity
  • Buy now, sell later
  • Sell now, move later
  • Sell as-is

How does Realtor.com make its money?

Realtor.com generates revenue through referral fees from agents, advertising space, and agent-focused software. If you find a property on the website, you connect with a representative who takes your information and contacts a Realtor®. The Realtor pays the company a referral fee.

Is there a cost for home sellers to use Realtor.com?

Realtor.com gets all its listings from the MLS. As a seller, you cannot post a listing on Realtor.com. You need to be a real estate agent or professional to use their listing services. If you are dead set on being a FSBO seller, an MLS company can list your home on the local MLS for a flat fee.

Other services provided by Realtor.com

• Track your home value: Use this dashboard to estimate your home’s value compared to homes in your area.
• List your home with an agent: You can be matched with an agent or choose an agent from their database.

5. Offerpad

Pros:

• Speed and convenience
• Flexibility

Cons:

• No traditional negotiations
• No assigned agent to guide you

About Offerpad

Launched in 2015, Offerpad is another major player in the iBuyer industry. The company currently buys and sells homes in 14 states. Offerpad has a larger transaction presence in the metro areas in the southern U.S.

What does Offerpad offer home sellers?

• Accept cash offer: After you tell Offerpad about your home, they’ll decide within 24 hours whether to present you with an all-cash offer. If you accept the offer, you can skip the open houses and showings and choose your preferred closing date. They’ll even throw in a free local move if your new home is within 50 miles of your old one.
• Choose to list: If you prefer to list your home, you can partner with a local Offerpad agent who will prepare a personalized marketing plan. You can also secure a home improvement advance to get your home into selling shape or enlist the help of Offerpad’s expert renovations team.
• Buy a home: If you’re shopping for a home in one of Offerpad’s select markets, you can purchase a move-in ready home from the company. If you opt to buy and sell with Offerpad, you can reap even more rewards.

How does Offerpad make its money?

Offerpad makes money in several ways. They charge a 5% fee to sellers who sell their homes directly to the company. They can also profit if the homes they purchase increase in value before they resell them. Additionally, Offerpad offers services like mortgage, title insurance, and brokerage, which bring in extra revenue.

Is there a cost for home sellers to use Offerpad?

Offerpad charges a 5% fee of the sale price for its Cash Offer program, plus an estimated 1% in closing costs. For example, a $300,000 offer would incur a $15,000 service fee. Unlike some “We Buy Houses” companies, Offerpad does not cover sellers’ closing costs but does not charge fees to buyers purchasing homes through its site.

Other services provided by Offerpad

Offerpad has tips and guides to using their services:

• Blog
• Seller FAQs
• Buyer FAQs
• Company FAQs

6. Zillow

Pros:

• Most visited real estate website
• High exposure of your listing
• Popular Zestimate tool

Cons:

• No cash offer program
• Zestimate isn’t always accurate

About Zillow

Zillow is the most visited real estate website in the U.S. Established in 2004, the company launched its website in 2006. The website offers customers full-service options for buying, selling, renting, and financing.

What does Zillow offer home sellers?

Zillow enables you to sell with a real estate agent, a Premier Agent, or by yourself:

• Sell traditionally with an agent: This feature lets you search for a real estate agent in their directory. Next, you will interview, vet, and select a real estate agent.
• Sell your home with a Zillow Premier Agent: First, you have to be in an area with Zillow agents. Local agents offer local market expertise, reduced listing fees, and priority placement on Zillow 3D Home tours in specific locations.
• Sell your home yourself: Post a “For Sale By Owner” (FSBO) listing and get free video, unlimited photos, and a listing on both Zillow and its subsidiary site, Trulia. One thing to remember about FSBO is these homes typically sell for less than the selling price. In 2024, FSBO homes sold at a median of $380,000, less than agent-assisted homes at a median of $435,000, according to the National Association of Realtors’ 2024 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers.

How does Zillow make its money?

The primary way Zillow makes its money is with the Premier Service for agents. Here’s how it works:

• Premier agents pay for advertising with Zillow
• The ads increase agents’ profiles to potential buyers
• Zillow tracks customers and connects them with paying Premier agents

Another way Zillow tried to make money in the past was with its now-defunct Zillow Offers program. The program would let customers input their home data and receive a cash offer similar to other iBuyer platforms. If the customer accepted the offer, the company would buy the home and sell it in a 90-day window. In November 2021, after $880 million in losses for the year, Zillow discontinued its Zillow Offers program.

Zillow also makes money by selling ads to landlords, mortgage companies, and other real estate-related businesses, such as contractors, interior designers, and home staging companies.

Is there a cost for home sellers to use Zillow?

It’s free to list your home on Zillow. The company makes money from listings in other ways, including getting ad revenue from your listing and partnering you with a Premier Agent. You will likely have to pay the Premier Agent a broker’s fee.

Other services provided by Zillow

• Zestimate: This is probably the most well-known service that Zillow provides. Similar to other online tools, the home valuation model analyzes MLS, user-submitted data, home details, location, and market trends to estimate your home’s value.
• Zillow Research: Zillow purports to provide bias-free data and analysis of the housing market.
• Zillow Rentals Network: Designed for property managers who oversee communities both big and small. Features include rental advertising, rental management, and feed syndication.
• Zillow Rentals: Geared toward renters looking for their next place.
• Zillow Home Loans: A service aimed at homebuyers who need to secure financing.

7. UpNest

Pros:

• Free, no obligation
• Competition between agents can lower fees

Cons:

• Competition between agents and lower rates may disincentivize showings

About UpNest

UpNest is an online real estate website that connects real estate agents with home buyers. To access the connection, real estate agents pay UpNest a referral fee. Using UpNest, you can quickly compare real estate agents’ experience, reviews, and commission rates to select the best agent for your needs.

What does UpNest offer home sellers?

UpNest is a no-obligation and free service. You fill out your preferences for a real estate agent, and within 24 hours, three to five real estate agents send you commission rate quotes. Then, you compare those proposals, interview, and hire the best agent for you.

How does UpNest make its money?

UpNest earns money by taking a percentage of the partner agent’s commission. If you get referred to an agent and complete a transaction, the agent receives a commission. As with most agent-finding services, UpNest takes a portion of that commission as a referral fee.

Is there a cost for home sellers to use UpNest?

UpNest’s agent matching is free to use as a seller. However, you’ll still pay the real estate agent’s commission if you are selling. A typical commission is 5% to 6% of the final sale price. However, UpNest says it strives to identify agents willing to offer competitive, lower-than-average commission rates.

Other services provided by UpNest

• Home Estimate: Use this resource to research your home value. Agents use public data, recent sale history, comparable market analysis, local market data, inspections, and buyer preferences to give an approximate assessment of your home’s value.
• Tips: Resources for home sellers and homebuyers.

8. Clever Real Estate

Pros:

• 1.5% of listing price can save you money
• Connects you to local agents

Cons:

• Relatively new compared to other services
• Minimum listing fee of $3,000; not ideal for lower-priced listings

About Clever Real Estate

Clever Real Estate is an online national brokerage service that connects agents with customers looking to buy or sell their homes. Unlike other companies, agents do not pay for leads but instead pay a referral fee when the agent successfully helps a customer purchase or sell a home.

What does Clever Real Estate offer home sellers?

Clever Real Estate offers home sellers the ability to connect with real estate agents. Here’s how it works:

• You enter information about your property
• Clever’s Concierge Team will contact you to identify your ideal agent
• Clever negotiates with agents on your behalf
• You choose the best agent for you

How does Clever make its money?

Clever makes its money via referral fees paid by agents to the online real estate broker. They also allow sellers to list their homes for a flat fee of $3,000 if the property is valued under $350,000 or for 1% if the home is worth more.

Is there a cost for home sellers to use Clever?

There is no cost to the seller as Clever’s agent match service is 100% free. Successful home sellers using Clever will need to pay the agent’s flat fee of 1.5% plus the buyer’s agent’s 2%–3% fee.

For homes over $150,000, Clever also offers home buyers 0.5% of the purchase price back at closing.

Other services provided by Clever

Clever does not provide additional services. The company is primarily a referral service that connects home sellers with agents in a local market.

9. Movoto

Pros:

• AI-driven technology
• One of the fastest-growing real estate website

Cons:

• No immediate savings to sellers

About Movoto

Movoto is a brokerage service that provides information and tools to customers selling their homes. The company has a team of agents who facilitate the home selling process. It is among the fastest-growing home listing websites in the U.S.

What does Movoto offer home sellers?

Movoto provides tools and expert guidance for selling your home. First, they offer a free home valuation based on their market analysis. Second, Movoto matches you with an agent who walks you through the selling process.

How does Movoto make its money?

AI-powered real estate firm OJO Labs acquired Movoto in 2020. The acquisition transformed Movoto into a full-service company with a team of experienced agents in local markets. The agents can help you with all facets of the home buying process and charge a standard fee when you sell your home with them.

Is there a cost for home sellers to use Movoto?

There is no cost to use Movoto, but you will still need to pay the standard agent’s commission fee.

Other services provided by Movoto

Movoto’s CEO, Imitiyaz Haque, says the company’s greatest strengths are its fully optimized search site, personalized consumer experience, and real estate network, which it brings together to form a scaled end-to-end solution.

In other words, the convenience and value that Movoto provides for consumers is their number one service.

10. Trulia

Pros:

• Additional MLS reach as a subsidiary of Zillow
• Shows unique data for buyers and renters

Cons:

• No savings or other online options for sellers

About Trulia

Trulia is a subsidiary of Zillow that uses local data and maps to assist buyers and renters in finding homes. Trulia offers unique data, including commute times, crime statistics, schools, churches, and local businesses. Through Zillow, Trulia provides an opportunity for FSBO sellers to use their service.

What does Trulia offer home sellers?

For the most part, Trulia functions as an additional listing for Zillow. Trulia does not offer much for sellers other than the advice to go to the partner site, Zillow.

How does Trulia make its money?

Trulia makes its money from advertising. As part of the Zillow ecosystem, buyers can see listings from real estate agents. Those agents and property owners pay a tiered subscription fee to Trulia to have their properties advertised on the website.

Is there a cost for home sellers to use Trulia?

Home sellers cannot use Trulia to sell their homes. It is primarily a website for homebuying and rentals.

Other services provided by Trulia

The three services that Trulia delivers are:

• Buy: You can view homes for sale, open houses, new homes, recently sold, and the latest listings.
• Rent: Check out all rentals, apartments for rent, houses for rent, see the newest listings, or post a rental listing.
• Mortgage: Use the affordability calculator, mortgage calculator, or refinance calculator. Plus, browse Trulia’s lender directory and current mortgage rates.
• Local info: This is a guide to all Trulia neighborhoods.

Frequently asked questions about online real estate companies

What is the most popular real estate website for sellers?

Zillow is the most popular website for sellers, but other websites have gained in popularity since the company closed down Zillow Offers.

What is the most popular real estate website for buyers?

Zillow has about 57 million visits per month; Realtor.com is second with 30 million; and Trulia is third with around 10 million, according to Statista.com.

Are there scams with online real estate companies?

The real estate industry has an enormous market value. By some estimates, the U.S. housing market is $47.5 trillion. With that much money involved, there are scams. Make sure that you know the most common ones to protect yourself. One scam to watch for is a fake deed copy letter sent to new homeowners telling them they only have days to send money to obtain a copy of their deed.

Do sellers save money using discount commission real estate companies?

The answer depends on the company or agent and your selling objectives. You may save on fees with a discount commission. In some selling situations, you could also miss out on higher proceeds you might have received from the sale by using a proven real estate agent. Our data shows that the top 5% of real estate agents across the U.S. sell homes for as much as 10% more than the average real estate agent. A 10% higher selling price could trump a 1% or 2% commission savings.

Home sellers have more high-tech options than ever: Try one today

All in all, each of these top online real estate companies listed has some benefits for sellers. Your specific situation dictates which option is right for you.

Some things to consider:

• How quickly do you want or need to sell?
• What level of investment are you ready to make?
• How much time do you want to devote to the selling process?
• Do you need cash now?

After you determine the answer to these questions, you will better understand what company is right for you.

If you are ready to start your home selling journey, find out how much your home might be worth in two minutes with our Home Value Estimator. Once you have a ballpark idea of your home’s worth, see who the top agents are in your area by using our Agent Match platform. These and other HomeLight resources are quick, easy, and 100% obligation-free.

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