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If you’re looking to sell your house and save on realtor commission fees in Chicago, Illinois, you may want to consider a low commission realtor. A good discount realtor provides the same general services and support as a conventional agent, but charges a fraction of the price.
We identified and ranked 7 discount real estate brokers active in and around Chicago. These are the 5 best low commission brands in Chicago right now, according to the data.
⚡ Find top discount brokers near you. Take this 1-minute quiz to compare local realtors who offer 1.5% listing fees through our platform.
- Stick with companies that offer in-person representation and "full service" (including an on-site comparative market analysis and professional photography). Avoid brands that only provide "remote" or "virtual" broker support.
- We recommend brands with success-based fees (you only pay at closing) and transparent pricing models. Watch out for upfront, nonrefundable fees and high minimums — some companies don’t make these easy to spot.
- Don't just rely on the advertised commission rate. Calculate your actual estimated commission fee based on your estimated home value. This is especially important for companies with flat fee models or high minimum fees to avoid paying more than advertised.
- Customer ratings are generally more important than small differences in pricing models. Look for companies with high average ratings based on large numbers of reviews.
- Be sure to interview the specific agent you'll be working with and evaluate them based on the same criteria you'd use to choose a conventional realtor.
Our Team spends hundreds of hours each month researching discount real estate brokerages and agents across the country so you don’t have to. We look at a wide range of factors to calculate our rankings including:
- Customer ratings: Do past clients recommend the company? Are recent reviews positive and consistent?
- Pricing & fees: How much does the service cost relative to other brokers? Are there rebates or discounts?
- Service scope: Does the company offer the same level of service as a traditional agent? Any extras?
- Track record: How long has the company been active, and how steady is their review activity over time?
We continually refresh existing data, add new companies to our library, and look for new ways to make our pages more useful. See our full methodology.
At a glance: Low-fee real estate companies we recommend in Chicago
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Best Overall
Clever Real Estate
Discount Real Estate Broker⚡ Compare Agents More detailsListing fee: 1.5%
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Runner Up
Trelora Real Estate
Discount Real Estate BrokerMore DetailsListing fee: 1%
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Sell & Buy
Redfin Chicago
Discount Real Estate BrokerMore DetailsListing fee: 2%
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Also Good
Chicagoland Top Discount Real Estate Brokers
Discount Real Estate BrokerMore DetailsListing fee: 1%
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Also Good
iRealty Flat Fee Brokerage
Discount Real Estate BrokerMore DetailsListing fee: 1% + $99
Our take: Most home sellers should try an Agent Marketplace like Clever before reaching out to individual discount brokerages. Clever’s free platform lets you compare multiple agents from different brokerages — discount and conventional, like RE/MAX and Compass — and you pay a pre-negotiated 1.5% listing fee at closing, regardless of who you choose. That’s up to 50% of the agents’ typical rates.
- Why this matters: Thanks to the wider selection of agents and pre-negotiated low rates, you can focus on hiring the best agent for the job without worrying about the price tag. It’s faster, easier, and safer than reaching out to individual discount brokers yourself. Plus it’s free with no obligation.
Top 5 low commission real estate companies in Chicago
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Best Overall
Nationwide⚡ Compare AgentsDiscount Real Estate Broker
Clever Real Estate
Claimed ✔Listing fee*1.5%Agent network*19,000+Active since2017SummaryPros & ConsReviewsCompany InfoClever Real Estate is our Top Pick 🥇 for Chicago home sellers looking for a great realtor and commission savings. Clever is a discount real estate marketplace you can use to hire vetted, local agents and get special low rates. It connects you with 19,000+ local realtors across the country from top regional brokerages and major brands like Keller Williams, RE/MAX, and Compass — and when you go through Clever, you pay just a 1.5% listing fee at closing instead of their typical 2.5-3%. Clever is currently the top-rated real estate company on Trustpilot with 3,500+ 5-star reviews. Requesting agent matches is fast, easy, and free. Read the full Clever Real Estate review.
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Runner Up
Select statesRead ReviewDiscount Real Estate Broker
Trelora Real Estate
Listing fee*1%Actual cost*$4,686Savings*$8,293SummaryPros & ConsReviewsCompany InfoTrelora Real Estate is a discount real estate brokerage that’s based in Denver, CO. It’s available statewide in Illinois and other areas. It costs a very good 1% of the final sale price at closing with a $3,000 minimum fee. Homes below $300,000 will pay more than the advertised 1% rate. Its plan includes most expected services and support, plus some non-standard services like digital marketing, and social media advertising. It’s been active for at least 14 years. Read the full Trelora Real Estate review.
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Sell & Buy
Chicago, ILRead ReviewDiscount Real Estate Broker
Redfin Chicago
Listing fee*2%Actual cost*$9,371Savings*$3,608SummaryPros & ConsReviewsCompany InfoRedfin Chicago is a local discount real estate broker based in Chicago, IL with agents operating in Chicago. It costs a so-so 2% of the final sale price at closing with a $4,000 minimum fee. Homes below $200,000 will pay more than the advertised 2% rate. Redfin Chicago reduces the listing fee to 1% if you buy and sell with them. If you’re only buying, you can get a 25% rebate on the buyer’s agent commission at closing. Its plan gets you all the expected services and support, including a dedicated agent, in-person representation, MLS syndication. It’s been active for at least 8 years. Read the full Redfin review.
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Also Good
Chicago, ILDiscount Real Estate Broker
Chicagoland Top Discount Real Estate Brokers
Listing fee*1%Actual cost*$4,686Savings*$8,293SummaryPros & ConsReviewsCompany InfoChicagoland Top Discount Real Estate Brokers is a local discount real estate brokerage based in Chicago, IL with agents operating in Chicago. It charges a very good 1% of the final sale price at closing. There's no minimum fee so you'll pay the advertised percentage rate no matter the final sale price. Home buyers can get a 50% rebate on the buyer’s agent commission at closing. Chicagoland Top Discount Real Estate Brokers may be missing some key services and support, including a dedicated agent and in-person representation. It’s been active for at least 8 years.
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Also Good
Select cities in ILRead ReviewDiscount Real Estate Broker
iRealty Flat Fee Brokerage
Listing fee*1%Actual cost*$4,686Savings*$8,293SummaryPros & ConsReviewsCompany InfoiRealty Flat Fee Brokerage is a local discount real estate brokerage based in Elmhurst, IL with agents operating in Chicago. It charges a nonrefundable $99 upfront fee, plus an additional 1% of the final sale price due at closing. We recommend avoiding upfront fees when you can to minimize risk and out-of-pocket costs. iRealty Flat Fee Brokerage may be missing some key services and support, including a dedicated agent and in-person representation. It’s been in business since at least 2008. Read the full iRealty Flat Fee Brokerage review.
What to know about discount real estate agents in Chicago
- Chicago discount real estate brokers offer a similar range of services and support as conventional realtors for a lower price.
- If you work with a conventional Chicago realtor, you’ll typically pay a listing commission fee of about 2.6%.
- Discount realtors typically deliver savings by charging lower listing fees at closing. The average listing fee among discount brokerages in Chicago is 1.2% as of September 2025.
- That’s an average savings premium of $4,604.00 based on the median home sale price in Chicago ($329,800.00), according to the latest available data (September 2025).
- Consider a discount realtor if saving on real estate commission fees is a top priority, but you still want a real estate agent to guide and support you through the process.
- Discount realtors sometimes handle more customers at once to offset their lower rates. Some sellers say this can lead to less hands-on, personalized service compared to a conventional realtor.
- We recommend sellers with more complicated properties or circumstances stick with conventional realtors with experience that fits their needs. (Try Clever: list with top full-service realtors, get up to 50% off their typical rate.)
- That being said, discount brokerage service models and customer experiences vary widely, which is why thoroughly interviewing and vetting any agent is so important.
Pros
- Discount real estate agents save sellers in Chicago $4,604.00, on average.
- You get expertise from a licensed agent who knows the Chicago market.
- Some discount real estate agents offer full service, so you can get everything you'd expect for less.
Cons
- Some Chicago discount real estate agents only provided limited service, and may charge extra fees for "add-ons" like professional photography.
- Discount real estate brokers sometimes charge upfront fees, so you'll have to pay out-of-pocket before your house sells.
- Clever Real Estate gets you special discounted rates from top, conventional realtors representing major brokerages like RE/MAX, Century 21, and Compass. Get personalized agent recommendations and save up to 50% on listing fees.
- You can try to negotiate a lower commission rate with a conventional realtor yourself, but this can be difficult to do (only about 22% of sellers who try to negotiate are successful). Negotiating is easier if you have a pricier home, are selling in a particularly hot market, or already have a buyer lined up.
- If you're selling for sale by owner in Illinois and just want a marketing boost, a Chicago flat fee MLS service may be a better fit. Basic flat fee MLS plans get your listing on the local MLS for around $150. Premium plans include more services, like pro photography, but can cost well over $1,000.
- If you want to sell your house fast in Chicago or sell your house in as-is condition, consider using a Chicago cash home buyer company. Cash home buyers will purchase almost any home in any condition. You typically don't have to pay realtor commissions and many will actually cover your closing costs. And because they pay cash, they can usually close in a matter of days.
The Chicago housing market has held steady since this time last year, according to the latest data (July 2025).
- Chicago is currently in a seller’s market, with buyer demand outpacing the inventory. Last month, there were 24,096 active listings, (down 0.35% year over year).
- The median home sale price in Illinois last month was $329,800, up 4.4% from $315,808 last year.
- In the past month, Chicago properties spent a median of 36 days on the market — that’s 3 days slower than this time last year.
- The average Illinois home sold for 99.75% of its original list price in the past month, down 0.3% year over year.
- Chicago houses are experiencing more price drops compared to last year. 6,140 of properties dropped their price last month. That's a 19.13% increase compared to this time last year.
- The bulk of home seller costs is made up of realtor listing fees and closing costs.
- Listing fee: Illinois home sellers pay their agents an average listing fee of 2.6%. That's 215.9% more than the average discount listing fee of 1.2% in Chicago.
More low commission real estate companies in Chicago (2)
What it is: Low commission realtors charge lower listing fees than conventional realtors but provide the same general range of services and support.
Who this is for: Any home seller interested in saving money on realtor fees but still wants a skilled agent to help guide them through the process.
How to choose: The average low commission real estate company in Chicago charges a 1.2% listing fee and has a 4.8 out of 5 customer rating, 26 verified reviews, and at least 15 years of verified activity. These can be useful baseline criteria to help guide your search.
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NationwideDiscount Real Estate BrokerBetter Homes Realty
Listing fee*1%Actual cost*$4,686Savings*$8,293SummaryPros & ConsReviewsCompany InfoBetter Homes Realty is a nationwide discount real estate broker that’s based in Hazlet, NJ. It advertises a competitive 1% of the final sale price at closing. There's no minimum fee so you'll pay the advertised percentage rate no matter the final sale price. Better Homes Realty may be missing some key services and support, including in-person representation and pricing assistance. It’s been active for at least 6 years.
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Chicago, ILDiscount Real Estate BrokerLucid Realty
Listing fee*N/AActual cost*N/ASavings*N/ASummaryPros & ConsReviewsCompany InfoLucid Realty is a local discount real estate broker based in Chicago, IL with agents operating in Chicago. We were unable to verify pricing information for Lucid Realty. We were unable to verify services information for Lucid Realty. It’s been in business since at least 2011.
Find top-rated low commission realtors in Chicago
See discount real estate brokers in other Illinois cities
Related guides and resources for Chicago home sellers
How we research and rank discount real estate brokers
Data sources
Our research team identified and ranked 7 full-service, low commission real estate brokerages available in Chicago. We compiled and analyzed 42,703 publicly available data points tied to customer reviews, pricing models, services, and track record to assess each company, determine our rankings, and choose our top picks in Chicago.
Methodology
Our team used public business directories to identify 7 discount real estate services in Chicago. We then manually verified pricing and services details for every company, categorizing them as either “full-service” or “limited-service.”
We did our best to ensure that only brands and product offerings that meet our minimum full-service criteria made it onto these pages. Limited-service brokers appear in our Flat-fee MLS Services Guides.
We fed pricing, services, customer ratings, and credibility data for each verified low commission real estate brokerage into our localized ranking methodology. We evaluated each company across four core areas, including:
- Customer Experience (35%): We measured how customers feel about their experiences and outcomes with the company over time. This score is primarily powered by average customer ratings across reputable, third-party review platforms. We weighted our customer scores to account for sample size and recency.
- Pricing & Fees (30%): We measured the company’s fee structure and price point relative to other discount real estate brokerages. We determined each company's effective listing commission rate, average cost, and average savings (when compared to the national average commission rate). We also checked for special discounts, such as sell-and-buy deals and buyer rebates.
- Services & Support (20%): We measured the level of services and support that each discount real estate broker provides and compared that to what a traditional broker offers. We also checked for bonus services, such as virtual tours and social media marketing.
- Track Record (15%): We measured how long a company has been active in the market by looking at recent reviews. We also determined how consistent their activity level is over time.
We combined these individual scores into a single Overall Rating, which determined our top picks and general company rankings in Chicago.
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