Crye-Leike Real Estate is a traditional, full-service brokerage with offices in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Puerto Rico. Founded in 1977 in Memphis, it’s a well-established company and one of the largest independent brokerages in the nation.
Its agents are typically experienced and professional. The brokerage provides its agents with extensive training, so they’re often highly knowledgeable and skilled.
However, just like with most traditional brokerages, you’ll likely pay the standard commission rate of 2.5–3%. This is up to twice as much as what some other high-quality agents charge. On a $500,000 home sale, a 3% commission would cost $15,000. But if you use a low-commission realtor who charges 1.5%, you’d pay just $7,500.
If you want to save money when you sell, Clever Real Estate can help. Clever's top local agents come from established brokerages and provide the same full-service support you’d expect from traditional realtors. The difference is that with a listing fee of just 1.5%, sellers save an average of $7,000. Find top-rated agents who can sell your home for half the traditional commission rate.
Crye-Leike Real Estate overview
-
🧭 How it works: Agents provide traditional full service to home buyers and sellers
-
💵 Commission rate: Standard 2.5–3% of the home sale price per agent
-
⭐ Customer rating: 4.3/5 across 214 reviews
-
📍 Locations: AL, AR, FL, GA, KY, MS, TN, and Puerto Rico
-
✅ Benefits: Local market expertise, highly trained agents, plenty of agents to choose from
-
⚠️Downsides: No discounted commission rates
Crye-Leike Real Estate services
| Listing agent services | Full service |
| Buyer's agent services | Full service |
When you work with Crye-Leike Real Estate, you receive full-service support from a licensed realtor.
If you’re selling a house, you’ll typically get the following services:
- A listing on the multiple listing service (MLS), syndicated to major real estate websites
- A detailed comparative market analysis (CMA) to assist with pricing
- Professional photography and virtual tours
- Coordinated open house and private tours
- Negotiations with buyers on your behalf
- Assistance with inspections, appraisals, and closing
If you're a buyer, your realtor will usually:
- Conduct personalized property searches based on your budget and criteria
- Schedule property showings
- Give advice based on local market conditions
- Assist you with making a competitive offer and negotiating
- Coordinate inspections and appraisals
- Guide you through closing
Crye-Leike also offers other real estate services through its subsidiaries and affiliates. These services include commercial real estate, property management, relocation services, insurance, auctions, real estate owned (REO) properties, title, and warranty.
Commission rate
| Listing agent fee | 2.5–3% |
| Buyer's agent fee | 2.5–3% |
Most traditional brokerages, like Crye-Leike, charge an average real estate commission rate of 2.5–3%. Across the U.S., the average listing fee is currently 2.88%, while the average buyer’s agent fee is 2.82%.
Recently, realtor commissions have undergone significant changes thanks to a legal settlement involving the National Association of Realtors (NAR). Buyers now negotiate the buyer's agent fee directly with their agents. Previously, that fee was set by the seller and advertised in MLS listings. Sellers are still covering the buyer’s agent fee, only now they don't set the rate, and they offer it as a concession at closing instead of upfront.
Realtor fees aren't set in stone, so you’re always free to negotiate rates. However, with traditional brokerages, it’s often difficult to get much of a discount. Realtors at these brokerages tend to have little leeway or incentive to agree on a price reduction.
But that doesn’t mean you’re stuck paying high commission fees. Through Clever Real Estate, you can find a top local realtor — often from a name-brand brokerage — who offers a 1.5% listing fee. You’ll get full-service support while saving thousands on commission.
Crye-Leike realtors
| Quality indicators |
|
| # of agents | 3,200 |
| Locations | Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Puerto Rico |
Crye-Leike realtors are usually high quality. The brokerage invests heavily in education and professional development.
For example, weekly and quarterly meetings keep agents updated on industry news. Agents also have access to Success Real Estate School, which helps new agents get licensed and provides continuing education courses for current realtors. And Crye-Leike College offers a free multi-week program where agents learn about topics like marketing, technology, and showings.
With more than 3,200 agents across the southern U.S., Crye-Leike is a well-established brand. It's the fourth-largest independent real estate firm in the U.S. and the number one firm in Arkansas, Mississippi, and Tennessee by MLS sales.[1]
To find a real estate agent with Crye-Leike, you can visit its website and search for agents by name, local office, region, language, or professional designation.
When comparing agents, interview at least 2–3 to find the right fit. Look for local expertise, experience with properties similar to yours, an effective communication style, and positive reviews from past clients. Focus on qualities that make an individual agent right for your transaction rather than the brand they represent.
Crye-Leike Real Estate reviews from customers
Crye-Leike Real Estate reviews are positive overall, with a 4.3 out of 5 rating across 214 reviews.
Most customers appear satisfied with the level of service they received, with clients noting agents were consistently courteous, professional, and quick to respond to questions. A number of customers also praised Crye-Leike agents for their effective marketing strategies, which helped generate quick sales.
However, as with any large brokerage, customer experiences can vary by individual agent. A handful of reviewers complained about unprofessional realtors.
Here’s a closer look at where customers felt Crye-Leike excelled or came up short.
✅ Highly professional and proactive agents
Many clients praised Crye-Leike realtors for being exceptionally knowledgeable, professional, and proactive. Reviews consistently mentioned agents being courteous and going out of their way to ensure transactions went smoothly and any challenges were overcome.
"He guided us through every step of the process with patience and expertise. Anytime we ran into an issue, he was immediately on the phone finding solutions and making sure we were taken care of."
"Sean and Danella Snider are the most amazing most hardworking agents we have ever worked with! They go above and beyond for their clients and put their clients needs before their own. These two are true professionals in their field."
✅ Responsive agents
Crye-Leike Real Estate reviews frequently said real estate agents were fast to respond to questions and inquiries. This responsiveness was especially appreciated by first-time home buyers, who felt reassured during what is often an otherwise stressful process.
"Ashley was amazing to work with! She was very professional and punctual with replies to any questions or concerns. She is very knowledgeable about the area and if there is something she doesn't know, she finds the answer."
"We’re so thankful for Matt helping us through the first-time-home-buyer process! He was always very quick to respond (which is so handy during the closing process) and answered any questions we had no matter how silly they may have been/sounded."
✅ Effective marketing and sales strategies
Crye-Leike realtors were regularly praised for achieving quick sales even in challenging circumstances. Agents typically had the skills and knowledge necessary to market homes effectively and got offers faster than similar homes nearby.
“Jovett made sure we had the house in the best possible presentation we could manage prior to listing, and we received an offer after seven days on the market, in a market where homes that listed at the same time as we did (late April 2025) are still on the market as I type this (August 31, 2025). We remain extremely grateful for that good fortune, but our first true experience as sellers was not an easy one."
"Matt had our house under contract in less than 48 hours in a difficult market. He did a great job from taking the photos, to listing the property, to getting us to the closing table."
⚠️ Some clients felt agents were pushy or unprofessional
While the vast majority of Crye-Leike reviews are positive, there were a handful of complaints. This is somewhat inevitable given that the brokerage has over 3,200 agents. Negative reviews mentioned a lack of professionalism from individual agents.
"I have never experienced such unprofessionalism from a realtor [...]. She assured myself and my realtor that the trash would be removed from the property post sale, but is now saying it won't be. Gina also ignored my realtor once my realtor attempted to make contact to resolve the issue."
"I set a scheduled viewing with [our agent] for 4 o clock and took off work early to meet him at the property. He never showed, returned my call or my text which shows unprofessionalism and lack of communication."
Credibility: Is Crye-Leike Real Estate legit?
| Founding | 1977 in Memphis, Tennessee, by Harold Crye and Dick Leike |
| Track record |
|
| News |
|
Crye-Leike is a legitimate real estate brokerage. It has over 130 offices across seven states and Puerto Rico,[1] and it's licensed in all of the states it operates in.
Since its founding in Memphis in 1977, it has grown to be one of the largest real estate companies in the U.S. It has an especially strong presence in the southern U.S. and is the largest brokerage by sales listed on the MLS in Arkansas, Mississippi, and Tennessee.
Crye-Leike is also a member of the Leading Real Estate Companies of the World, a global referral network. Its membership gives it access to buyers and sellers worldwide and means it can easily assist with international relocations.
Bottom line: Is Crye-Leike Real Estate right for you?
If you’re buying or selling a home in the South, Crye-Leike Real Estate Services is worth looking into. Its agents are regularly praised for their high level of service, and the company does an excellent job of providing its agents with professional development training. It also has strong brand recognition in the states where it operates.
However, the main drawback of Crye-Leike is cost. You’ll likely have to pay a real estate commission of 2.5–3%. By comparison, low-commission real estate agents offer full-service support, but for a 1.5% listing fee.
Consider interviewing multiple agents, including ones from low-commission brokerages like Clever Real Estate, to ensure you get the right realtor at a fair price.
Clever pre-negotiates low rates with top agents so you can get traditional realtor services for half the traditional commission rate. Sellers save an average of $7,000 when they find an agent through Clever.
- Answer 5 simple questions about your sale
- Get matched with 2–3 top local agents in minutes
- Compare options, choose the best fit, save up to 50% on fees
Frequently asked questions
Crye-Leike is a legitimate, established Southern brokerage with 47+ years of operation, a substantial regional footprint in TN/AR/MS, and a deep agent roster. The 2025 NAR-settlement ruling adjusted disclosure obligations going forward but didn't fundamentally change the brokerage's operating model.
Crye-Leike's listing-side commission typically runs 2.5–3%, in line with other major Southern brokerages. Buyer-agent compensation is handled separately post-NAR settlement. On higher-priced homes, the listing fee is increasingly negotiable down to 2–2.5%.
Crye-Leike operates in seven states — Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee — plus Puerto Rico. The densest presence is in Tennessee, particularly Memphis and Nashville, with strong secondary presence in Arkansas and Mississippi.
Both have comparable Southern footprints in different markets, comparable commission structures, and comparable service models. Crye-Leike has deeper mid-South market knowledge; BHHS has the Berkshire Hathaway corporate backbone. The differentiator is the individual agent, not the brokerage.
The 2025 NAR-settlement ruling clarified how the 2024 settlement applies in practice — tightening commission disclosure obligations, separating buyer-agent compensation from the listing agreement, and increasing brokerage liability exposure for disclosure failures. It applies to all NAR-affiliated brokerages, not just Crye-Leike.
Related reading
Methodology
We evaluate each real estate brokerage based on five core criteria:
Service quality
Agent matching process: We evaluate how the company matches customers with agents, whether it uses an algorithm, human oversight, or both. We also request agent matches and evaluate whether the recommended agents are top agents and have recent transactions in our area.
Customer service: We consider whether the company's representatives are knowledgeable and helpful and how often they communicate with customers throughout the transaction.
Ease of use: We consider how easy it is to find an agent in your area, and we look at customer reviews to determine whether customers have issues with the platform or tools the brokerage uses. We also test any dashboards or other tools ourselves.
Fees
Pricing model: We consider whether the company offers any savings for sellers, like listing fee discounts, or savings for buyers, like cash back.
Agent quality
Vetting requirements: We compare the company's vetting requirements to those of its competitors. We discover whether agents must have a certain amount of experience, number of recent transactions, or high customer ratings.
Network size: We consider the size of the agent network to determine whether customers will have multiple options to choose from and whether customers in rural or small markets will be able to find local agents.
Customer reviews
Customer review analysis: We perform an in-depth analysis of all available customer reviews to determine trends. We also filter out spam reviews.
Credibility
Trust signals: We look at how long the company has been in business, the number of verified customer reviews it has, how willing the company was to answer questions about their business model when we contacted them, and how easy it is to find detailed information on its website — including the names and contact details of specific team members. We also look at customer reviews indicating whether the company acts with honesty and integrity in their business dealings.