Fathom Realty is a relatively new real estate brokerage that offers a tech-centered experience for home buyers and sellers.
The company provides traditional full service for the standard commission rate of 2.5–3%. It doesn't have any built-in savings like some alternative brokers.
Fathom has good real estate agents, but if you want to find the best agent, it's important to compare your options. You can do that on your own or use a service that vets agents for you.
For example, Clever Real Estate provides a service where you can compare top-performing agents from reputable local and national brokerages (like Fathom Realty). Each agent offers a low 1.5% listing fee because we've already negotiated that rate on your behalf. Simply fill out this short form to start comparing agents in your area.
Our Fathom Realty rating
| Overall score | 3.9/5 🟢 |
| Service value | 4.0/5 🟢 |
| Customer experience | 4.0/5 🟢 |
| Agent quality | 4.0/5 🟢 |
| Brand power | 3.5/5 🟡 |
Who does Fathom Realty work best for?
Fathom Realty could be a good fit if:
- You want a high-tech experience. Fathom’s proprietary tech platform enables buyers and sellers to take the bulk of their transaction online.
- You don’t need a lot of face-to-face time with your agent. Much of the traditional agent-client experience will be online. That doesn't mean you won't get good service from your Fathom agent. Several customer reviews note that agents were very responsive to messages sent through Fathom’s app.
- You don’t mind paying full price for full service. Fathom offers a mostly traditional real estate experience for full commission. Currently, the average listing commission is 2.74%.
Fathom Realty may not be the right fit if:
- You need a personalized, in-person agent experience. Fathom Realty agents generally try to keep as much of the sale process online as possible. This isn't ideal if you need to talk over your priorities with your agent in person or need your agent to accompany you to several showings.
- You want to save money on commission. Fathom doesn’t offer any built-in commission savings. That means you’ll pay full commission unless you negotiate a discount directly with your listing agent.
Fathom Realty vs. top low-cost alternatives
Negotiating commission rates on your own can be challenging, but that's not the only way to save on realtor fees. Many discount brokers offer full service just like traditional brokerages — but at a much lower price point.
Brokers like Clever Real Estate connect sellers with experienced, vetted agents who charge only 1.5%. This rate can translate into thousands of dollars in savings compared to a brokerage like Fathom that charges a 2.5–3% listing fee.
We recommend the following companies as low-commission alternatives to Fathom Realty. All three can connect you with full-service agents and help you save on commission.
» MORE: Want to compare more options? Check out our guide to the best low-commission realtors and companies.
Our in-depth Fathom Realty review
Service value
📊 Our rating: 4/5
- You'll get a full-service, high-tech experience.
- Agents typically charge full commission.
Fathom Realty has traditional, full-service agents that guide sellers and buyers throughout their transactions. A lot of the process happens online instead of in person.
Services for sellers
Fathom real estate offers a standard suite of services. Once you sign a listing agreement, your agent will:
- Perform a comparative market analysis to set a listing price
- List your home on the local multiple listing service (MLS)
- Arrange professional photos
- Give home staging advice
- Market your home
- Help you with showings
- Negotiate with buyers and their agents
- Assist you through closing
Fathom says you can negotiate the listing commission with your agent, but agents don't usually agree to substantial discounts. You’ll likely pay a 2.5–3% listing fee.
The company also offers a range of other services to sellers:
- Home Trade-In. You can buy your next home while selling your current one.
- Listing Concierge. Renovate your home before listing, with no payment due until closing.
- Instant Sale. Connect with local cash buyers who can pay cash for your home and close quickly.
Services for buyers
Fathom Realty's buyer's agents offer a similarly conventional package of services. You'll get help from home searching through closing.
The agents don’t typically offer a home rebate, but you can discuss the possibility with your individual agent.
You may also benefit from the company's other buyer services:
- Cash Buy. You can convert your offer into a more competitive cash offer.
- Homeownership Accelerator. Fathom’s rent-to-own service allows you to put your rent toward an eventual purchase.
- Financing. Fathom has an in-house lending service.
- Title services. Verus Title is Fathom’s in-house title provider.
Customer experience
📊 Our rating: 4/5
- Fathom real estate reviews are mostly positive.
- Many customers described helpful agents and smooth sales.
- Occasional negative reviews are typically about problems with individual agents.
Most Fathom customers were happy with their experience and their Fathom agent. One recent buyer in Texas described their agent as extremely knowledgeable and helpful,1 and another buyer said their Fathom agent went above and beyond to help them find the perfect home.2
The few negative Fathom reviews mostly mention an individual agent who wasn’t responsive to the client. One recent review described an agent who ghosted their client entirely.3
Agent quality
📊 Our rating: 4/5
- Reviews for agents are generally positive.
- Fathom has a large workforce, so inevitably there are a few bad agents.
Most reviews of Fathom Realty agents describe a positive experience with a knowledgeable, pleasant agent. There are only a few negative reviews of Fathom Realty agents, most of which involve a rude or negligent agent.
Fathom is known for having the most generous commission split for agents, which has been key to the company's rapid growth. As of 2024, Fathom real estate has over 12,000 agents, and its workforce grew 12% year over year.
Agent quality varies at every brokerage. The key to your selling or buying experience is finding an agent who understands your needs. We recommend interviewing several agents to find the right fit. Ask each agent for references and sales figures. Also ask about the exact services they provide and their commission rate.
» MORE: How to choose a good seller's agent | How to choose a good buyer's agent
Brand reach and visibility
📊 Our rating: 3.5/5
- Fathom Realty has a lot of brand recognition among agents for its industry-best commission split.
- The Fathom real estate brand is less visible among the public.
Fathom Realty is a publicly traded company.4 Fathom Holdings reported total revenue of $83.7 million in the third quarter of 2024.5
Fathom's social media pages have relatively impressive numbers, and the company has decent PR exposure on RealTrends and other real estate–focused publications.
In September 2024, Career.io named Fathom Realty the top company for agent satisfaction.6
Fathom Realty locations
Fathom Realty group has agents in the following states:
| Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii | Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kentucky Louisiana Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota | Missouri Montana Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico North Carolina Ohio Oklahoma | Oregon South Carolina Tennessee Texas Utah Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin |
The company doesn't have brick-and-mortar offices. Instead, you can browse Fathom agents in your area here.
Fathom Realty's in-house lender and title services may not be available in all agent locations. For example, its title service, Verus Title, operates in only 29 states.7
Its corporate headquarters has an office and a phone number:
- Address: 2000 Regency Pkwy., Suite 300, Cary, NC 27518
- Phone: (214) 862-1150
Next step: Start interviewing agents
We recommend interviewing multiple agents (ideally 2–3) to ensure you get the best fit and value. The individual agent you choose is more important than the brand.
You can start comparing top local agents here. These agents are vetted for experience, successful transactions, and customer reviews. They also provide full service for a 1.5% listing fee instead of the typical 3%.
- Answer 5 simple questions about your sale
- Get matched with 2 to 3 top local agents in minutes
- Choose the best fit and save up to 50% on listing fees
FAQ
Is Fathom Realty a good company?
Fathom Realty is a good company if you’re looking for a traditional full-service brokerage that charges full commission. If you want full service for a lower commission rate, check out the top discount brokers.
How does Fathom Realty work?
Fathom Realty works just like any traditional brokerage. Clients work with a Fathom agent who guides them through their sale or purchase.
Who is the CEO of Fathom?
The CEO of Fathom is Marco Fregenal
Is Fathom Realty publicly traded?
Yes, Fathom Realty is a publicly traded company. It went public on the Nasdaq on July 31, 2020.8
Is there a Fathom Realty lawsuit?
In September 2024, Fathom Realty settled in a federal lawsuit over how commission is paid. Many other national brokerages have reached a similar settlement involving this lawsuit.9
Related reading
Methodology
We create a score for each traditional real estate brokerage based on four core criteria:
- Service value
- Customer experience
- Agent quality
- Brand power
Service value
Service: We evaluate whether the company provides standard full service, including a home valuation, staging advice, professional photography, MLS listing, open house management, negotiations, and help with paperwork. We also look at the quality of active and past listings (photos, listing descriptions, etc.) to see whether the company follows established best practices.
Cost: We determine whether the company charges market rates for commission (~2.5–3% listing fees) and whether customers get little or a lot of value for the fee.
Customer experience
Customer review analysis: We perform an in-depth analysis of recent customer reviews (filtering out span reviews) to determine trends.
Agent quality
Overall agent team: We evaluate the chances of getting a solid realtor who will meet different needs, preferences, and availability.
Experience: We examine the entire team's average experience based on public agent data on sites like Realtor.com and Zillow. We also compare the average annual transactions per agent, sourced from RealTrends or brokerage-provided data, with the industry average.
Selection: We determine the total number of agents versus offices to gauge how wide the selection is.
Brand power
We evaluate overall brand power to see if the company can get more eyes on your listings, more showings, and quicker offers.
Social media presence: We consider the company's presence across all major consumer-facing social platforms: Facebook, X, and Instagram.
Online audience size: We determine the size of the company's online audience through web traffic volume and monthly Google searches for the brand name.
Marketing reach: We look at the company's listings on all major MLSs and popular listing sites like Zillow and Realtor.com.
Sources
- Jose N, Yelp, Dec. 22, 2023. ↩︎
- Becky C., Yelp, Sept. 13, 2022. ↩︎
- Jenn Z., Yelp, Aug. 12, 2024. ↩︎
- MarketWatch, "Fathom Holdings Inc.," accessed Nov. 14, 2024. ↩︎
- Fathom, "Fathom Holdings Reports Third Quarter 2024 Results," Nov. 7, 2024. ↩︎
- Fathom, "Fathom Realty Earns Top Ranking for Agent Satisfaction Among Nation's Largest Real Estate Companies," Sept. 25, 2024. ↩︎
- PR Newswire, "Fathom Holdings' Subsidiary, Verus Title, Expands Into Rhode Island," Oct. 08, 2024. ↩︎
- Fathom, "Investor FAQ," accessed Nov. 14, 2024. ↩︎
- HousingWire, "Fathom Is the Latest Brokerage to Settle the Commission Lawsuits," Sept. 18, 2024. ↩︎