Help-U-Sell Review 2024

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By Jessica Johansen Updated March 25, 2024
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Edited by Ashley Simon

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Help-U-Sell is a franchise real estate broker that advertises full service for home buyers and sellers and discounts on realtor commission. But we don't rank it as a top low commission company. It has inconsistent pricing across locations and lacks transparency about services and savings.

Conditional savings based on home sale price

Help-U-Sell

Shop Alternatives
On listwithclever.com
2.7
Our rating

Listing Fee

Varies

Buyer Savings

Varies

Active Since

1976

Editor's take

Overview

Locations

Help-U-Sell is a riskier choice than other discount brands. Its service quality and pricing vary across local offices, and in many locations, the company isn't transparent about its fee structure.

We recommend trying other discount brokers first, or at least comparing Help-U-Sell with other brokers. Call your local Help-U-Sell office to get details about its services and pricing.

Pros

  • Potential savings on realtor commission
  • Option for full-service support
  • Positive customer reviews in most locations

Cons

  • Little or no savings for homes at lower price points
  • Lack of transparency around commission rates
  • Company encourages sellers to do a lot of work themselves

What it is: Help-U-Sell is a franchise real estate broker that advertises discounts for sellers and full service for both sellers and buyers. Local offices are independently owned and operated.

How it works: Call your local Help-U-Sell office, and request the type of service you'd like. If you want full service, Help-U-Sell will support you throughout your entire transaction. You also have the option to market your home and find a buyer yourself, and then have Help-U-Sell step in to help you through closing.

Customer reviews: 4.7/5 (470+ total reviews)

  • Google: 4.8/5 (470+ reviews across ~20 locations)
  • Yelp: 3.7/5 (3 reviews)

Help-U-Sell is available in the following states: AL, AZ, CA, CO, FL, ID, MI, MN, MO, NV, NC, OK, OR, PA, TX, UT, and VA.

» Find your local Help-U-Sell office.

Located somewhere else? See our nationwide discount real estate broker picks.

We recommend comparing Help-U-Sell to other discount real estate brokers so you can make an informed decision. In this article, you'll learn about Help-U-Sell's fees, services, reviews, and agent quality — key features you can use to see how the company stacks up against alternatives.

Our Help-U-Sell rating

⭐️ Help-U-Sell: Overall score2.7 🔴
Service quality3.3 🔴
Savings2.0 🔴
Customer experience4.0 🟡
Agent expertise1.7 🔴
Show more
Ratings based on 1–5 scale, with 5 being the best. Learn more about our methodology.

We gave Help-U-Sell the highest rating for customer experience, since almost all recent customer reviews are positive.

The second-highest rating was for service quality. The local websites we reviewed advertise full service from agents, but we noticed some red flags. The brand encourages sellers to accept offers from buyers with Help-U-Sell agents, which could cause sellers to miss out on better offers.

Our lowest ratings were for agent quality and savings. It's unclear what Help U Sell's agent vetting requirements are. And the company's tiered flat fee pricing means you could pay a rate that's well over the national average listing fee of 2.83%.

Is Help-U-Sell right for you?

Help-U-Sell may be worth looking into if your local office has good customer reviews and significant discounts.

But Help-U-Sell may not have the lowest realtor fees or the best agents out of all the discount brokers in your area.

We recommend interviewing multiple agents from different companies to find the best combination of quality and savings. Remember that you have no obligation to sign a contract with a realtor when you interview them.

A company like Clever Real Estate can help you compare vetted agents from local brokerages, including from brands like Help-U-Sell. All agents you find through Clever offer just a 1.5% listing fee.

⚡ Compare all the vetted realtors in your zip code who work for just a 1.5% listing fee.

Help-U-Sell vs. alternatives

It's important to compare your options to ensure you find the right real estate agent. Here are our top alternatives to Help-U-Sell.

Company Clever Rating Best for Listing Fee Availability
Best overall
4.8
Our rating
Best overall
1.5%
Nationwide
Find Agents
On listwithclever.com
4.5
Our rating
Great savings, but some risks
1.5%
26 states (select markets)
Learn More
On listwithclever.com
4
Our rating
Best for buyers in high-end markets
1.5%
CA, CO, CT, FL, MD, MA, NJ, NY, PA, TX, VA, WA
Learn More
On listwithclever.com
Best overall

Clever Real Estate

Find Agents
On listwithclever.com
4.8
Our rating

Listing Fee

1.5%

Buyer Savings

$250-$500 cash back

Active Since

2017

Editor's Take

Pros & cons

Overview

Clever Real Estate is the best option for most sellers looking for an agent. The company matches you with multiple experienced, full-service agents so you can find the right fit, and it offers a low 1.5% listing fee no matter which agent you choose.

Find top agents near you today!

Pros

  • Get matched with top-producing local agents in minutes.
  • Guaranteed 1.5% listing fee (half the usual rate).
  • Free agent matching service with no obligation to commit to any realtor.
  • Large agent network offers great selection compared to similar services.

Cons

  • No guarantee you’ll get matched with a specific agent or brokerage.
  • Add-ons like professional home staging and drone photography may cost extra.

What it is: Clever Real Estate offers a lower commission without sacrificing quality. Through its free service, you can find top-rated agents in your area and sell for just a 1.5% listing fee (much lower than the average realtor commission rate).

How it works: You take a short online quiz (five questions) to help Clever understand your situation and preferences. Then Clever matches you with vetted, top-performing agents in your market who are a good fit, including realtors from major brands like Compass, Century 21, and Coldwell Banker. If you don’t like the agents Clever recommends, you can request more matches until you find the right fit — or simply walk away.

Customer reviews: 5/5 (3,180 total reviews)

Locations: Clever is available nationwide.

Great savings, but some risks

Redfin

Learn More
On listwithclever.com
4.5
Our rating

Listing Fee

1.5%

Buyer Savings

0.5% cash back

Active Since

2006

Editor's Take

Pros & cons

Overview

Redfin is a reputable discount real estate brokerage that offers significant savings, particularly if you buy and sell with the brokerage. But watch out for high minimum fees, which vary by market and can be high in some areas. Redfin's agents also work with a lot of clients, and they don’t always have time to provide as much hands-on service as you may need.

Pros

  • Low 1.5% listing fee offers excellent savings.
  • Clients who buy and sell with Redfin can save even more.
  • Easily manage your listing online or via Redfin’s app.

Cons

  • Agents might not be experienced in your local market.
  • High minimum fees in certain markets may limit your actual savings.

What it is: Redfin is a discount brokerage with salaried agents who work under its brand name.

How it works: All Redfin agents charge a 1.5% listing fee. If you buy and sell with Redfin, you can get a 0.5% rebate, bringing your listing fee down to 1%.

Customer reviews: 4.8/5 (156,106 total reviews)

Locations: Redfin is available in Washington D.C. and most major cities in the following states: Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia.

Best for buyers in high-end markets

Prevu

Learn More
On listwithclever.com
4
Our rating

Listing Fee

1.5%

Buyer Savings

Varies

Active Since

2017

Editor's Take

Pros & cons

Overview

Prevu is a solid option if you're buying an expensive property. You can receive up to 2% of the home's purchase price as a rebate; the full 2% is only available on properties over $1.25 million.

Sellers will pay a 1.5% listing fee (about half the traditional rate). But watch out for minimum fees that vary by market and can be high, limiting your actual savings.

Pros

  • Eligible buyers get a rebate of up to 2%.
  • Sellers can save with the 1.5% listing fee.
  • The company offers significant savings on high-value homes.

Cons

  • Only homes over $1.25 million qualify for the full 2% buyer rebate.
  • Minimum fees undercut seller savings.
  • Prevu has a small agent network, which means you could get stuck with a lackluster realtor.

What it is: Prevu is a discount brokerage that connects buyers and sellers with agents.

How it works: Prevu agents offer the same general range of services and support as traditional agents. The main difference is that the agents are salaried employees of the Prevu brand. As a seller, you will pay a 1.5% listing fee to your Prevu agent, which is about half of what traditional agents charge. The company also advertises a buyer rebate of up to 2% for buyers who find a home with a Prevu agent, although the rebate is subject to minimum fees and other requirements.

Customer reviews: 5/5 (602 total reviews)

  • Google: 5/5 (591 reviews)
  • Yelp: 4.5/5 (11 reviews)

Locations: Prevu is available in select markets in Washington D.C. and the following states: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, Washington.

How Help-U-Sell stacks up

Service quality

📊 Our rating: 3.3/5

  • Sellers and buyers can get the same full service that traditional realtors provide
  • The company encourages sellers to find their own buyer in order to save more money

On its main home page, Help-U-Sell says that it's a "full service real estate agency."[1]

Sellers can expect full-service support throughout the entire home sale process,[2] including:

  • Comparative market analysis (CMA) to help price the home
  • Staging advice
  • Marketing (e.g., for-sale sign, flyers, MLS listing, photos, virtual tour)
  • Showings
  • Help evaluating offers and negotiating with buyers
  • Coordination through the inspection process and closing

Although full service is available if you want it, Help-U-Sell encourages you to market your own home — including posting on social media, handing out flyers, and holding open houses — and find your own buyer in order to pay a lower realtor fee.[3]

The brand also pushes you to save money by accepting an offer from a buyer represented by Help-U-Sell. But you could miss out on the best offers if you limit your buyer pool like this.

If you're a buyer, you can also get full service from Help-U-Sell. Many local offices have dedicated buyer's agents who can help you get financing, find the right home, and negotiate with sellers.[2]

We weren't able to confirm whether the company usually provides a dedicated agent or a team. Many customer reviews mention dedicated support from specific agents, but others mention help from the staff as a whole.

Exact service models vary by location. Call your local office to verify which services it provides and who you'd work with.

How does Help-U-Sell work?

  1. Call your local office, and ask about its services and fees.
  2. If you decide to work with Help-U-Sell, sign a contract.
  3. The company provides full service to help you sell or buy a home. You can also choose to find a buyer yourself and then have the company step in to help through closing.
  4. If you're a seller, you don't pay realtor commission until your house sells. The commission rate is specified in the contract. If you're a buyer, you don't pay any commission.

Savings

📊 Our rating: 2/5

  • Commission fees are set by each local office
  • Offices usually offer tiered flat fees based on a home's sale price
  • Some tiers provide significant savings, but others are closer to or even higher than market rates
  • Some locations offer home buyer rebates

Savings vary significantly across locations and home sale prices.

Here's an example of the listing fees that an office in Arizona offers. The fees are flat rates that a seller pays based on how much their home sells for. We included the effective percentage so you can compare the flat rates to the typical 2.5–3% listing fee.

Flat feeHome sale priceEffective rateSavings*
$4,950$100,0005%–$1,950
$5,950$300,0001.9%$3,050
$8,950$600,0001.5%$9,050
Show more
*Compared to a 3% listing fee.

Savings for $300,000 and $600,000 homes are in line with what you'd save with a top low commission company. But for a $100,000 home, you wouldn't save any money on the listing fee. You'd actually pay almost $2,000 more than the average rate.

Your local office may have a fee structure that's significantly different from the Arizona office we used as an example. Most local websites aren't straightforward about pricing, so we recommend calling your area's Help-U-Sell office to verify its rates.

Keep in mind that as the seller, you'll also likely pay the buyer’s agent fee (2.66% on average). This incentivizes buyer's agents to show your home to their clients.

If you're the buyer, Help-U-Sell may help you save money as well. In some locations, the company offers home buyer rebates. For example, an office in San Francisco gives eligible buyers a check after closing that's worth 25% of the buyer's agent commission.[4]

Commission rebates have a lot of rules and restrictions, so speak with a local Help-U-Sell representative to make sure you qualify before you sign a purchase agreement.

» Learn more about average real estate commission rates by state.

👋 Get a better agent AND bigger savings

Why pay more in commission fees for less service? Clever offers you bigger savings without sacrificing the service you expect from a traditional realtor.

With Clever:

 ✅ You'll only pay 1.5% to list your home

 ✅ You'll work with a full-service realtor from a top broker

 ✅ It's free, with zero obligation — you can walk away at any time

Saving on realtor fees doesn't have to mean sacrificing service. Find a top local agent today!

Customer experience

📊 Our rating: 4/5

  • Almost all recent customer reviews are positive
  • Reviews often mention high-quality agents
  • Some locations have few or no customer ratings

Help-U-Sell has positive customer reviews overall, with an aggregate rating of 4.7/5 from over 470 reviews across Google (~20 locations) and Yelp. On the Better Business Bureau, the company has an A rating and zero customer complaints, although it isn't accredited.

Positive reviews tend to highlight specific agents. Customers mentioned that their agent knew the market well, communicated in a prompt and friendly manner, and helped ease their stress.

We found only a few recent negative reviews, which focused on bad experiences with realtors the customers thought were shady.

Some locations have only one or two reviews, and others have no reviews at all.

Agent expertise

📊 Our rating: 1.7/5

  • Agents need an active real estate license and NAR membership
  • It's unclear if Help-U-Sell has additional vetting standards for agents

Each Help-U-Sell agent has a real estate license and is a member of the National Association of Realtors (NAR),[5] which means they must follow NAR's Code of Ethics.

However, it's unclear if Help-U-Sell has additional vetting standards for agents. Other companies, like Clever Real Estate, require their agents to have several years of experience, a certain number of recent transactions, and a high customer rating.

If you're considering hiring a Help-U-Sell agent, we recommend vetting them yourself. Look at the agent's Zillow profile, social media, and personal website. Also read their customer reviews, and check their transaction history to see if they closed deals in your area in the last year.

» MORE: What to look for in a seller's agent | What to look for in a buyer's agent

Help-U-Sell locations

Help-U-Sell is available in the following states:

Alabama
Arizona
California
Colorado
Florida
Idaho
Michigan
Minnesota
Missouri
Nevada
North Carolina
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Texas
Utah
Virginia
Show more

» FIND: Help-U-Sell offices in your state

Next steps: Should I use Help-U-Sell?

Help-U-Sell could be a good option if your local office has (1) an agent you like and (2) a fee structure with significant savings for sellers with homes in your sale price range. There's no harm in contacting the office and interviewing agents, since you have no obligation to sign a contract during an interview.

However, we recommend starting with a company that has the same low listing fee and vetting standards across all the agents in its network (like Clever or Redfin). If you find an agent you like, you'll save thousands of dollars on realtor fees. If you don't find the right fit, you can always sign up for Help-U-Sell.

👋 Next Steps: Talk to an expert

If you're weighing your options for buying or selling a house, Clever can help!

Our fully licensed concierge team can answer your questions and provide objective advice on getting the best outcome with your sale or purchase.

When you enter your info below, we'll ask you a few questions about your situation via a short form. Then our concierge team will be in touch shortly to help.

This service is free, and there’s never any obligation to move forward with us.

Frequently asked questions

How much does Help-U-Sell charge?

Help-U-Sell often charges a flat fee based on home price range, but each location uses its own pricing structure. A lot of sellers will find lower fees — and bigger savings — with another low commission real estate company.

Is Help-U-Sell worth it?

That depends. Each Help-U-Sell office is independently owned and operated, and some offer better service and lower fees than others. That said, a lot of Help-U-Sell's locations have shut down over the past 15 years, which suggests the company isn't delivering as much pound-for-pound value as other discount real estate brokerages.

Related reading

Methodology

We evaluate each low commission real estate brokerage based on four core criteria and create a weighted score:

  • Service quality (30% of final score)
  • Savings (25% of final score)
  • Customer experience (20% of final score)
  • Agent quality (25% of final score)

Service quality

Essential services and support. We evaluate whether the brokerage requires its agents to offer basic services like a CMA, pricing and staging advice, professional photography, MLS listing, for-sale sign, and lockbox. We also consider whether agents provide hands-on support throughout the sale process (in-person home visits, guidance through due diligence, negotiation support).

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 used by the brokerage.

Savings

Pricing model. We compare the company's pricing model (including its listing fee, minimum fees, and buyer incentives) to its competitors to determine the overall value to customers.

Customer experience

Review analysis. We perform an in-depth analysis of all the available customer reviews to determine trends. We break down the reviews by customer type and sentiment, and we filter out spam reviews to determine our rating.

Company responsiveness. Negative reviews are part of doing business; however, we take note of whether a company is actively involved in resolving customer complaints.

Agent quality

Vetting requirements. We compare the company's vetting requirements to those of its competitors. We also take into consideration the size of the agent network to determine whether customers will have multiple options to choose from.

Article Sources

[1] Help-U-Sell – "Home Page". Accessed March 24, 2024.
[2] Help-U-Sell – "About Help-U-Sell Real Estate". Accessed March 24, 2024.
[3] Help-U-Sell – "Help-U-Sell Real Estate For Sellers". Accessed March 24, 2024.
[4] Help-U-Sell Allied Realty – "Home Buyer Rebate Program". Accessed March 24, 2024.
[5] Help-U-Sell – "Help-U-Sell Real Estate Frequently Asked Questions". Accessed March 24, 2024.

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