Help-U-Sell Review 2020: How it Works, Pricing, Top Alternatives

Help-U-Sell, at a glance

• Help-U-Sell is a flat-fee real estate franchise with 79 offices across 18 states. 40 are in California (view all locations).
• Listing fees typically range between $2,950-$7,950 depending on your home's value.
• That said, each Help-U-Sell office is independently owned and operated, so rates and services will vary by location.
• Expect to offer a buyer's agent commission as well. Rates vary, but 2.5-3% is typical nationwide.
• That said, if you sell to a Help-U-Sell-represented buyer, you'll pay ~1% in addition to your flat listing fee.
• Many Help-U-Sell franchisees offer several service packages at different price points. Some also offer à-la-carte services.
• Some Help-U-Sell offices offer home buyers commission rebates and other built-in, value-add services like free moving services.
• Because each location is independently owned and operated, we recommend looking for reviews for the office nearest you — you can find your local office here.
• As of May 20, 2020, Help-U-Sell's average customer rating is 4.1/5 based on 56 reviews on Facebook — see more reviews.

What is Help-U-Sell?

Help-U-Sell is a real estate franchise specializing in discounted, flat-fee listing services for home sellers. It also offers buyer's agent services.

The franchise was launched in 1976 and is operated by Sarasota, FL-based Infinium Realty Group, Inc. As of April 30, 2020, Help-U-Sell has 79 local offices in select markets across 18 states — roughly half are in California.

>> VIEW all Help-U-Sell locations here.

Each Help-U-Sell office is:

• A licensed, full-service real estate broker in that particular state
• Independently owned and operated, similar to other major franchise brokerages, such as RE/MAX, Keller Williams, and so on

The latter is particularly important — it means there is no standard Help-U-Sell business model or pricing structure.

Generally, Help-U-Sell sellers can expect full service for a flat listing fee. The fee typically ranges from $2,950-$7,950, depending on the home's value and local market conditions.

Additionally, sellers should expect to pay a buyer's agent commission — 2.5-3% is typical nationwide — unless they sell to a Help-U-Sell represented buyer (buyer's fee drops to 1%) or bring their own buyer to the table (no fee).

That said, each office sets its own fees and decides what services to provide. As such, the cost and experience of selling a house with Help-U-Sell in California may be quite different than in Texas. The same can be said of its two distinct San Jose, CA offices.

If you're interested in listing or buying a home with Help-U-Sell, we recommend looking up reviews for your local office and reaching out directly for up-to-date info on their specific pricing model and service offerings.

Help-U-Sell reviews

Help-U-Sell has an average rating of 4.1/5 rating based on 56 customer reviews on Facebook. Its company, Infinium Realty Group, Inc., has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau, but no customer reviews.

Help-U-Sell is a real estate franchise, which means that each local office is independently owned and operated. We recommend looking up customer reviews specific to the Help-U-Sell broker near you on independent platforms like Google, Zillow, Yelp, Consumer Affairs, Better Business Bureau, etc.

Selling a house with Help-U-Sell

All Help-U-Sell locations offer full service and support to home sellers in exchange for a flat listing fee.

In real estate, “full service” typically includes help with pricing, photos, staging, listing, marketing, showings, offers, negotiations, paperwork, closing, and more.

Of course, because it's a franchise, you'll need to get in touch with your local office for specifics on what services and support to expect, as packages and approaches may vary from market to market.

Pricing and Fees

Help-U-Sell's pricing structure may vary by office, time of year, or market, but in general, listing fees range between $2,950-$7,950, depending on the home's value.

Keep in mind that you'll likely be on the hook for more than just Help-U-Sell's flat listing fee.

Typically, in addition to their own agent's fee, sellers listing on the open market will offer what's known as a buyer's agent commission (BAC). This serves as an incentivizer for other agents to show the seller's home to their clients.

While BAC rates vary by market and property, 2.5-3% is typical nationwide. With Help-U-Sell, your total fee — that is, the flat listing fee + the BAC — will depend on how the buyer is found. There are three possible scenarios:

• Buyer is represented by a third-party agent: you pay a BAC at the going market rate — i.e., likely 2.5-3%
• Buyer is represented by Help-U-Sell: you pay a discounted BAC, typically around 1%
• Buyer is unrepresented: you pay no BAC — note: this is not very common, as approximately 9-out-10 buyers work with an agent

_{*Typical price range, not guaranteed. Cost depends on home's value. Fee structure may vary by location.
**These rates are negotiable and may vary by market or property — but 2.5-3% is typical for traditional agents.
***This fee is advertised by select Help-U-Sell offices, but is not guaranteed. Contact your local office for pricing info.}

Help-U-Sell vs traditional realtors

_{*Typical price range, not guaranteed. Cost depends on home's value. Fee structure may vary by location.}

_{**The amount you pay in buyer's agent commission depends on whether you, Help-U-Sell, or an outside agent finds the buyer.
***These rates are negotiable and may vary by market or property — but 2.5-3% is typical for traditional agents.}

Buying a house with Help-U-Sell

The experience of buying with Help-U-Sell is similar to working with a traditional agent or broker.

Your Help-U-Sell agent will support you through the entire home buying process, helping with house hunting, making offers, negotiations, paperwork, closing, and more.

As a buyer, you won't be responsible for your Help-U-Sell agent's fee — but this isn't unique to this service. In typical real estate transactions, both agents' fees are covered by the seller.

Select Help-U-Sell offices do offer built-in home buyer rebates, which means they'll give you a portion of their commission fee at closing. Check with your local office for availability and specifics.

Additionally, some Help-U-Sell offices offer free, value-add services, such as moving and handyman services. These are typically reserved for customers who sell and buy with Help-U-Sell. Check with your local office for availability and specifics.

Help-U-Sell Pros and Cons

Compare Help-U-Sell to top alternatives

If you're looking to sell your house and save on commission, Help-U-Sell is certainly worth investigating. Its full-service, flat-fee model could mean you get the help you need to sell for a fraction of the typical price.

However, because of its franchise model, you'll need to do some digging on your local Help-U-Sell office, specifically, as service quality, scope, and pricing may vary significantly between locations.

In addition to looking into your local Help-U-Sell office, you should do the same for at least 2-3 other services, agents, and/or approaches before making a final decision. Plenty of services and agents offer discounted rates — the important thing is finding the right fit for your unique situation, goals, and preferences.

To help you compare options, we've compiled some basic info on similar companies that can help you get discounted and flat commission rates. We recommend reading the full reviews, via the links below, and reaching out to these companies directly to learn more.

_{*In states where buyer rebates are legal.}

>> LEARN more about discount real estate brokers here.

Additional resources

Before choosing to list with a discount brokerage or service, you may want to evaluate some other home selling approaches as well. These guides will help you understand all of your options so you can make a more informed decision.

• Flat-fee MLS services
• iBuyer services
• We Buy Houses for Cash companies
• Selling for sale by owner (FSBO)
• Flat-fee real estate agents

Next steps: Get advice from a real estate expert

If you're trying to determine the best way to sell your home — or buy a new one — Clever can help!

Our fully Licensed Concierge Team is here to answer your questions and offer free, objective advice on how to proceed, based on your unique situation and goals.

Give us a call at 1-833-2-CLEVER or enter your basic info below to get started.

Help-U-Sell locations

As of May 2020, Help-U-Sell Real Estate has 79 offices in select markets across 18 states.

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Alabama

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California

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Colorado

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Idaho

Indiana

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Nevada

North Carolina

Oklahoma

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As of April 2020, there are no Help-U-Sell offices in the following states or districts.

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