We analyzed 1,178 third-party HomeLight reviews from the Better Business Bureau, Google, and SiteJabber to help you decide if it's the right option for you. We also mystery shopped HomeLight and 10 competitors to get firsthand experience with HomeLight's service.
Overall, we think HomeLight is a good option for buyers or sellers who are simply looking for a real estate agent.
But HomeLight doesn’t offer discounts like most of its competitors do. It also doesn't vet its agents, so you may be matched with agents who are inexperienced or not experts in your local market.
If you want to find a great agent and save on commission, we recommend getting matched with agents through Clever Real Estate. It works with vetted agents from top brokerages nationwide and negotiates insider rates so you can sell for just 1.5%.
HomeLight’s other services, such as HomeLight Simple Sale, may be useful for you. But we recommend shopping around first! Other companies offer similar products, often at better rates or with better terms.
Our HomeLight review summary
| 🟡 Service quality | An algorithm matches customers with agents, with no human vetting |
| 🔴 Savings | Customers don't get any savings |
| 🟢 Customer experience | Online reviews praise agents and complain about spam messages |
| 🔴 Agent screening | Agents don't have to meet any performance criteria to join HomeLight |
| 🟢 Coverage | Customers have plenty of agents to pick from, including in rural areas |
HomeLight vs. top competitors
HomeLight can be a better option than finding an agent on your own. But several top low-commission companies offer the same free agent-matching service, plus better customer support and built-in savings.
HomeLight doesn’t offer the best commission savings
HomeLight’s biggest drawback is the lack of savings for home sellers. If you find your agent through HomeLight, expect to pay the average rate for realtor commission: a 2.5–3% listing fee. Clever Real Estate, Ideal Agent, and UpNest all offer savings for sellers who use their platforms.
Clever offers the best rate overall. Sellers get 1.5% listing agent fees — about half the typical rate HomeLight sellers pay — while still getting full, traditional service. Ideal Agent's listing agent fee is 2%, and UpNest's is usually 2% or higher.
Some companies also offer buyer savings, like home buyer rebates. For example, Clever offers buyers cash back after closing.
Want to match with top-rated agents and save on commission? Clever Real Estate can connect you with agents from major brokerages like Century 21, RE/MAX, and Keller Williams. Each agent provides full service for a low 1.5% listing fee. Simply answer a few questions about your sale, then get agent recommendations sent to your inbox.
HomeLight's agent matches can be spotty
HomeLight’s fully automated matching process is fast but spotty. When our mystery shoppers requested local agents outside major metro areas, the suggested HomeLight agents were often from a nearby city instead of the desired area.
We recommend brands with a more personalized agent-matching process. For example, Clever also uses data and automation to move quickly, but its Concierge Team reaches out to you personally before making matches. The team learns about your situation and goals, then handpicks agents to ensure you find the right real estate agent for your needs.
HomeLight has a larger suite of services than the competition
One area where HomeLight stands out from the competition is its range of services. While primarily an online service for finding a real estate agent, it also offers mortgages through HomeLight Home Loans, a buy-before-you-sell option, and a cash offer service called Simple Sale.
Our HomeLight review breakdown
HomeLight review: Service quality
🟡 Key points:
- Agent-matching process too reliant on algorithm
- No human verifies if agents are a good fit before you get matched
- Company representatives are usually knowledgeable and helpful
- Lots of calls, emails, and texts after signing up
Agent matching process
Many customers left HomeLight reviews online saying how pleased they were with their agents. For example, this HomeLight review said:
“I am glad I contacted HomeLight. They connected me with a number of great agents. I would not [have] known where to start picking out an agency. They made the process easy.” — Julia K., SiteJabber, 5 stars
That said, we think HomeLight’s agent-matching process relies too much on its algorithm. While a concierge will contact you immediately afterward to review those matches — and potentially suggest different ones — they don’t first verify whether those matches are a good fit, which is a drawback.
When making a match, HomeLight’s algorithm takes many factors into account, including:
- Price range
- Geographic area
- Number of transactions
- Average sale price vs. average listing price
- Prior reviews
- Average days on the market
- Success rate with previous HomeLight referrals
You’ll usually get paired with agents who are local and have closed many transactions in the area.
Customer service
One customer was especially pleased that HomeLight checked in throughout her real estate transaction:
“Homelight checked in on me every so often to make sure the process was going smoothly. I would use their service again.” — Julie H., BBB, 5 stars
However, we were far less happy with the volume of communication we received. After signing up, both HomeLight representatives and the agents we were matched with bombarded us with emails, calls, and text messages. While it’s normal for an agent-matching service to try to contact you — and many customers prefer it — HomeLight takes "communication" to a whole new level.
One online reviewer had a similar experience, saying:
“[HomeLight] advertises an appraisal estimate in as little as 2 minutes. I entered in my information only to receive spam texts that won’t give an estimate without having them match with local real estate agents.” — Christopher S., BBB, 1 star
HomeLight review: Savings
🔴 Key points:
- No savings for buyers or sellers
Both buyers and sellers will be disappointed by HomeLight’s lack of savings. In most cases, you’ll pay the full fee for your listing agent, usually 2.5–3% of the purchase price, depending on your local market. That’s the same rate you’d pay if you found an agent on your own.
Companies like Ideal Agent and Clever Real Estate pre-negotiate discounts with their partner agents on your behalf. Ideal Agent’s listing fee is 2%, while Clever’s is just 1.5%.
There’s also no discount or rebate with HomeLight if you’re a buyer, unlike other real estate companies such as Clever.
HomeLight review: Customer experience
🟢 Key points:
- HomeLight reviews online are generally positive
- Customer dashboard is easy to use and has lots of helpful info
HomeLight customer reviews
| HomeLight review site | Rating |
|---|---|
| Better Business Bureau | 4.4/5 (109 reviews) |
| 4.6/5 (535 reviews) | |
| Site Jabber | 4.7/5 (267 reviews) |
| Weighted avg. | 4.6/5 (1,178 reviews) |
We dug through hundreds of HomeLight reviews to discover what customers had to say about its real estate services. Here’s what they liked best about HomeLight and where they felt the company could do better.
Pros
- You can easily compare agents.
- Agents generally meet expectations.
Cons
- You may not be matched with a top agent.
- You may receive lots of texts and emails from HomeLight.
According to HomeLight reviews, many customers were pleased with their agent matches. They generally found that their agents met expectations and helped make the real estate transaction easier and less stressful.
Some customers also liked how easy it was to use HomeLight’s website and compare agents. One customer, for example, appreciated how much information he got about the agents available in his area:
“I recently elected to sell a family property in an area of Daytona Beach in which I had no local knowledge of real estate services. I engaged HomeLight to provide insight into the marketplace performance and was quickly served up with a detailed list of local agents, their performance, and consumer ratings. This was a huge accelerator to get to market quickly.” — Jim M., SiteJabber, 5 stars
While most HomeLight reviews online are positive, some customers felt like HomeLight failed to match them with top real estate agents. HomeLight’s real estate agent marketplace is large. Almost any agent can join it, so it’s not surprising that some local agents failed to live up to customers’ expectations.
One of the most common complaints was about the volume of communication customers received from HomeLight and its agents, with one person saying:
“I submitted info to get our estimated home value. I even selected ‘I have an agent’ … They don’t care whatsoever and send out your info to at least 20 agents. My phone kept ringing, and it was overly obnoxious. HomeLight ends up calling over and over.” — Angelica M., Google, 1 star
Some complained about difficulties unsubscribing from HomeLight’s emails, a problem we also experienced.
Ease of use
We found HomeLight.com to be fast and easy to use. You’ll get agent matches almost instantly and keep track of them through your HomeLight online dashboard. Even if you’re using HomeLight Simple Sale, the service’s cash offer option, you can still easily compare your cash offers to what you might pay by listing with a traditional agent.
We like that the dashboard is intuitive and provides a lot of useful information about your agent matches. For example, you can view matches from the main dashboard page and see agent information, including:
- Years of experience
- Number of homes sold in your area
- Achievements
- A map showing their recent sales
If you want more information, you can read agent bios and additional sales data via their profile.
Your dashboard also includes additional features like:
- A message center where you can contact HomeLight and your matched agents
- An option to try out HomeLight’s Simple Sale service
- A section to keep track of the progress of your home sale or purchase
While a nice dashboard isn’t nearly as important as finding a great real estate agent, it’s a nice touch and makes the process of selling a house or buying a house a little less stressful.
HomeLight review: Agent screening
🔴 Key points:
- No performance criteria for agents
- HomeLight considers customer satisfaction when recommending agents
Unlike other agent-matching services, HomeLight doesn’t require agents to meet any performance criteria.
As a result, its agent network varies in quality, and its large size needs to be taken with a grain of salt. With so many agents, you’ll find both great ones and lackluster ones.
However, if an agent isn't performing well, there's a good chance the company will decrease the number of clients it sends their way. This incentivizes agents to provide good service.
» MORE: How to choose a good seller's agent | How to choose a good buyer's agent
HomeLight review: Coverage
🟢 Key points:
- More agents available in more areas of the country compared to competitors
- Multiple agent matches and ability to request more
If you’re planning on moving from one state to another, HomeLight’s large agent network allows it to potentially match you with recommended agents in both states.
HomeLight’s network also means you get more options. Its algorithm uses the information you provided during signup to immediately match you with up to three local agents.
If those agent matches don’t seem right for you, you can immediately request and receive an additional two, giving you up to five matches. That's more than most other agent-matching services offer.
However, some HomeLight services aren’t available nationwide. HomeLight Home Loans and its buy-before-you-sell services, for example, are only available in select areas.
How does HomeLight work?
HomeLight's agent matching service is straightforward and similar for buyers and sellers:
- On HomeLight's website, enter information about the property you want to sell or buy, such as your target price range and your timeline.
- You instantly get a list of up to three qualified agents. You can stick with these agents or request additional ones, in which case two more matches display immediately.
- Review your agents using the "View Details" menu, which displays information including:
- Their brokerage
- Number of homes they’ve sold in your area
- Years of experience
- Total number of HomeLight clients they’ve helped buy or sell a home
- Achievements, such as if they're top negotiators or sell quickly
- A map of properties each agent has helped a client buy or sell in your area
- Usually, within a few hours, a HomeLight concierge will contact you via email and phone to discuss your matches. They can also send more agent matches.
- You can arrange to speak with any of these HomeLight partner agents by phone, email, or through HomeLight’s direct messaging platform.
- If you choose to work with one of the HomeLight agents, you'll sign a listing agreement.
Additional HomeLight services
HomeLight’s additional services, like Simple Sale, buy-before-you-sell, and Home Loan, allow you to complete more steps under the HomeLight umbrella. However, most of these services are similar to what the competition offers and, in some cases, you’ll be better off shopping around.
HomeLight Simple Sale: Connect with local cash buyers
HomeLight Simple Sale — sometimes referred to as HomeLight Cash Offers — is a free service that helps you sell your house directly to a property investor or flipper. You submit basic info about your home, such as its age and condition, and HomeLight compiles multiple preliminary cash offers so you can compare and choose the best one.
Most cash buyers will then conduct an in-person inspection. If any issues come up, the final offer may be lower than the initial cash offer.
HomeLight Simple Sale is primarily for people who need to sell fast or want to sell as-is. As with its agent-matching service, you may also be inundated with calls from agents when trying to get an estimate for your home. You also won’t sell your home for the best possible price.
» MORE: Best Companies That Buy Houses for Cash
HomeLight Buy Before You Sell: Buy a new home before selling your old one
HomeLight's Buy Before You Sell program works like this:
- You get pre-qualified to tap into a portion of your current home equity, enabling you to submit a strong, non-contingent offer on a new home without having to sell your current home first.
- You can move into your new home right after completing the purchase.
- HomeLight then partners you with an agent to list and market your previous home over the next 90 days.
- If it doesn't sell within that period, HomeLight will buy your house for a predetermined amount and continue to try to sell it on the open market.
The program doesn't require any up-front costs, but HomeLight charges 2.4% of the old home's sale price at closing.
We didn’t encounter any glaring issues with HomeLight’s Buy Before You Sell program, but nothing stood out about it, either. We recommend comparing HomeLight's program to other home trade-in services, like Knock.
Orchard used to offer a competing home trade-in service, but now the company's Move First program is powered by HomeLight's Buy Before You Sell product.[1]
HomeLight Home Loans: Get approved before making an offer
Most lenders only provide pre-approval letters, but HomeLight Home Loans completes full underwriting before you even bid on a home. By guaranteeing financing upfront, HomeLight allows you to make contingency-free, competitive offers to maximize your chances of securing the property you want.
The online loan application can be approved in as little as 30 minutes in qualifying states. HomeLight has dedicated mortgage advisors to help you select the best home loan product for your situation from a range of offerings.
HomeLight Home Loans advertises lower rates than major banks, but we recommend shopping around to ensure you get the best rate.
HomeLight history and news
HomeLight is an online real estate company that helps you find a real estate agent if you’re buying or selling. With over 30,000 agents in its network, HomeLight is by far the biggest agent-matching service in the country.
HomeLight was founded in San Francisco in 2012 by Drew Uher, the current CEO. The company is currently based in Scottsdale, Arizona.
It has received financial backing from prominent venture capital investors, such as Zeev Ventures, Menlo Ventures, Crosslink Capital, and 500 Startups. In 2024, HomeLight raised $20 million of new funding for its Buy Before You Sell program.[2]
Is HomeLight legitimate?
Yes, HomeLight is a legit company. HomeLight Real Estate is the largest agent-matching service in the U.S. and a licensed brokerage in California. All agent-matching services are legally required to have an active brokerage license.
Bottom line: Should I use HomeLight?
HomeLight is best suited for sellers and buyers who want to quickly choose a traditional full-service real estate agent and aren’t concerned about savings. You won’t save money by going with HomeLight, but you'll get matched with agents almost instantly.
What’s more, HomeLight is useful if you’re looking for a buy-before-you-sell service or a cash offer, but keep in mind that these are relatively niche services. Other companies offer similar services that may be more suited to your needs and budget.
With other real estate companies, you can get a great agent while paying a lot less. With Clever Real Estate, for example, you get matched with top real estate agents and pay a listing fee of just 1.5%, potentially saving you thousands of dollars in commission.
- 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
Related reading
Methodology
We review each agent matching service based on five core criteria:
- Service quality
- Cost
- Customer experience
- Agent screening
- Coverage
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.
Cost
Pricing model: We consider whether the company offers any savings for sellers, like listing fee discounts, or savings for buyers, like cash back.
Customer experience
Customer review analysis: We perform an in-depth analysis of all available customer reviews to determine trends. We also filter out spam reviews.
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.
Agent screening
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.
Coverage
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.