Houwzer Review 2025

Houwzer is a low commission real estate brokerage that charges a 1% listing fee (minimum $3,000). This makes it an affordable option for many sellers — especially on higher-priced homes — compared to traditional agents who charge 2.5–3% or more.

Houwzer also offers a rebate if you agree to pay a buyer’s agent more than 1%. You’ll get back 50% of any amount over that 1%, reducing your total costs even further.

But Houwzer’s business model comes with trade-offs. Many negative Houwzer reviews cite inconsistent service, limited agent availability, and poor communication. And for lower-priced homes, the $3,000 minimum could be more than you’d pay with another discount broker. Other discount brokers may offer better value.

Want to save and get great service? Clever Real Estate matches you with top-rated local agents from brokerages like Keller Williams and RE/MAX — and pre-negotiates a low 1.5% listing fee for you. You get full service, expert support, and thousands in savings. Find top local agents and get a 1.5% listing fee!

Houwzer reviews

Source	Average Rating	Review Count
Google	4.8/5	571
Yelp	4.0/5	43
Zillow	5.0/5	790
Total	4.9/5	1,404

Note: Houwzer review information is up to date as of October 1, 2025.

Houwzer has a good overall rating: 4.9/5 from 1,404 reviews across Yelp, Zillow, and Google.

Themes most commonly mentioned in Houwzer reviews

Theme	Portion of Reviews	Percent Positive
Guidance and Support	76%	✅ 98%
Communication and Professionalism	72%	✅ 97%
Real Estate Expertise	58%	✅ 98%
Results	36%	✅ 99%
Ease of Transaction	26%	✅ 98%
Savings Value	23%	✅ 97%
Integrity	22%	✅ 94%

The most common themes in Houwzer reviews highlight strong agent support and professional service. Many reviewers mentioned positive experiences with their agent’s guidance and support and communication and professionalism, noting that agents were responsive, informative, and hands-on throughout the process. Customers also frequently praised their agent’s real estate expertise and ability to deliver results, such as selling above asking or navigating tough negotiations.

Other recurring themes included a smooth and stress-free transaction, satisfaction with the overall value and savings, and confidence in their agent’s integrity. While Houwzer’s flat-fee model may raise questions about service quality, most reviewers felt they received personalized attention and reliable support throughout their sale or purchase.

Here's how Houwzer reviews break down.

Customer reviews consistently highlight Houwzer agents for their hands-on guidance and support throughout the buying and selling process. Whether it’s a first-time seller or a seasoned homeowner, many say their agent walked them through each step, answered questions thoroughly, and made the entire experience feel less overwhelming.

• "This was our first time selling and such a positive experience"
• "Having a knowledgeable realtor does matter"
• "You’ll have a great experience with Houwzer!"
• "It was nice to know we could reach our realtor and get a quick response"
• "Ileana was amazing! She is very responsive and attentive to your needs"
• "Our agent was very responsive and patiently answered all our questions."

Many Houwzer customers say they were able to save thousands on commission while still getting strong results. Reviews often highlight that the listing fee felt like a great value — especially when paired with responsive service and solid outcomes on their sale or purchase.

• "saved significant $$$ on realtor commissions and still came out ahead on sale price"
• "They saved me a lot of money"
• "Ultimately saved us thousands by being aggressive with our offer"

Houwzer reviews frequently praise the company for delivering smooth, hassle-free transactions with great outcomes. Whether it’s selling a home quickly, navigating a first-time mortgage, or simply making the process feel easy, many customers say Houwzer exceeded their expectations from start to finish.

• "We sold our third house with Houwzer in 1 year"
• "Delivering on every level"
• "Walked me step by step through the entire process of taking out my first mortgage"
• "The process went incredibly smoothly"
• "From start to finish everything was fantastic"

What is Houwzer?

🏠 Houwzer, at a glance
Listing fee	1% listing fee (minimum $3,000)
Best for	Homes priced above $500,000 and sellers who plan to buy with Houwzer too
Avg. seller savings	Up to $17,500 vs. 3% listing fee*
Customer rating	⭐ 4.9 out of 5
Service strengths	✅ Guidance & Support ✅ Communication & Professionalism ✅ Real Estate Expertise
Locations	Florida, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Washington, DC
*Savings estimate based on comparison with a 3% listing fee at four different price points.

Houwzer is a flat-fee real estate brokerage with licensed agents who can help you buy or sell a home. But, unlike many big-name real estate companies (think Century 21 and Keller Williams), Houwzer is a discount broker.

Simply put, this means:

• Houwzer offers potential real estate commission savings compared with using a traditional real estate agent
• Those savings may come at the expense of service quality and personalized support

In Houwzer's case, the company offsets its low fees by requiring its agents to manage about three times as many customers as a typical realtor.

This approach works out fine for many sellers, but whenever a company creates savings by asking its employees to do more work than the competition, there's a greater risk of encountering mistakes, delays, and other problems that could complicate your sale.

Additionally, some Houwzer complaints warn that the company's salary and bonus structure may incentive some agents to underprice homes.

Houwzer agents earn bonuses based on the number of houses they sell — and some unhappy customers say they felt pressured to sell for less than their home's true value.

How much does Houwzer cost?

When you sell your home with Houwzer, you’ll typically pay:

• Houwzer’s 1% commission rate ($5,000 on a $500,000 home sale).
• Optional buyer’s agent fee: You choose whether to offer this and how much, although Houwzer, along with many other real estate brokerages, recommend paying between 2% and 3%.

These costs are paid at closing and deducted from your sale proceeds — just like with a traditional listing.

How much could you save with Houwzer?

🏠 Home price	💰 Estimated savings*
$100,000	–$0
$250,000	$4,500
$500,000	$10,000
$750,000	$15,000
$1,000,000	$20,000
Average	$9,900

*Compared with a traditional 3% listing fee

Houwzer’s flat 1% listing fee could save you a lot of money — and the higher your home’s value, the more you save compared with a traditional percentage-of-sale realtor fee.

However, with a lower-priced home, Houwzer’s flat fee can actually work against you. If your home costs $170,000 or less, you may actually pay more with Houwzer than with a traditional agent due to its $3,000 minimum.

Here's how the savings from Houwzer's flat listing fee break down across different price points.

» MORE: The best discount real estate brokers

Houwzer vs. alternatives

Unlike Redfin and many other low commission companies, Houwzer charges a flat fee, rather than a percentage, for the listing agent's commission.

Many sellers find the best overall value with a low commission company, like Clever Real Estate. Clever pre-negotiates 1.5% listing fees with top agents at trusted brokerages like Keller Williams and RE/MAX. With Clever, you'll get all the service and support you expect from a traditional realtor — but pay a fraction of the typical price!

Service level is in line with most discount brokers

Like many discount brokers, Houwzer offers full service representation. You'll receive one-on-one guidance and help from a dedicated agent (while an in-house team handles paperwork and marketing on the back end).

Always hire the agent — NOT the brand

Houwzer's savings really begin to shine the closer you get to the $1 million price point. But remember: experience and service quality will vary a LOT between Houwzer agents.

When considering a listing agent, make sure that the agent's experience matches your price point. You're hiring the agent — not the brand. And you don't want to be anyone's first million-dollar home!

Selling with Houwzer

The experience of selling with Houwzer is similar to that of selling with a traditional agent. However, there are two key differences:

• Houwzer offers built-in discounts on listing fees.
• Houwzer's agents don't work on commission; they're full-time, salaried employees.

Your agent may have less incentive to sell your home for top dollar

Houwzer agents receive a salary, as well as bonuses. They don't earn commissions.

That could have important implications for both home sellers and buyers.

Traditionally, real estate agents earn commissions, which means the more money they can sell a home for, the more they'll earn.

Houwzer agents earn the same paycheck no matter how much money their sales have earned.

By hiring salaried employees, Houwzer can ensure its agents follow standardized company procedures — making its operations efficient and cost-effective.

And in theory, salaried agents are less pushy than those whose livelihoods depend on commission.

But if you're a seller, sometimes you want a pushy agent who'll fight to sell your home for top dollar.

What services do you get when you sell with Houwzer?

When you sell with Houwzer, you'll get the same basic services you'd expect from a traditional agent, as well as several premium options:

• Professional listing photos
• Virtual home tour
• Social media and email marketing
• Direct mailers sent to local home buyers

Your Houwzer agent will personally handle most aspects of the sale. An administrative team handles paperwork, marketing, and accounting.

If you schedule an open house, a Houwzer buyer's agent will run it. We suspect this is so the buyer's agent can find prospective customers. Regardless of which agent your buyer uses, Houwzer prompts its sellers to offer a buyer's agent commission of 2.5%.

Buying with Houwzer

Buying a house with Houwzer is much like using a traditional brokerage. Your buyer's agent (who works only on the buy-side and doesn't list homes) will help you with house hunting, showings, preparing offers, paperwork, negotiations, and closing. There's no fee to use the agent (typically, the agent will be paid commission by the seller at closing).

The big difference is that Houwzer buyer's agents are salaried, full-time employees.

As a buyer, this could benefit you in two ways:

• Your agent isn't incentivized to pressure you to pull the trigger and buy a home when you're not comfortable; they get paid either way.
• Your agent's paycheck doesn't directly correlate to the home's final purchase price, which could motivate them to drive a harder bargain on your behalf.

Although the salaried-agent model might not be ideal for sellers, it may work out to be in buyers' best interests.

Does Houwzer offer a home buyer rebate?

Yes. Houwzer now offers a home buyer rebate — giving you back 50% of the buyer’s agent commission at closing. This rebate is available to buyers who sign a buyer agency agreement with Houwzer and complete a purchase using a Houwzer agent.

How it works:

• Buyer agent commission is typically up to 3% of the sale price.
• Houwzer gives you back half of what they collect — at closing.
• You’ll receive cash back to use toward your closing costs or other expenses.

Example: On a $500,000 home, if the seller offers a 3% buyer’s agent fee ($15,000), Houwzer would rebate $7,500 back to you.

There are a few things to keep in mind:

• You must work with a Houwzer agent and sign a buyer agency agreement.
• Your lender must allow commission rebates (most do, but check in advance).
• You’ll only get the rebate if the seller offers a commission that Houwzer receives.

How it compares to other discount brokers

Houwzer’s buyer rebate is competitive — especially if you’re purchasing a higher-priced home. Some brokerages only offer a flat credit (e.g., $2,500) or require you to both buy and sell with them to unlock savings.

When you buy with Clever, for example, you may qualify for cash back after closing, plus get matched with a top-performing local agent. There’s no minimum price or dual-transaction requirement — and you get full-service support.

Conclusion: is Houwzer right for you?

Houwzer is a totally legitimate service that has helped many people sell their home successfully. Whether it's a good choice for you really comes down to:

• Your price range
• Your personal preferences (and tolerance for risk)
• Your specific situation
• The quality of the Houwzer agents in your area.

The important thing to remember is that there’s no obligation to move forward or commit when you’re interviewing different real estate agents or services.

By shopping around and comparing rates, experience, and personalities to find the best fit, you have absolutely nothing to lose and everything to gain.

Clever makes it easier than ever to find the perfect agent AND avoid overpaying on real estate commission. With Clever, you'll get hand-picked agent matches from top local brokerages. You can interview as many agents as you like until you find the right one.

The best part? When you find your agent through Clever, you also get a pre-negotiated listing fee of just 1.5%!

Houwzer locations

Houwzer history and news

Houwzer was founded in Philadelphia in 2014 and has since grown into a multi-state brokerage. As of 2025, it has facilitated more than $2.49 billion in home sales, closed over 5,800 transactions, and reported $78 million in commission savings for its customers.[1]

Key milestones include:

• 2022: Acquired rival discount brokerage Trelora and formed a new parent company, Newfound, to oversee both brands.[2]
• 2023: Shifted from a flat $5,000 listing fee to a 1% commission model, and launched HomeRise, a flat-fee MLS service for sellers who want a DIY option.
• 2024: Expanded into Cape May County, NJ, driven by demand after several high-end sales in the region.[3]
• 2025: Newfound acquired HomeLister, broadening its portfolio of affordable home-selling solutions.[4]

We’ll continue to monitor Houwzer for new developments and any changes to its pricing or service model.

FAQs about Houwzer Real Estate

Related links

» MORE: Somewhere else? Find discount brokers near you