HomeLister Reviews: Pros, Cons, and Alternatives

HomeLister reviews | Should I use HomeLister? | Pricing and services | How it works | HomeLister vs. competitors | Alternatives | FAQ

HomeLister is a legitimate flat fee MLS company that lets you list your home on major real estate sites without using an agent.

The company offers many helpful add-ons to its listing plans, including lockboxes, disclosure forms, and access to ShowingTime (the app agents use to schedule home tours). It also has an easy-to-use website and good customer reviews.

But HomeLister's service packages aren't cheap. And depending on the plan you choose, you might have to pay BEFORE closing on your sale.

While HomeLister saves you 2.5–3% on listing fees, you'll have to work hard to sell the house yourself, and you'll likely make a lot less on your home sale. Real estate data shows that homes sold without an agent sell for an average of 6% less than homes sold with an agent.[1]

HomeLister does have a plan that offers phone-based agent support throughout the selling process. But it costs $3,000, and at that point, you're probably better off with a full-service discount realtor.

If you want a low-cost listing service, we recommend other options over HomeLister. These alternatives include cheaper flat fee MLS services and low-commission real estate agents who offer full service.

» SAVE: Get a full-service agent, save thousands on commission

Should you use HomeLister to sell your house?

Easy-to-use website and listing portal

Selling your home by yourself is hard, requiring a lot of paperwork, prep, and energy. We tested HomeLister's listing portal — we were immediately impressed. It makes this complicated process easier (and even a little fun).

On its listing portal, HomeLister breaks down the process into easy and quick steps, with some pages including FAQ in case you have trouble understanding what info you need to provide — or why that info is necessary in the first place. You can also see your progress throughout the process, plus an estimate on how much you'll save on realtor commission.

Great customer service

HomeLister has great customer reviews on Trustpilot, the Better Business Bureau, Google, and Zillow.

While mystery shopping, we also found HomeLister has a highly responsive staff through phone, email, and the site's chat feature.

Still, HomeLister loses a point for how it portrays itself to customers. It's honest about how much you would save vs. selling with an agent. BUT HomeLister frames its services as unique among flat fee MLS companies to justify how expensive some of their services are. In turn, you end up paying way more for MLS access — something offered by all of HomeLister's competitors at a lower cost.

Variety of à-la-carte services

HomeLister offers add-on services so you can customize your plan. You can add professional photography, a home price report (CMA), a 3D interactive video tour, and help with paperwork.

The cost of these services can add up quickly, so take that into account when choosing whether to use HomeLister, another flat fee company, or a real estate agent.

Pricey plans

HomeLister scores low here because their Premium and Platinum plans are much more expensive than those offered by other companies.

While you get more in these packages, the services themselves are overpriced. For instance, HomeLister charges $149 for a yard sign, something going for less than $100 with other companies.

And while you would pay more if you worked with an agent, you'd get virtually ALL of the stuff in HomeLister's Platinum package. Plus, you'd also get the advice of a real estate expert that would likely translate into a better sale price for your home.

Up-front fee

HomeLister's plans require you to pay an up-front fee of $99–699 — something you DON'T do with an agent or most other companies.

HomeLister pricing and services

HomeLister has three price plans for customers that offer varying degrees of service. All of these plans, including HomeLister's cheapest one, are more expensive than the plans offered by competitors.

Basic plan: $599

HomeLister's basic plan gets you on the MLS and major real estate sites like Zillow and Redfin and a few extra services:

• Access to ShowingTime, an app that helps you schedule showings for your home
• The Virtual Tours app
• A yard sign

While these aren't "nothing," you are overpaying for this plan when considering you'd get much of this with other flat fee MLS companies at a lower price.

With HomeLister's basic plan, you pay $99 upfront and $500 when you close on the sale. However, if you pick any of the add-on services (e.g., a comparative market analysis, marketing assistance, or professional photography), you're charged for these when you list.

Premium plan: $1,699

With this plan, you pay $599 upfront, BEFORE your listing is posted on the MLS and other sites. You pay the remaining $1,100 at closing.

Along with all the stuff included in the basic plan, HomeLister's premium plan adds other services:

• Professional photography of your listing
• Seller's paperwork management services
• A custom flyer for marketing
• Offer review and counteroffer prep provided by HomeLister's experts

It's important to note what's NOT included in this plan: a comparative market analysis (CMA) that will give you the most accurate estimate of how much you could make from this sale. CMA's are invaluable tools offered (with no extra cost!) by agents; with HomeLister, you're paying $1,699 and STILL not getting a CMA and other services.

Platinum plan: $2,999

To get HomeLister's full suite of services, you need to shell out $2,999 — $699 when you list and $2,300 at closing.

In addition to all of the stuff offered in HomeLister's basic and premium plans, the platinum plan includes services that are much closer to what you'd get with an agent:

• Offer negotiation assistance
• A CMA
• Staging consultation
• Email marketing of your listing
• Support from HomeLister's agents during a "welcome call" and advice when you get an offer and reach closing

Choosing HomeLister means you don't have to work with an agent, potentially saving you thousands of dollars. BUT your buyer will probably still have an agent.

You'll still need to offer commission to the buyer's broker, and HomeLister recommends offering 2.5%, the industry standard.

With any of these plans, HomeLister offers to refer you to a local agent if you decide to cancel your listing.

HomeLister's cancellation policy

If you cancel your listing within 30 days of posting it, HomeLister charges you $99. If you cancel after 30 days, you aren't charged unless the state MLS requires a fee.

All listings on HomeLister last for six months.

How does HomeLister work?

HomeLister's process is arguably its strongest asset. The site's listing portal is incredibly intuitive, making it easier for you to list your home than on other sites.

To begin, enter your address on HomeLister's site and make an account. This will give you access to your account dashboard and listing portal.

The listing portal (below) is easy to navigate and displays everything you'll need to post on the MLS.

Let's have a quick look at the portal's key components:

1. On the left-hand side is a list of all of the steps you need to take before your listing is live. You can follow the steps as listed, or jump ahead to other steps.
2. At the top is an estimated range of what you would save on realtor commission when you close. If you click on the info icon, you'll see an explanation on how this is calculated.
3. A progress bar showing how far along you are is at the top.
4. At the top right corner, you can leave the listing portal and go to your dashboard, which lets you manage your profile and any other listings.
5. At the bottom right corner is HomeLister's chat feature. A chat bot will share FAQs and articles based on your questions, or connect you with a HomeLister rep.

On the portal, HomeLister will ask for info on your home, like the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, the home's condition, and details on your neighborhood. You can also share photos and write a description of the listing to be posted on the MLS.

After providing these details and setting a price, you set the terms of the future purchase agreement (like setting contingencies) and ownership terms. Then, just pick a price plan and review your listing before submitting.

Your listing should be posted on the MLS and other major sites within 72 hours.

HomeLister reviews and complaints

HomeLister has positive customer reviews, with an average rating of 4.8/5 across 429 reviews on Trustpilot, the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Google, and Zillow.

After analyzing the reviews, we found these themes:

Intuitive website and listing process: "This technology and service works exactly as advertised. … The entire listing process was very easy thanks to their website and we saved tens of thousands of dollars in commissions." — Vishal, Trustpilot

Real savings: "Our home went into contract within a week of listing and we saved over $25,000 compared to if we had used a normal realtor." — Stephanie Y., BBB

When reading these reviews of HomeLister and other flat fee MLS companies, take each anecdote about savings with a grain of salt. Yes, you'll likely pay more to sell your home if you work with an agent. BUT you're also much more likely to sell your home for a better price.[1]

Good customer service: "Our assigned agent was responsive, knowledgeable, and personable. The team who handled our paperwork and forms were attentive to details and helpful when we had questions. We felt supported and guided throughout the listing and selling process." — Tina C., Trustpilot

Unexpected listing cancellations: "I listed with HomeLister and paid the fee up-front plus a reactivation fee of $69 to extend my agreement to 10/18/2023. … I was advised on 6/8/2023 ‘Due to current market conditions and overall lack of demand in your area, we are canceling your listing effective 6/9/2023.'" — Mark G., BBB

HomeLister vs. competitors

» MORE: Find the best flat fee MLS listing services near you

HomeLister offers more services than many of its competitors, and all of its services are available à la carte. However, HomeLister is more expensive than other flat fee MLS companies, and it's not as widely available.

FSBO.com and ISoldMyHouse.com are available nationwide and have lower costs across plans than HomeLister. But FSBO.com has limited add-on services.

Homecoin offers one basic MLS listing plan for a low flat fee. This plan may work for experienced sellers who don’t want additional support. Like HomeLister, Homecoin also offers add-on services. But the cost of these services can add up quickly, and they're not available in all locations.  

Beycome stands out because it doesn't set a time limit on your listing. Its entry-level plan is cheaper than HomeLister’s and has similar service quality. But Beycome has fewer service areas.

Best HomeLister alternatives

The best alternative to HomeLister may be a discount real estate brokerage instead of another flat fee MLS company. With a discount broker, you pay less than the standard 2.5–3% listing fee, but you still get all the perks of working with a top local agent.

Clever charges a 1.5% listing fee and connects you with multiple top agents in your area. Getting matched with agents is free, and there's no obligation to move forward.

Redfin is another well-known brand that charges a 1.5% listing fee. It has great tech and some highly regarded agents, but its team-based approach doesn't work for everybody.

Ideal Agent charges a 2% listing fee and matches you with a top seller's agent. The company has some of the strictest criteria to determine which agents can join its network.

Where is HomeLister available?

HomeLister is available in these locations:

How to contact HomeLister

FAQ about HomeLister

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