Homie Real Estate: Is This Flat-Fee Service Right For You?
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Richard Haddad Executive EditorClose
Richard Haddad Executive EditorRichard Haddad is the executive editor of HomeLight.com. He works with an experienced content team that oversees the company’s blog featuring in-depth articles about the home buying and selling process, homeownership news, home care and design tips, and related real estate trends. Previously, he served as an editor and content producer for World Company, Gannett, and Western News & Info, where he also served as news director and director of internet operations.
If you’ve lived in Utah or Arizona for more than a few years, it’s likely you’ve seen some unusual real estate billboards featuring slogans like “Keep the equity, you filthy animal!” or “Friends don’t let friends pay crazy commissions.” Some past signs even sported 15-foot-tall faces of local listing agents.
The brand behind these ads is Homie Real Estate, a company that’s been swinging the bat for a decade, hoping for a home run. They’ve struck out a few times but are still in the game.
If you’re selling a home in these two states, you might be asking, “What does Homie Real Estate offer sellers?
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What is Homie Real Estate?
Homie is a discount real estate brokerage that charges a flat listing fee instead of a traditional percentage commission. Founded in 2015 in Utah, the brand was designed to make home buying and selling more approachable, hence the friendly name “Homie,” as if you had a helpful friend by your side.
Originally, Homie pursued rapid growth, with bold marketing campaigns and plans to scale to 1,000 agents. After being sold and significantly downsized, it now operates with around 22 active agents and specializes in serving home sellers and buyers in two states, Utah and Arizona.
Today, Homie is rebuilding under new leadership and is realigning its focus on sustainability and keeping fees transparent and affordable. Despite recent upheaval, Homie continues to offer home-selling listing support for a flat fee, including pricing services, MLS marketing, negotiations, paperwork, and closing assistance.
Recent Articles of Organization filings with the Utah Department of Commerce indicate that the company’s official name is Homie Broker LLC. It partners with local real estate agents in cities throughout Utah and Arizona.
How does Homie work for home sellers?
When you sell with Homie, you pay a straightforward flat fee — $5,500 for homes listed under $1 million and $11,000 for homes listed above $1 million, based on the company’s current pricing page. Here’s how the process typically works:
1. Contact Homie: Sellers can get started by entering their property address into Homie’s website, which generates a pop-up form asking for basic contact details. You can also call Homie directly at 385-429-6888 to be connected with a representative.
2. List your home: Once connected, you’ll be paired with a contracted local real estate agent. They’ll provide a personalized home value report, coordinate professional photos, and prepare your listing.
3. Market your home: Homie’s contracted agent creates your MLS listing, installs a yard sign, manages buyer tours, and promotes your property across online and social platforms.
4. Pick the best offer: Your agent fields offers, manages negotiations, and prepares paperwork, so you can focus on choosing the strongest deal.
5. Close your sale: Homie coordinates the closing process with your assigned agent, who will handle required documentation and finalize the sale.
According to its website, Homie has closed more than 12,000 transactions, totaling over $100 million saved in traditional real estate commissions. Homie also provides agent services for homebuyers.
How Much Is Your Home Worth Now?
Home values have rapidly increased in recent years. How much is your current home worth now? Get a ballpark estimate from HomeLight’s free Home Value Estimator.
Homie Real Estate reviews
When considering a discount brokerage company like Homie — or any real estate service — it’s helpful to see what past clients have to say and how they have rated the business on popular customer review sites.
Homie Real Estate has two Google customer review profiles, one in Utah and one in Arizona. In Utah, the company has a 4.5-star rating out of 5 stars. In Arizona, Homie has a 4.8-star rating. It does not appear to have a current Better Business Bureau profile or BBB-accreditation.
Homie also hosts a review and testimonials page on its website, Homie.com.
Examples of positive Homie Real Estate reviews:
“We just completed our home sale with Homie, and all I can say is ‘wow!’ I didn’t ever think it could be this easy or this fast…We signed a listing agreement, and one month and a day later, we have just closed on our home. It really was so smooth and so fast.”
“We sold our house in 24 hours and saved $15,000. Loved how the pictures of our house turned out. They made our place look so nice, which I think contributed to the quick offer.”
“Homie was great to work with. There was an initial call where everything was explained and all my questions were answered. After that, the process of getting my home on the market went fairly quickly.”
“The best way to sell your home if you are not a newbie and [you] understand how to stage a home to sell. We didn’t need a full-service agent — we knew that because our home was completely remodeled and staged to look Instagram-worthy in the photos, the house would sell itself. So paying 6% commission to a typical agent didn’t make sense.”
“I was very pleased with my experience with Homie. The fixed expense contract was easy to understand. I knew exactly what I was going to pay upon sale, and the cancellation fee was more than reasonable.”
Examples of negative Homie Real Estate reviews:
“In this market, you need an experienced agent…I spent many hours doing [the agent’s] job…When the deal almost fell through on the last day before closing, my wife and I had to personally contact the buyer’s agent and buyers to close the deal ourselves. Please, don’t live with what-ifs like we do. Find an experienced agent elsewhere; it is worth the extra [commission] percentage.”
“Saved a ton of money. However, I would have liked a little more interface with the agent handling our sale. He never had any helpful advice or recommendations to strategy questions. He never visited our house either.”
“I honestly think it would have been less stressful to forgo a Realtor entirely and just sell by owner. The sale fell through three times before it finally sold, and we almost had to beg Homie for updates. Save yourself the headache and get a real agent, or save yourself the money and sell by yourself.”
“The lack of communication nearly caused us to drop the deal completely. I will never use Homie to sell a house and will think twice about even making an offer to a home represented by Homie.”
“We recently helped our son buy a home. We represented ourselves, but the seller used Homie…The Homie agent was unprofessional. He never answered our questions, even after we asked multiple times…How unfortunate that such a good idea for a business model was so poorly implemented in our case.”
Note: It’s important to remember that most businesses receive good and bad reviews. Your experience can vary depending on the skill level and knowledge of the contracted agent handling your listing. Many positive Homie reviews praise agents by name.
Pros and cons of using Homie Real Estate
If you’re weighing whether to use Homie for your Utah and Arizona home sale, here’s a breakdown of the key benefits and drawbacks:
Pros
- Flat-fee offers upfront savings: The flat fees are typically less than traditional 2.5%–3% listing commissions, especially on higher-priced homes.
- Streamlined and efficient process: Many users say the process is smooth and easy, thanks to online tools and the quality of professional photography.
- Responsive agent teams: Multiple reviews note that contracted Homie agents and support staff are accessible and go the extra mile.
- Fee transparency: Sellers should know upfront what their listing fee will be, regardless of their home’s final selling price.
Cons
- Limited service coverage: Homie currently serves only Utah and Arizona, with little localized presence elsewhere.
- Less in-person support: Some Homie users posted reviews saying they felt responsible for tasks that would normally be handled by a full-service agent.
- Inconsistent communication: Some sellers report slow response times or a lack of proactive updates during critical stages.
- Risk of lower net proceeds: A discount or less experienced agent may not market your home or negotiate as effectively, leading to lower proceeds, which could offset commission savings.
Alternatives to Homie Real Estate
If Homie’s flat-fee model doesn’t feel like the right fit, or if the company doesn’t service your area, here are some alternatives worth considering — some offering agent-matching services:
If maximizing your home’s sale price and getting expert hands-on support are priorities, working with a top-rated real estate agent may be the better choice.
How does HomeLight’s Agent Match work?
HomeLight’s free Agent Match platform analyzes over 27 million transactions and thousands of reviews to find the best agent for you. It takes just two minutes, and there is no obligation. Simply answer a few questions, and you can be connected with the highest-rated local agents in your market — agents with proven high sale-to-list ratios and expert certifications.
HomeLight is a real estate solutions company with a 4.8-star Google review rating. It’s BBB-accredited and holds an A+ ranking. Founded in 2012, the company has served over 2 million people nationwide. You can read client experiences on HomeLight’s customer testimonial page or any reputable review site.
Why use a full-service top agent?
While discount real estate services like Homie can lower commission fees, working with a seasoned, full-service agent can often result in a higher final sale price — leaving you with more money in your pocket at closing.
HomeLight’s data shows that the top 5% of real estate agents sell homes for up to 10% more than average agents. So even if you’re paying a higher commission, you could end up with a better financial outcome because a skilled professional can negotiate stronger offers, attract more buyers, and maximize your home’s value.
Will you save money with Homie Real Estate?
Because your final proceeds can tilt the success scale, whether you save money using Homie largely depends on the skill, knowledge, and work ethic of the contracted agent assigned to your sale. As some Homie reviews point out, your own home-selling experience can also play a role. To weigh your options, it can be helpful to look at some possible scenarios.
Example: Full-service agent vs. flat fee brokerage
For comparison, let’s assume you negotiate a 2.5% listing fee with a top-rated local agent who has a solid track record of selling homes for up to 10% above the listing price. In this example below, both sellers agree to pay a buyer’s agent fee of 2.3%. The table shows how net proceeds might differ between using a top-rated full-service agent and an average or discount agent.
| Service type | Sale price | Listing fee | Buyer’s agent fee (2.3%) | Net proceeds |
| Full-service agent (top 5%) | $550,000 (10% higher) | 2.5% ($13,750) | $12,650 | $523,600 |
| Homie (flat fee) | $500,000 | $5,500 | $11,500 | $483,000 |
| Potential difference | +$40,600 |
In this upper scenario, the expert agent earns the seller $40,600 more in proceeds, even after factoring in higher commission costs.
In another comparison, if the full-service agent is only able to sell your home for 5% more, after paying the listing agent fee, your net proceeds would be $511,875. You could still come out $28,875 ahead by using the proven agent.
| Service type | Sale price | Listing fee | Buyer’s agent fee (2.3%) | Net proceeds |
| Full-service agent (top 5%) | $525,000 (5% higher) | 2.5% ($13,125) | $12,650 | $511,875 |
| Homie (flat fee) | $500,000 | $5,500 | $11,500 | $483,000 |
| Potential difference | +$28,875 |
In summary, a top agent’s expertise in pricing, marketing, and negotiations can lead to more and stronger offers, fewer price reductions, and a smoother sale process. If your goal is to maximize profit rather than just reduce agent fees, working with a full-service professional may be the better decision.
Note: Discount or flat-fee brokerages don’t necessarily mean you’ll receive discount service or lower sale proceeds. However, for most sellers, their home is their most valuable asset. You may not be comfortable trusting your sale with a discount agent.
Other services and tools offered by HomeLight
In addition to Agent Match, HomeLight provides other services to help make your real estate transaction simple, certain, and satisfying.
Simple Sale: HomeLight’s Simple Sale platform provides a no-obligation, all-cash offer to buy your home for a convenient, fast sale. Answer a few questions and receive an offer in 24 hours. You can close in as little as 10 days. You’ll also receive an estimate of what a top agent might get for your home, giving you both selling options in one place.
HomeLight Buy Before You Sell: If you’re buying and selling at the same time, HomeLight’s Buy Before You Sell program is a modern solution that unlocks your equity to streamline the process. You can make a non-contingent offer on your new home and only move once. Watch the short video below to learn more.
Free tools to help plan your home sale
HomeLight offers a wide range of free calculators and tools to help you plan your home sale and your next move.
- Find a Top Agent
- Home Value Estimator
- Agent Commissions Calculator
- Best Time to Sell Calculator
- Home Affordability Calculator
It’s your largest financial asset, weigh your options
Homie’s flat-fee listing service can offer significant initial savings compared to traditional agent commission rates, but lower fees don’t always mean higher net proceeds. While some sellers have success with this approach, others prefer a dedicated top-rated agent with a track record of maximizing a home’s sale price.
If your priority is to increase your bottom line, it’s worth comparing options. HomeLight’s free Agent Match can show you highly-rated, full-service agents in any city — and nationwide. Consider the benefits of working with a top performer.
The information in this post is current as of its publication date. However, real estate company processes, rates, and services can change based on market conditions, housing trends, shifts in technology, and customer needs.
Header Image Source: (Connect Images/ Depositphotos)
At HomeLight, our vision is a world where every real estate transaction is simple, certain, and satisfying. Therefore, we promote strict editorial integrity in each of our posts.
