How HomeLight Works
We analyze millions of home sales to find the best performing real estate agents in your area.
Tell us what you’re looking for.
Answer a few short questions about your goals and preferences, and we’ll start filtering over 2 million agents to find the few who are best for you.
We’ll run the numbers.
We compile data on real estate transactions across the country. When you ask for top agents in your area, we dig into our database of over 29 million transactions, 2 million agents, and over 200,000 brokerages to find top performers who specialize in your needs.
Review your top agent matches.
In a matter of seconds, we'll present you with up to 3 top agent matches based on your needs. Our results are 100% free, data-driven, and unbiased. You can take a look at each agent's individual stats, see how they compare to the other agents in your area, and request a call with any or all of them.
Talk to an expert.
We have a team of dedicated real estate concierges with over 50 years of collective industry experience. One of them will give you a quick call to go over your matches, get a better understanding of your requirements, and refine your search even further.
Meet your matches.
You’re about to make one of the largest financial decisions of your life - you should have full confidence in the agent you choose to work with. We’ll provide you with complete performance profiles and help you schedule in-person interviews with the top agents to help you make a fully informed decision.
Decide who to work with.
You know they've got the skills to do the job because of their proven track record, you loved talking to them, and now it's time to get to work.
Close the deal on your house!
The top agents we recommend all have a proven track record of success, unmatched local expertise, and keen negotiation skills. If you're selling your home, they typically sell faster and for more money than the average agent in their area. If you're buying a home, they typically save their clients thousands and show them properties that better meet their needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does HomeLight cost money?
No. Our service is 100% free for buyers and sellers, and there's no commitment required. Pretty cool, huh?
Do agents pay to be listed on HomeLight?
No. There's no way for an agent to purchase advertising on HomeLight or pay for preferential positioning on our site. The only way agents can influence HomeLight's rankings is to do better work for clients, handle more transactions, and improve their stats. Our recommendations are transparent, performance based, and data driven - that's how we keep them objective.
How does HomeLight make money?
When you complete your transaction with the agent recommended by HomeLight, the agent pays us a customary broker-to-broker referral fee. It's a standard industry practice for agents to pay these types of fees to other parties like relocation companies or brokerages. Virtually every agent is happy to do so because otherwise they'd have to spend lots of time and money finding clients themselves or advertising on sites like Zillow.
This all means we can achieve a win-win: HomeLight is free for you but is still able to provide objective information. And best of all, we only make money if we help you achieve your goals, so our interests are aligned with yours. We're incentivized to help you find the perfect agent for your needs who will help you achieve the best outcome.
Why should I trust HomeLight's recommendations?
HomeLight uses actual sales data, client reviews, and machine learning technology to find the best real estate agent for you. The only way an agent can influence our recommendation is by doing consistently great work for their clients. With over 2 million agents and 29 million transactions in our database, we can help connect you with a top agent based on their actual skills and experience.
We've built our matching algorithm to compare and contrast real estate agents on their historical performance with clients who have needs similar to yours. We factor in dozens of variables into our analysis, including but not limited to the agent's:
- Transaction Volume
- Property Type Specialization
- Days on Market Average
- Sale to List Ratios
- And more
Can I use HomeLight if I'm already working with a real estate agent?
Absolutely. If you're unhappy with your current real estate agent, or even if you're just curious to see how they compare to the top agents in your area, we encourage you to explore your options.
Why does HomeLight call me to discuss my agent matches?
Real estate is a highly personal business and there's only so much we can get to know about your needs from an online form. The better we understand the situation you're in, what you're looking to do, and what your motivations and personality are like, the more we can refine your search.
At the end of the day, we want you to have the best possible experience working with the agent we recommend and talking to you about your needs is the best way to ensure you find a perfect fit.
Do I need to use the agent that HomeLight recommended?
You're under no obligation to work with any of the real estate agents we recommend. Our goal is to bring more transparency to a process that traditionally lacks it and present you with these performance-based recommendations so that you can make an informed decision.
What's the difference between a top agent and the average real estate agent?
Our data shows that the top 5% of listing agents sell homes faster and for more money than the average real estate agent and the top 5% of buyer's agents typically save clients thousands of dollars on the purchase.
How is HomeLight different from Zillow, Trulia, and Realtor.com?
Unlike many of the other real estate websites out there, HomeLight does not allow real estate agents to advertise anywhere on our platform. We strive for objectivity and transparency in our agent recommendations and so we keep all of our recommendations 100% data-driven and based exclusively on historical performance. Read the full rundown on the data science and technology behind our matching engine.
We've even designed our business model to align with your needs — we can only make money if you achieve your goals.
I'm a real estate agent. How do I sign up?
HomeLight is a great new way for real estate agents to showcase their skills online and generate additional referral business. The world has changed. Consumers now demand more information about the products they buy and the service providers they hire — and this includes agents.
HomeLight helps people find the right real estate agent for their needs and it’s a way for agents to demonstrate their value.
Sign up or visit our Agent Help Center.