Homelight Inc. is a high-tech real estate search company serving buyers, sellers, and agents. Let's look at some Homelight reviews to understand better whether working with them is worth it. Are the services provided by HomeLight worth your money? Homelight offers a wide range of services for buyers, sellers, and real estate agents for all parties. The downside is that you may only save an incremental amount of money while the quality of the agency and service needs significant improvement. Realtor tips and statistical services can be accessible at many online sources, such as Zillow. HomeLight real estate reviews provide a thorough analysis of HomeLight and what benefits you can expect to receive.  While HomeLight boasts of a lower commission rate, there may be hidden costs with this.  Ultimately, you must gather information and make the final decision yourself.

What services does HomeLight offer?

HomeLight is a real estate site for buyers, sellers, and brokers. A key goal of HomeLight is to connect home sellers and buyers with local real estate agents. HomeLight claims to be a simple alternative to searching for real estate agents. Unlike other providers, HomeLight does not charge a sign-up fee, nor is it mandatory to use the account you create to view a real estate listing agent. HomeLight provides efficient services in addition to speed and convenience. If you are short on money and want to avoid paying high commissions to a real estate agent, some companies like HomeLight offer services to find a suitable property that will meet your search criteria.  HomeLight can offer a convenient and optimal option for you and be a natural alternative to the benefits of various real estate agents.

Is HomeLight legit?

Yes, HomeLight is a fully licensed legal real estate business in California. A basic rule of thumb for starting an agent recruitment service is that you must be authorized to accept payments from real estate agents. This is how they make money. HomeLight is rated A+ (BBB) by the Better Business Bureau. In 2023, more than 738 employees will be actively working at HomeLight. One of the critical features of HomeLight is that the client can significantly simplify the process of finding buyers for their property and sellers looking for buyers for their property. The company's algorithms select real estate agents based on data from more than 100 sources and 300 transactions worldwide. However, customers' lack of technical knowledge can affect the quality of the tools presented on HomeLight. 
If you’re looking to save even more on commissions, FSBO (For Sale By Owner) is an option.  While this comes with risk and a significant amount of work, some websites offer assistance so that you can quickly get started and turn to experts when selling your property.

Principles of operation of HomeLight

HomeLight has a reasonably straightforward process for connecting agents. In the first step, the user visits the HomeLight website. Home sellers and buyers see the real estate matching service website and view the services available there. Users then enter property information; for example, they need a description of the property they want to buy. Then they are provided with the contact information provided by home sellers. All data is securely stored in a database of potential customers, and website representatives contact users to inspect the property. The second stage of cooperation with HomeLight is sending all agents detailed information about potential customers according to their criteria. The agent then accepts or declines the offers emailed to him. In the third stage, there is a thorough compatibility check between the real estate agent and the seller.
The fourth stage is signing the seller's listing agreement. After selecting an agent, the seller receives the listing documentation, and the home is listed. This process can take up to two weeks, as it is only sometimes possible to choose the first person to communicate with. After completing the paperwork, the real estate agent will list the home, help you find potential buyers, and negotiate the contract signing. Signing up for HomeLight is relatively easy, and it is only necessary to fill out the registration form and provide answers to all questions. After you answer these questions, HomeLight administrators will call, email or text you to further understand your needs. Based on this, you will be assigned your real estate agent, who HomeLight statistically ranks.
You can view an agent's rating, the number of homes sold in their area, the location of homes (using an interactive map), how long the agent has been there, key achievements, and areas of growth. The ability to find buyers in Homelight is one of the essential features that make the HomeLight platform stand out as one of the most reliable platforms for finding agents quickly and easily. 
If you are interested in purchasing a home in your area, HomeLight can connect you with a real estate agent who specializes in properties in the area of your choice. They also have contacts of real estate agents who have the relevant experience to negotiate effectively and have the full range of knowledge necessary to get you the best deal. Homelight may be the best solution for you. For buyers looking for agents in a specific area, Homelight includes your target search area for the property you need, making the platform ideal for active and productive collaboration with the best and most experienced real estate agents. 
In addition, HomeLight allows you to determine how long you are in the home-buying process and the type of property you want to purchase. It is essential to indicate your price range for searching for the property you need and other important criteria, including pre-approval from the lender. Regardless of whether you have it or not, indicate the purpose of the purchase (primary residence, profitable investment capital investment, resale, and other important factors). 
With the HomeLight functionality, you get benefits as a homeowner. You can get pre-approved for a loan in as little as 5 minutes without affecting your credit score. Save money without extra fees. Homelight is also a profitable platform for sellers. For new sellers, Homelight can be an effective solution. HomeLight will help you negotiate and get a reasonable price for your home. However, HomeLight charges an agent referral fee of 25%. They may charge a high cost to cover referral fees. Sellers looking for an agency in a specific area need to provide their complete address, type of property for sale, estimated time of purchase, desired price, and primary contact information. After entering all the info, HomeLight will take you to the customer dashboard. You can find data about your agents, from ratings to specialties. Homelight administrators will contact you within minutes of receiving your application. After meeting and interviewing the real estate agents, you decide whether you want to work with them.
Additionally, HomeLight offers a variety of real estate calculators for sellers. Estimate the value of your home after a thorough transaction analysis. HomeLight offers a simple selling price when a vast network of buyers bid on your property. The Selling Calculator analyzes data from real estate agencies across the country to determine the best time to sell your property quickly. The real estate commission calculator analyzes millions of real estate transactions to identify the best agents who sell homes faster for more money. The net income calculator allows you to carefully calculate the profit margin or net income from the sale of your home. 
HomeLight also offers tools for home buyers. The real estate value calculator helps you find your perfect house by listing all the costs associated with buying a home, including everything from annual income to monthly payments, property taxes, insurance, down payments, loan payments, and more. The down payment calculator determines the real estate value and credit rating. The closing cost calculator will estimate lender and real estate agent fees, upfront fees, application fees, and third-party fees. 
HomeLight's applicable brokerage fees are free for home sellers and buyers. You are under no obligation to cooperate with any participating agent. You can consider cheaper options to make better buying or selling decisions. However, if you agree to sell through HomeLight agents, you will pay a hefty 5-6% commission. These costs are shared equally between the buyer's and seller's representatives.

HomeLight services

HomeLight offers a free service that automatically matches real estate agents with buyers/sellers. They make a profit by charging commissions to licensed real estate agents. All agents must pay the company a portion of their fees for transactions with buyers and sellers managed by HomeLight. All agent search companies make their money this way. The referral commission is 25% of the commission paid ten days after closing the legal agreement.
Moreover, HomeLight provides additional services, such as fast mortgages for buyers. Their technology platform offers real estate agents that help you buy or sell a house and a platform to receive cash deals from local real estate investors.  HomeLight works as an intermediary between clients. HomeLight is free for authorized agents that meet the requirements. However, brokers charge a significant commission of 5-6% of closing costs. Also, HomeLight offers a variety of other services that are another source of income for them.

HomeLight alternatives available in 2023

When you want to explore discount options, there are several options to explore.  Let’s take a look at them.
Houzeo.com is an online real estate technology company that provides an unmatched combination of maximum savings, cutting-edge technology, and 5-star customer service. Houzeo plans usually have a small flat fee. However, you can save on buyer's agent fees. There are tools for sharing information on social networks. And Houzeo offers unique options for the client, making it a powerful real estate website. Its advanced features include an online meeting offer management system. All offers are summarized online, and you can view and compare offers.  In a multiple-offer situation, you can choose the best offers. Buyers can contact you directly on Houzeo.com, not through a real estate agent. Houzeo helps you close legal deals. The platform provides an unbeatable combination of economy, technical features, and support for any site with a flat fee and quick registration. Choosing Houzeo as an option to sell your home gives you more control. You don't have to rely on your agent to update or make changes, and the platform places your property on several other major networks across the country that millions of users view every month.
UpNest is a discount real estate marketplace that works similarly to HomeLight, effectively allowing you to compare the best real estate agents in your area. The platform provides a no-obligation service and connects you with local real estate agents. However, the savings are negligible considering the fees you will have to pay. UpNest likes to call itself a "real estate marketplace" where agents compete to grow their business activity using this platform. As there is more competition for your property, agents will encourage their bids to go down to make their offer more attractive to a range of potential clients. The savings potential here is low.
The Ideal Agent helps sellers find quality real estate agents. The seller can save money by listing here. Ideal Agent offers agent matching, a service where home sellers are matched with a single real estate agent. Agents are chosen from the top 1% of agents who have closed deals in the seller's location. They also advertise profit maximization. The agent you have recruited will visit your home to determine its distinctive features. The agent will help you maximize your sales revenue by highlighting these features. An ideal agent can add professional photos of your home and help you price your property realistically. In addition to marketing your home, Ideal Agent will assist with negotiations and coordinate closing the legal agreement. Ideal Agent has a home search feature that allows buyers to search for homes by location, property type, and price range. Since Ideal Agent is a seller-oriented platform, it only offers a few services to buyers who use Ideal Agent. Buyers can hire an agent, but you'll need to contact customer service to arrange an interview. After you complete the formalities, an agent will contact you to understand your essential needs. Ideal Agent can be a good choice for home sellers. They set the bar high for real estate agent recruitment.  Sellers can work with the most effective agents in their area; however, Ideal Agent lacks a lot of necessary services for buyers.

Key advantages and disadvantages of using HomeLight 

There are many vital opportunities for real estate agents on HomeLight. Comprehensive coverage of agencies in major cities is one of the advantages of HomeLight; however, clients spend a considerable amount of money on agent commissions. HomeLight does offer an understandable user interface and a sufficiently large number of tools that allow sellers to safely carry out various transactions with real estate. HomeLight charges a referral fee of 25% to listed agents. HomeLight has received numerous negative reviews due to users complaining of receiving cold calls and spam email attacks from HomeLight daily.
Additional Services: In addition to the above services, HomeLight offers other services that facilitate comparison by providing information about each agent in a dashboard. This lets you know if a real estate agent is right for you. 
Homelight Agents: Homelight allows you to choose different agents based on location. They act as agent partners who know the current state of the real estate market. When meeting with an agent, look for someone willing to go the extra mile and has no ulterior motives. Distance and current location are also important factors to consider. 
Spam: For free, you can enter your details as a seller or buyer on this real estate agent search site. Many HomeLight reviews mention spammers, and they open the door to spam calls and constant emails and messages from them. 
Clickbait ads: As for the SimpleSale feature, HomeLight still needs a lot of improvements to provide a user-friendly experience. Clickbait advertising is only effective if it allows for a beneficial service. 
Quality of Agents: HomeLight Real Estate promotes that they have real estate agents who are trustworthy and experienced. HomeLight connects buyers and sellers with quality agents. Work actively with Home Light Agents to sell your home and get great deals. Homelight simplifies the sale or purchase of real estate and combines the flexibility of an agency with the power of technology to make the buying process as simple and intuitive as possible.
Local Homelight Partner Agents actively work with buyers to identify the best properties in their chosen location. You can also authorize an agent to use HomeLight cash offers on your behalf. You sign the contract and fill out the questionnaire to select the best house according to your search criteria. No prior approval is required.
Cash Offer: Homelight's cash offers are verified and backed by warranties. Regardless of whether there is a buyer, you will receive your cash offer. HomeLight conducts relevant auctions within 48 hours of registration based on investor offers. You don't have to accept the offer right away. However, it speeds up the closing process, as cash transactions can be completed in as little as two weeks. While you may not receive the highest price for your home, if you are faced with a personal situation, such as a financial emergency, and you need money quickly, this is a valid option. 
If you want to sell your home through Simple Selling, HomeLight asks that you not list your home on regular seller portals. Sell your home without additional costs, repairs, services, or preparation of the property for sale. You can also select the closing date, and you will have ten days to complete the transaction.
HomeLight is an excellent option to take the stress out of buying/selling real estate. Find out how much real estate is worth on HomeLight. Receive competitive offers on your home. There are real benefits to doing business with a HomeLight real estate agent. However, it also has some drawbacks. You often spend more than you save, and the quality of service could be better. Also, agent recommendations and statistical services can be found for free at many online sources, such as Zillow. Listing your home has always been challenging. Buying or selling real estate is one of the most important financial decisions you can make. You can compare several websites and companies before making a final decision. Research is critical in finding the best and most financially secure options.

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