7 Best Real Estate Websites in Houston, TX (2023 Update)

Houzeo is a 100% online home-selling platform. It is the best way to sell your home fast and save thousands in commission. Houzeo offers you 4 FSBO MLS listing packages.

• Bronze Package – $329+: This package offers Houzeo listing only for 6 months with maximum photos.
• Silver Package – $399+: This includes everything that home sellers typically look for.
• Gold Package – $379+ 0.5 at closing: It is Houzeo’s signature MLS package and includes all the technology Houzeo is known for Houzeo Showings, Houzeo Offers, and DigiTransact.
• Platinum – $349+ 1% at closing: It includes the assistance of a licensed broker to help you with negotiations, disclosures, and closing.

👉 Our Take: We recommend Houzeo’s Gold plan for most home sellers. It gives you access to high-tech features like Houzeo Offers and Houzeo Showings.

» Houzeo Reviews: Houzeo is 100% online. You can finish listing formalities in less than 60 mins.

Houzeo is America’s #1 Flat Fee MLS service because of 8 reasons:

• Max Exposure: Houzeo attracts a monthly audience of more than 200,000 visitors. Moreover, when you use Houzeo, your home also gets listed on MLS, Zillow, Trulia, Realtor.com, and Redfin.
• Save Thousands in Commission: On average, home sellers who sold on Houzeo saved approximately $11,490. One seller even saved $45,000!
• Advanced Search: Home buyers can also access Houzeo’s advanced search feature. Using filters, you can narrow down to the exact home you’re searching for.
• 5-star Customer Service: Houzeo has a fully staffed customer service desk available 6 days a week. Chats and emails are open 7 days a week. This is rare in today’s world.
• 100% Online: Houzeo’s tech-centric approach means you won’t waste time printing, scanning, and emailing listing documents. Offers and showings too are online.
• No Listing Commission: In most states, you’ll be paying just a small flat fee to list on MLS. Houzeo covers 47 states + DC. And remember, all fees are disclosed upfront, so there are no Houzeo hidden fees.

There are no dealbreakers with Houzeo.

» Is Houzeo Good?  Houzeo addresses all Houzeo complaints from home sellers.

Houzeo has a 4.9/5 rating on Google & Trustpilot.

Realtor.com is America’s most comprehensive source of property listings. It is regarded as the best house-searching website and is the official listing website of the National Association of Realtors (NAR).

Pricing is not disclosed on the website. Although you will have to pay the common closing costs, home inspection, appraisal, etc..

👉 Our Take: We recommend Realtor.com if you are house-hunting. Accurate listing information and a substantial property database make it stand out from other real estate sites.

» Best FSBO Websites: High-tech FSBO sites are helping home sellers save $$$.

Here are some advantages of choosing Realtor.com:

• REALTOR Support: It is the official listing website of the National Association of Realtors (NAR). So, buyers can buy or rent a property through a Realtor.
• Neighborhood Information: Realtor.com is available nationwide and provides information about the property as well as neighborhood details.
• Accurate Data: It has accurate local information from 800 regional MLS, local broker associations, non-profit organizations, etc.
• Agent Support: Realtor.com provides a variety of options for selling through an agent.
• Home Value: Realtor.com offers accurate home value estimation.
• REALTORs Database: It has the biggest database of trust-worthy realtor communities.
• Best Calculators: Realtor.com provides mortgage and refinance calculators.
• Mobile App: Yes!

Realtor.com has some major drawbacks that a user should be aware of.

• Offline Process: Realtor.com has manual and offline procedures which can be very complex and time-taking.
• Poor Reviews: Realtor.com has very poor reviews on Trustpilot. Many of their users complain about their customer support and realtor’s services.
• Unwanted Calls: If you have ever inquired about a property on Realtor.com, you should expect unsolicited calls from their agents. As mentioned in some of their reviews.

Realtor.com has a poor rating of 2.2 out of 5 stars on Trustpilot.

Compass is a real estate technology company that provides an online platform for buying, renting, and selling properties.

Agents’ commissions vary according to their region of operation. Although these luxury experiences will typically cost you the full 6% real estate broker commission, or more.

👉 Our Take: Working with Compass agents will guarantee you sell your property for top dollar or buy your dream home effortlessly.

Compass offers good service in the states they are available in:

• Market Exposure: Compass promotes your property using print, digital, and social media designed to pique buyers’ interest.
• Compass Concierge: This includes everything from staging, and painting, to cosmetic renovation. You will not be charged a fee until your home sale has gone through.
• Private Listings: They have a private exclusive section of listings that aren’t on the open market. These listings are cheaper, as they are not advertised.
• Agent Resource: Their agents have access to a course library, business tracker, CRM, and a compass mobile.

In our research, we came across some deal breakers with Compass.

• Limited Coverage: Compass Real Estate is only available in 17 states.
• Traditional Realtor Commission: Compass Real Estate follows the traditional realtor commission model and you will end up paying a 6% commission.

Compass Real Estate has an average rating of 4.24 out of 5 stars on Agent Advice.

Zillow is the largest real estate marketplace in the United States and has more than 40 million unique users every month.

FSBO Listing on Zillow – $0: You can list your home for free on Zillow’s FSBO platform.

MLS Listing via Zillow Premier Agent – 3% commission: A Zillow Premier Agent will assist you throughout your home selling process. However, this is the traditional way to sell your home and not the FSBO way.

👉 Our Take: If you are going FSBO, then we do not recommend Zillow as it limits your exposure. Further, you can also get multiple unsolicited calls from listing agents.

Here are some advantages of choosing Zillow:

• Biggest Database: Zillow has 135 million homes in its database. That makes Zillow the best website to start your home search on.
• Advanced Search: Zillow has saved your search criteria with its “save search” feature. It has more than 20 filters to narrow down your ideal property based on the preferences of price, beds and baths, home type, and many more.
• Largest Marketplace: With many tools and information for buyers, Zillow is the largest real estate website for buyers, renters, real estate agents, and much more.
• Mobile App: Yes.

Zillow has some major drawbacks that a user should be aware of.

• Poor Customer Reviews: Poor customer reviews and record-breaking debacles, as seen on Trustpilot.
• Your Listing Will be Hidden: Zillow hides FSBO listings under the “Other Listings” section, which most home buyers aren’t aware of.
• Buyer Leads go to Local Agents: Zillow does not prominently display owner information. Any buyer who tries to contact you will be matched with a Zillow agent instead.
• Your Info Will Become an FSBO Lead for Listing Agents: Agents target Zillow FSBO listings to extract owner info. You will get numerous unsolicited calls from these agents asking you to list with them.

Zillow has a poor rating of 1.7 out of 5 stars on Trustpilot.

Redfin is one of America’s top discount real estate brokerages. This low-commission broker specializes in home buying. Redfin.com’s technology is what sets it apart from all other platforms.

• Redfin Full-Service Agent – 1.5% Commission: This is a full-service package. This includes pricing assistance, listing paperwork, negotiation support, etc.
• Redfin Concierge – 2.5% Commission: The “Concierge” plan includes everything from the Full-Service package. Additionally, it includes services like professional cleaning, home staging, and more.
• Redfin Premier Agent – 1.5% Commission: This package is exclusively for luxury properties and includes everything that comes with the Full-Service package.

👉 Our Take: We recommend Redfin’s concierge service. This service enhances the value of your house with a professionally managed design plan and no upfront fees.

» Selling With Redfin: Is it worth selling with Redfin?

Here are some advantages of choosing Redfin:

• Advanced Technology: Redfin is primarily known for its advanced tech platform and mobile app.
• Full-Service Agents at Low Commission – 1.5%: Redfin’s full-service package is priced at 1.5%. It saves you thousands compared to the traditional 3% listing commission.
• Buyer Rebate – 0.5%: Clients who sell and buy with Redfin within one year get a rebate of 0.5% in the second transaction. However, this offer is available with the Full Service Plan.
• Detailed Paperwork: Redfin provides the necessary paperwork and an elaborate listing agreement with a marketing plan.
• Nationwide Coverage: Redfin covers 80+ markets in the US.

» What is Redfin? Is it truly a smart choice to choose them? Read the comprehensive review to know more!

In our research, we found some red flags of Redfin, that could make your experience less satisfactory.

• Lack of Personalized Services: Customers have often complained that Redfin agents are not able to give personalized service, as they serve a high volume of clients.
• Poor Customer Reviews: Customers have complained that agents are often unreachable and unprofessional.
• Slow Listing Process: According to Redfin’s listing agreement, a Redfin property takes 18 days to list on MLS. Services like Houzeo will list you on the MLS within 24 to 48 hours.
• Limited Agent Selection: As per customer reviews, Redfin lacks an array of agents. This means you get an agent assigned automatically without having any choice in the matter.
• Agents are Less Incentivized: Unlike traditional agents who work for commission, Redfin agents get a fixed salary. This can demotivate them from offering you additional services.

» Redfin hidden Fees: Check this out to learn more about their hidden fees.

Redfin has an average rating of 3.3 out of 5 stars on Consumer Affairs.

» Redfin Reviews: The Reality of 1% Fees, Pros, Cons, & Alternatives!

Coldwell Banker is an American full-service real estate brokerage. It provides various tools to sellers including a home value estimator, local market data, and fast cash offer alternatives.

Pricing is not disclosed on the website, this means you might end up paying the traditional 3% to 6% commission.

👉 Our Take: We recommend Coldwell Banker for its Full-Service Marketing System and expert agents.

Here are some advantages of choosing Coldwell Banker:

• Nationwide Coverage: Coldwell Banker covers all 51 states of America.
• Mobile App: Coldwell Banker has the best mobile app with a comprehensive search feature.
• Marketing: Coldwell Banker helps you determine a marketing strategy with the help of increased accuracy of market knowledge, advanced pricing tools, and access to comprehensive housing data.
• Local Agent: Agents with local experts help you learn more about the current state of the housing market so you can price your house right to attract buyer interest.
• Financing Assistance: Coldwell Banker helps you in your home-buying journey with services like assistance with making down payments, getting a pre-approval, and more.

Here are some red flags of Coldwell Banker, that could make your experience less satisfactory.

• Delayed Process: Previous customers have stated that the company agents does not respond in time.
• Poor Customer Reviews: Coldwell Banker has received poor reviews from their customers.

Coldwell Banker has an average rating of 3 out of 5 stars on Consumer Affairs.

Founded in 1976, Sotheby’s International Realty is a global real estate brokerage firm. It provides marketing and referring services for luxury listings.

Pricing is not disclosed on the website. Although you will have to pay the common closing costs, home inspection, appraisal, etc.

👉 Our Take: We recommend Sotheby’s agents as they have a global reach, which can increase your listing exposure. They offer a marketing suite that includes Curate, Cloze, ActivePipe, and many more.

Here are some advantages of choosing Sotheby’s:

• Global Reach: Sotheby’s real estate has a presence in 78 countries and territories.
• Unrivaled Marketing: Sotheby’s offers a marketing suite to increase traffic and generate exposure for listings.
• Access to local experts: With innovative technology and unrivaled service, Sotheby’s ensures that your home is connected with buyers, locally and worldwide.
• Curate: Curate by Sotheby’s International Realty allows consumers to visualize a house as their own before purchase, thereby curating the home-buying experience.
• Mobile App: Sothby’s International Realty provides the usage of a mobile app for more convenient sales.

As per our research, we did not find any deal breakers.

Sotheby’s International Realty has a rating of 4.58 out of 5 stars on agentadvice.com