Table of Contents

7 min read Apr 25, 2024

Top 5 Discount Real Estate Brokers in Houston, TX (2024)

From Montrose to River Oaks, sellers across Houston can save thousands on real estate agent commissions. With discount real estate brokers in Houston, you can slash the traditional 6% rate down to just 2% to 3%.

The current median home price in Houston is $339,000. The traditional 6% commission will cost you a whopping $20,340. A discount Realtor offers you similar services at just 1.5%. With a competitive buyer agent commission of 2.5%, you now have to pay only a 4% fee. That’s just around $13,560.

You can lower this amount to around $10,170 if you list on the MLS with Houzeo’s Gold plan. You also get the professional services and tools available to real estate agents at a fraction of the cost.

Rankings: Best Discount Real Estate Brokers and Companies in Houston, TX

We’ve researched and compiled a list of the best discount real estate brokers for you.

RankDiscount Real Estate Broker / CompanyListing FeeAdditional ChargesMax Savings100% Online5-Star Reviews*Mobile App
1.Houzeo$399
Flat Fee
2.Leslie Lerner Properties$4500 Flat Fee
3.Creekstone Real Estate1%
commission
4. ListingSpark$3,999
Flat Fee
5. SimpleShowing1% of the sale price

Reviews: Best Discount Real Estate Brokers in Houston, TX

1. Houzeo.com

#1 Discount Real Estate Service

Houzeo.com

Houzeo Logo
  • Listing Fee: $399
  • Available nationwide
  • 5 Stars 4.9/5 (8,400+ Reviews)

Houzeo is a top technology-driven real estate platform. It offers 4 different packages:

  • Bronze Package ($399): List your house for 6 months. You can upload 24 house photos.
  • Silver Package ($399+0.5% at Close): List your home for six months and post maximum photos. Unlimited open houses and listing modifications are included in this package.
  • Gold Package ($429+0.5% at Close): This gives you all the benefits of the Silver package. It also provides licensed broker assistance, contract review, etc.
  • Platinum ($449+1% at Close): This package offers virtual full-service support with a licensed broker. You can list for 12-month. Brokers assist you in negotiations, disclosures, and closing.

👉 Our Take: We recommend Houzeo to all home sellers. The company has an excellent customer rating of 4.9 out of 5 stars. It has extensive coverage across 47 states + DC, a feat achieved by only a handful of other services.

» Houzeo Reviews: Houzeo is 100% online. You can finish listing formalities within 60 minutes.

These are the key features that make Houzeo one of the top discount real estate brokers:

  • Significant Commission Savings: You will pay just a small flat fee to list on MLS. On average, home sellers who used Houzeo saved $11,490.
  • No Hidden Fees: All costs are disclosed upfront so you don’t have to worry about hidden charges.
  • Near Nationwide Coverage: Houzeo operates in 47 states and DC, with ongoing plans for expansion.
  • Max Exposure: Houzeo packages give you access to renowned MLS companies.
  • Advanced Technology: Eliminate the hassle of extensive paperwork. E-signature and online forms make house listing quick and easy.
  • 5-star Customer Service: Dedicated customer support addresses your every concern easy.
  • Mobile App: Houzeo’s mobile app lets you manage showing requests from verified buyers and buyer agents. You can either accept, reject, or reschedule showings at your convenience.

There are no dealbreakers with Houzeo.

» Houzeo Reviews: Houzeo is rated “Excellent” by 8,400+ happy customers on Google Reviews and Trustpilot!

Houzeo Reviews: With over 8,400+ happy customers, Houzeo is the most trusted discount real estate broker.

Houzeo is America’s #1 ranked real estate brokerage company. It provides an unbeatable combination of maximum savings, and 5-star customer support, and is available both on iOS and Android platforms.

Houzeo’s flat fee feature helps you save at least $10,000 on agent commissions. You also get dedicated customer support to make your home-selling process easier.

2. Leslie Lerner Properties

WELL ESTABLISHED IN THE INDUSTRY

Leslie Lerner Properties

Leslie Lerner Properties Houston TX
  • Listing Fee: $4500
  • 4.5stars 4.4/5 (15+ reviews)

Leslie Lerner Properties is a flat fee full-service company. They provide services to both home buyers and home sellers.

For Home Sellers

  • $4500 Flat Fee: It includes listing, marketing, and additional features like social media marketing, contract negotiation, photography, lockbox, “For Sale” signs, closing assistance, and many more. They list properties on Realtor.com,  Homes.com, Trulia, Zillow, Google, and more.

For Home Buyers

  • Buyers Rebate Program: Leslie Lerner Properties offer rebates to buyers from their own buyer agent commissions. They offer up to 1.5% buyer’s rebate (from a total of 3%), depending on the number of houses shown to you by the brokerage.

👉 Our Take: Leslie Lerner Properties is a great option for your real estate experience as they offer significant features and benefits for both home buyers and home sellers.

Here are some advantages of choosing Leslie Lerner Properties:

  • Experienced Team: Leslie Lerner Properties have qualified agents who help sellers through the entire sale process.
  • Market Exposure: They have a huge market coverage. They list your houses on HAR.com Realtor.com,  Homes.com, Cyberhomes, Trulia, Zillow, Google, and the Galveston Daily News. 
  • Additional Services: They also help you with drawing contracts, repairs negotiation, and assistance at closing.

Here are some red flags you should consider before choosing them:

  • Not Fully Online: Leslie Lerner Properties is not 100% online which makes the process manual and time-consuming. You’ll have to conduct tours and communicate with buyers on your own. This may not be ideal for you if you are a first-time seller or lack time to manage your property sale.
  • Mobile App: They do not provide any mobile application service to their customers.

Leslie Lerner Properties has an average rating of 4.4 out of 5 from 13 reviews on Google.

Leslie Lerner Properties has been around since the 1990s. They provide flat fee service to home sellers. They also have a buyer’s rebate program.

However, they are not fully online, making the process manual and time-consuming.

3. Creekstone Real Estate

👨‍💼GOOD CUSTOMER SERVICE

Creekstone Real Estate

logo image
  • Listing Fee: 1% Commission
  • 1.5star  1.7/5.0 (9 reviews)

Creekstone Real Estate is a full-service flat fee listing service based in Houston, Texas. They offer sellers packages that can help them sell their property without compromising on quality service.

Creekstone Real Estate for Home Sellers

  • Discount Packages: Creekstone Real Estate offers 1% commission package which includes full services along with professional photography and a yard sign. The minimum listing commission amount to $2,500.
  • Agent Support: Low-commission real estate agents at Creekstone are highly qualified and are known for their customer-centric attitude.

Creekstone Real Estate for Home Buyers

  • New Listings: The brokerage’s website includes information on new listings which home buyers can search through.

👉 Our Take: Creekstone Real Estate is a good option if you are looking for discount real estate brokers in Texas. They offer full service for home sellers at a reduced fee. For home buyers though there aren’t enough significant features.

Creekstone Real Estate helps sellers save a large sum of money. You have the following advantages if you sell with them.

  • Market Exposure: Your property features in real estate websites like HAR.com, Zillow, Trulia, and Realtor.com

In our research, we found certain red flags about Creekstone Real Estate:

  • No Specific Services to Home Buyers: Despite being a brokerage, Creekstone Real Estate does not cater well to home buyers.

Creekstone Real Estate has 1.7 out of 5 stars on Yelp.

Based in Houston, Creekstone Real Estate is a local discount real estate brokerage. They offer multiple packages to home sellers for flat fees or at discounted commission rates.

Creekstone Real Estate can be a good option for home sellers. However, they offer limited services to home buyers.

4. ListingSpark

LOCAL EXPERT

ListingSpark

ListingSpark logo
  • Listing Fee: $3,999
  • Limited coverage
  • 4.75 Stars  4.6/5.0 (175+ Reviews)

ListingSpark is a renowned flat fee discount brokerage in the US. It offers 2 listing packages:

  • Spark Plan ($2,199): This includes paperwork assistance and syndicated house listing on major real estate websites. You receive a Supra digital lockbox, professional photographs, escrow services, and a “For Sale” sign.
  • Premium Plan ($3,999): This includes all the features of the Spark plan. You also get pricing support, open house signage, e-flyer blasts, and customer support.

👉 Our Take: Listing Spark’s package covers all the services you need to sell your house. These packages are relatively higher as compared to other discount real estate companies.

» How Does Listing Spark Work? Read this to know how Listing Spark exactly works.

ListingSpark offers certain advantages:

  • Quick Listing: It takes 20 minutes to fill out the details on the ListingSpark website. The listing will go live within 24 hours after the documentation is completed.
  • Add-on Features: They offer benefits like professional photographs, a lock box, a yard sign, title insurance, and escrow services.
  • 24 x 7 Customer Support: The customers spoke positively about their reliable staff who is available 24×7.

ListingSpark offers certain disadvantages:

  • Limited Coverage: ListingSpark caters to only 16 cities in Texas.
  • High Price: They offer a full-service package at a significantly higher price.

ListingSpark has a rating of 4.6 out of 5 stars on Google.

Listing Spark Reviews: Know what clients are saying about Listing Spark services.

ListingSpark is a real estate brokerage firm and For Sale By Owner platform. Owned by Aaron Jistel, the company also provides title and closing services under its title company, SparkTitle.

However, the coverage of ListingSpark is restricted only to Texas. Moreover, you must pay a termination cost if you decide to terminate your listing at any point.

5. SimpleShowing

MAXIMUM SAVINGS

Simple Showing

simpleshowing logo
  • Listing Fee: 1% of Sale Price
  • Restricted coverage
  • 5 Stars 5/5 (142+ Reviews)

SimpleShowing is a percentage-based discount broker which offers the house listing services at 1%.  It also offers to pay 1% of the closing costs or $5,000 cashback on such costs.

👉 Our Take:  The fixed 1% listing commission may be expensive if you have a less-valued home, say $150,000-$200,000. Instead, you should look for a flat fee pricing model.

SimpleShowing offers the following advantages:

  • Professional Photography: They arrange for professional photography and videos of home with no additional charge.
  • Local Agent: The agent will assist you right from valuing your home till closing.

SimpleShowing offers the following disadvantages:

  • Not the Best Agents: SimpleShowing might not be able to match you with the best agent.
  • Limited Coverage: It provides services in only 3 states – Florida, Texas, and Georgia.

SimpleShowing has a 5 out of 5 stars rating on Zillow.

SimpleShowing is a full-service brokerage licensed in GA, FL, and TX. They use technology, such as their mobile app, to make the traditional home-selling process easier.

However, with their limited coverage and agents, they might not cover all your needs.

What Are Discount Real Estate Brokers and Companies?

Discount real estate brokers are companies or agents who sell your home for less than the standard 2.5% to 3% commission. Such low-cost real estate agents typically offer the same services for reduced fees of 0.5% to 2% or a flat fee.

How Much Can I Save With a Discount Realtor in Houston?

As a seller, you can save anywhere between $10,000 and $20,000.

Typically, home sellers pay a total of 6% as Realtor commissions to both the listing agent and the buyer’s agent. Whereas, with discount real estate brokers you can pre-negotiate this at 1% to 2%.

As a home buyer, you get a buyer’s rebate – a type of cashback received after the sale. A typical buyer rebate is 1% to 2% of the home’s purchase price. For example, Redfin offers a buyer rebate of 0.5% to clients who sell and buy with Redfin within 1 year.

Types of Discount Brokers in Houston

The four major types of real estate discount brokerages and companies in the Space City are as follows:

1. Flat Fee MLS Companies: Flat Fee MLS companies get you on the MLS for a small flat fee, saving you thousands in commissions. The best Flat Fee MLS listing companies like Houzeo can get you on the MLS within 24 hours, or even faster!

2. Flat Rate Full-Service Companies: These companies charge a fixed fee instead of the regular 3% commission. This amount can be anywhere between $3,000 and $5,000. A flat-rate Realtor is perfect for homes priced on the higher end.

3. Low-Commission Estate Agents: Low-commission discount brokers offer full-service packages at only 1% or 2% of the usual fee. They cover everything from listing to negotiations and pricing. They are also called 1% commission Realtors or 2% commission brokers, etc.

4. Virtual Full Service: A virtual full-service discount broker handles everything online. All services, including negotiation and marketing support, are at no additional cost.

Pros and Cons of a Discount Realtor

Here are the pros and cons of discount Realtors:

Pros

  • Reduced Fees: You’ll pay less for listing agent fees. While standard brokers typically charge at least 3%, discount brokers may charge as little as 0.5% to 1%.
  • Full Access to Basic Services: You receive the same services as you would with a traditional agent. They assist with home pricing, marketing, and negotiations.
  • Streamlined Process: A low-cost Realtor provides similar services as traditional agents. They streamline the process of listing your property on the MLS, marketing the property, negotiating offers, and assisting with paperwork.

Cons

  • Not Enough Savings: Some discount brokerages may charge hidden fees or sell their services a la carte. This might add to your expenses.
  • Not for First-Time Sellers: Most discount real estate brokerages are digital, so you rarely talk to anyone in person. A first-time seller or buyer who needs some hand-holding may not be able to get benefits.
  • Lack of Personal Attention: Discount Realtors handle multiple clients at once to make up for the reduced commission rate. They may not be able to provide personalized services.
  • High Cancellation Fee: A discount realty company can charge a minimum withdrawal fee within a specified period. Remember to carefully review the terms and conditions of the contract before signing.

Who Should Use a Discount Broker?

Discount brokers are ideal for:

  • Sellers on a Tight Budget: Homeowners who wish to save money should list with a low-fee Realtor. This can help them save big. 
  • Real Estate Investors: Real estate investors who frequently trade homes can benefit from low-commission discount brokers.
  • House Flippers: Home flipping is a strategy where an investor purchases a property to renovate it and sell it for a profit. Home flippers can save thousands on agent commissions by selling via discount brokers.

Alternatives to Discount Real Estate Agents in Houston

Here are some options if you do not want to opt for a discount Realtor in Houston:

  • List With a Full-Service Realtor: If you need hand-holding, we recommend you hire a full-service, in-person Realtor. You’ll get all the professional help you need, but you will end up paying a full 5% to 6% commission.
  • Sell to an iBuyer: Many iBuyers, like Opendoor and Offerpad, purchase hundreds of homes in Houston markets. iBuyers can be a great option if you want to sell your house fast in Houston.
  • Sell to Cash Home Buyers: Individual cash home buyers and companies make all-cash offers, usually within 24 to 48 hours. Cash buyers let you skip the hassle of listing on the MLS, inspection, appraisal, etc.
  • Sell For Sale By Owner: For Sale By Owner websites in Texas will help you list and sell a house by owner and save thousands in listing agent commission.

Are Discount Brokerages Worth It?

YES! There are various advantages to using a low-cost real estate agent. Using an affordable brokerage can save you at least $8,000 to $10,000.

There are several discounted real estate brokers on the market today, each with its own advantages. Before you choose one, examine factors such as listing fees, listing time, services provided, customer service, and coverage.

With Houzeo, you can get your home on the MLS in 24 hours for a small flat fee. You also get extra savings and services like access to an offers dashboard, showings management, and more.

Eager to Know How Houzeo Works?

Houzeo is the #1 For Sale By Owner website in the U.S. Check out the following video to understand how Houzeo would help you crack the deal faster in 5 steps.

How to List on MLS With Houzeo?

5 Easy Steps to List on MLS with Houzeo as FSBO

Start Your MLS Listing NOW!

» Need More Clarity? Read these exclusive Houzeo reviews and learn why the platform is the best in America’s competitive housing market.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who are the best discount real estate brokers in Houston?

Houzeo.com and Creekstone Real Estate are the top discount real estate brokers in Houston.

How much is the real estate agent fees in Houston?

On average, traditional agents in Houston, charge 5% to 6% of the sale price as commission. On the other hand, discount real estate brokers charge 1% to 3% commission.

How do I find low cost discount Realtors near me to sell my home?

You could do a Google search, go with an agent from one of the national discount brokers like Redfin, or list your home using Houzeo. With Houzeo, your home will be listed on the MLS without the added expense of a listing agent.

Discount Real Estate Brokers Houston Texas

Save $20

On Silver & up plans

Use Coupon Code:

Copied
Need help? Call us on
(844) 448-0110