Home prices in Alabama have increased by 3.2% Y-O-Y and are now at a whopping $263,400. Simultaneously, mortgage rates have sharply declined from 7.79% in Oct 2023 to 6.63% in Jan 2024. However, the market is booming for both sellers and buyers. If you want to sell your home or buy a new one, NOW is the time to do so!
Real estate companies can help you get access to the MLS quickly. Whether you use a Flat Fee MLS company or a discount brokerage, you will receive a quick and affordable real estate transaction.
Top 6 Alabama Real Estate Companies:
-
For Home Sellers
- Houzeo: Best Technology
- Matt Curtis Real Estate: Best for Local Properties
- Beycome: Expert Assistance
-
For Home Buyers
- Coldwell Banker Realty: Best for First Time Buyers
- Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices: Best for Local Market
- Zillow: Best for Buying Properties
Best Real Estate Companies for Home Sellers in Alabama
Discover the best home-selling companies in the Cotton State. From lively Auburn to the beautiful Montogomery, we have found the 3 best companies for you.
1. Houzeo
#1 Flat Fee MLS Service
Houzeo.com
Houzeo is real estate company headquartered in New York.
Houzeo offers 4 Flat Fee MLS packages.
- Bronze Package – $399: This package offers Houzeo listing only for 6 months with 24 photos.
- Silver Package – $399+0.5% at Close: This offers maximum photos upload and provide you with seller disclosures.
- Gold Package – $429+0.5% at Close: It is Houzeo’s signature MLS package and includes all the technology Houzeo is known for like, Houzeo Showings, Houzeo Offers, and DigiTransact.
- Platinum – $449+1% at Close: It includes the assistance of a licensed broker to help you with negotiations, seller disclosures, and closing.
👉 Our Take: We recommend the GOLD plan. You’ll have access to Houzeo tech, making managing showings and offer negotiations easy! Confirm all prices on your particular state’s pricing page before you list.
» 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 4 reasons:
- Max Exposure: Houzeo MLS packages give you access to the MLS, Zillow, Trulia, Realtor.com, Redfin, and 100s of other websites.
- 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.
- 100% Online: Houzeo is high-tech platform with its easy listing, fast changes, online showings, and online offers. Houzeo mobile app is also very powerful.
- No Hidden Fees: In most states, you’ll be paying just a small flat fee to list on MLS by owner. And remember, all fees are disclosed upfront, so there are no Houzeo hidden fees. You get to bypass the listing agent commission.
There are no dealbreakers with Houzeo.
» Is Houzeo Good for You? Houzeo addresses all Houzeo complaints from home sellers.
Houzeo is rated 4.9 out of 5 stars by thousands of home sellers on Google & Trustpilot.
» Houzeo Reviews: Houzeo is rated “Excellent“ by 8,000+ home sellers.
Houzeo.com is Alabama’s #1 real estate company. It provides an unbeatable combination of maximum savings, 5-star customer support, and cutting-edge technology.
Moreover, Houzeo provides affordable listing packages to Alabama FSBO home sellers. Also, its offer management and showings tool will help you ace your real estate journey like a pro.
2. Matt Curtis Real Estate
Local Expertise
Matt Curtis Real Estate
Matt Curtis Real Estate mainly serves Alabama. It sells a home every 24 hours and has done over $1+ billion in real estate sales.
However, they have not disclosed their pricing on their website.
👉 Our Take: If you want to sell a home in Alabama, then sell it through Matt Curtis Real Estate.
Here are the highlights of Matt Curtis Real Estate:
- Local Expertise: Matt Curtis Real Estate has sold more than 7,000+ homes in the state of Alabama. Their local expertise and exceptional service have made them the #1 real estate team for the last 3 years.
- Exceptional Service: It has a database of over 100,000 potential buyers, professional photographers, and a team of real estate experts ready to help you get top dollar for your home.
We did not find any deal breakers for Matt Curtis Real Estate.
Matt Curtis Real Estate has 4.9 stars out of 5 on Google reviews.
Matt Curtis Real Estate is one of the best real estate companies for sellers in Alabama. Its expertise, experience, and marketing can maximize your returns when selling a home.
However, many sellers have reported inconsistency from their real estate agents.
3. Beycome
Average Tech, Average Service
beycome.com
Beycome is a “DIY” online Flat Fee brokerage that offers affordable MLS listing packages. Beycome Brokerage Realty LLC offers three Flat Fee MLS listing packages for homeowners:
- Basic Package – $99: This package will get you listed on the MLS with unlimited changes to your listing.
- Enhanced Package – $399: You get a yard sign, a featured listing on Beycome’s website, flyers, brochures, and one key lockbox. You can also add a virtual tour video to your listing.
- Concierge Service – $599 + 1% Commission: This is essentially a virtual full-service package that includes assistance till closing. They charge 1% of the sale price at closing with this package.
👉 Our Take: Beycome’s prices are reasonable, and their technology is useful. We recommend their Enhanced Package priced at $399.
Beycome offers good service in the selected states they are available in:
- Unrestricted Revisions and Edits: You can make unlimited changes in description, photos, or price adaptions in your listing. You can also easily switch to a full-service package anytime.
- Expert Assistance, if Needed: You can get expert assistance on all 7 days of the week in English and Spanish.
In our research, we came across some deal breakers with Beycome.
- You’ll Be Constantly Upsold the Title Service: Beycome also owns a title company, which will be pitched to you repeatedly.
- Average Customer Reviews: Most customers had to manage logistics, price negotiation showings, and closing all by themselves. Customers also complained about the lack of customer support and the delay in resolving issues.
- Average Technology: Beycome technology helps you with listing your home on the MLS. Leads, inspections, appraisals, etc. are managed offline so the process can be cumbersome.
- Only for Experienced Sellers: You need to have a good handle on buying and selling real estate, including closing costs and seller disclosures.
Beycome has 4.6 out of 5 stars (528 total reviews) on popular review sites like Google Reviews.
» Beycome Reviews: Know why it is not the best way to sell with Beycome in 2023.
Beycome’s MLS listing packages are reasonably priced and offer legal forms, seller disclosures, and an Open House scheduler. We recommend the $399 Enhanced Package for FSBO home sellers.
Beycome’s technology is limited and won’t help you with scheduling, appraisals, and closings. You’ll have to be very diligent and manage leads manually.
Best Real Estate Companies for Home Buyers in Alabama
Explore the top home-buying companies in Alabama. From Tuscaloosa to Dothan, you can discover affordable homes.
1. Coldwell Banker Realty
MOST SUCCESSFUL INVESTORS
Coldwell Banker
Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC is an American full-service real estate brokerage.
- No Service Fee: As a buyer, you do not have to pay any fee to avail services of Coldwell Banker.
👉 Our Take: Coldwell Banker has been recognized as a real estate leader. However, it might prioritize transaction volume over personalized attention, which could be less ideal for first-time buyers or those needing more guidance.
Key features of Coldwell Banker:
- Experts in Negotiations: Coldwell Banker’s agents are skilled and have considerable experience in negotiating the best deal for you.
- Lender Assistance: It helps you to find a lender for pre-qualification according to your affordability.
- Home Search: With MLS and other tools, agents find your ideal home based on your preferences and budget.
- Finance: It helps with down payments, mortgage prequalification, and getting your finances ready to buy a house.
- Strong Agent Network: Your agent can find many property options for you as they have good connections with other real estate agents.
Red flags of Coldwell Banker include:
- Inconsistent Agent Quality: Several clients of Coldwell Banker have complained of a lack of trust in the agents they had dealt with.
- Lapses in Transactions: Customer complaints include delays in transactions, laid-back attitude, misrepresentations, and the unresponsiveness of agents.
Coldwell Banker is rated 4.9 out of 5 stars from 200+ reviews on Trustpilot
Established in California, Coldwell Banker has changed the way people buy homes. They offer buyers financing options to ensure they have their financial ducks in a row when preparing to buy a house.
However, it’s advised you conduct due diligence on an agent before you appoint the agent to represent you.
2. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices
💫 Luxury Listings
Berkshire Hathaway
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices is a real estate brokerage franchise in the US. Headquartered in Minneapolis with over 44,000 real estate agents and 900 offices, BHHS makes over $136 billion annually in residential real estate transactions.
- No Service Fee: As a buyer, you can register with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices for free of cost.
👉 Our Take: Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices provides its services to all kinds of home buyers whether you are a first-time home buyer or a luxury home buyer.
» Selling a House: Things you need to know!
Key highlights of BHHS include:
- Search Tool: BHHS provides you with a search tool so you can browse through a variety of homes available in the market.
- Assistance in Paperwork: The agents handle all paperwork for you in relation to buying a house.
- Market Knowledge: BHHS agents provide practical knowledge and guidance based on years of local market expertise. With in-depth property and community information, they help you finalize your dream home.
- Mortgage Calculator: They provide a mortgage calculator by which you can figure out the monthly payments of a home mortgage loan, based on your desired home’s sale price.
- Start to Close Assistance: BHHS agents are experienced in handling all phases of the purchase process, including home inspections.
Few red flags we found about Berkshire Hathaway include:
- Inconsistent Agent Quality: Since BHHS franchises are independently owned and operated, agent experience differs from one location to another.
- Poor Reviews: Customers have complained about delayed transactions and a lack of communication from the agent’s end.
Berkshire Hathaway has a rating of 2.5 out of 5 from 60+ reviews on Best Company.
Berkshire Hathaway is headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska. It is known for selling high-end luxury properties. It provides buyers with unlimited access to their daily updated listings with pictures, details, property features, and nearby amenities to help them choose the best home.
Moreover, you can also opt for their email updates that apprise you of new homes on the market. However, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Texas Realty offers its services mainly in Austin and nearby areas.
3. Zillow
Largest Marketplace
Zillow
Zillow is the most visited real estate website. Zillow provides an exceptional home buying, renting, and selling experience.
- Zillow Premier Agent: You can connect with an agent representing a particular property and get their commission rates on request. Typically, a buyer agent charges a 2%-3% commission on the sale price.
👉 Our Take: Zillow’s Zestimate can be helpful for initial research, but don’t rely solely on them.
» Zillow Offers Reviews: Everything you need to know about Zillow
Key Features of Zillow:
- Home Search: Zillow’s platform allows you to search for homes based on various criteria like location, price, size, features, etc.
- Mortgage Calculator: It allows you to compare mortgage rates from various lenders. You can pre-qualify for a loan through Zillow Home Loans.
Zillow has some major drawbacks that home sellers should be aware of.
- Poor Customer Reviews: A staggering number of customers have complained regarding their disappointing experience with Zillow.
Zillow has a rating of 1.1 out of 5 on Consumer Affairs.
Zillow is the most popular real estate website in America. It was founded in the year 2006 and is headquartered in Seattle.
Moreover, Zillow extracts data from top MLS platforms. It helps buyers view the listings directly on the platform.