HomeLight
Agent matching
See pricesOpens HomeLight's site. Not a referral link.
Agent matching
Agent-matching services, in their own words
HomeLight and Clever say they are free to the seller and paid by the agent you choose, out of the agent's commission, when the sale closes; UpNest is free too. They differ in how they pick agents, whether agents compete on price, and how soon you will get calls.
- $0
- What HomeLight, UpNest and Clever say the seller pays to be matched
- At closing
- When HomeLight and Clever say the agent pays them a referral fee
HomeLight, UpNest and Clever pages, read Oct 8, 2026.
Agent-matching services
FastExpert
Agent matching
See pricesOpens FastExpert's site. Not a referral link.
On this page
Key facts
- HomeLight ranks agents on transaction volume, property type, days on market and sale-to-list ratios, and says the agent pays it 'a customary broker-to-broker referral fee' when you close1.
- UpNest sends '3 to 5 commission quotes from top agents in your area within 24 hours'; it has been part of Realtor.com's operator, Move, Inc., since June 202235.
- Clever matches you with partner agents who charge a 1.5% listing fee ($3,000 minimum) and earns 'a referral fee from the agent's commission when a transaction closes'7.
- FastExpert blocked our reader on Oct 8, 2026, so we quote none of its terms; read them on its own site before you sign up13.
How each service works, side by side
Each cell paraphrases the company's own page, read Oct 8, 2026; quotes are below. Redfin is a brokerage, not a matching service, and is here as a fee reference.
| Service | How agents are chosen | What the seller pays the service | How the service is paid | What happens next |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HomeLight1See pricesOpens HomeLight's site. Not a referral link. | Sales data, reviews and machine learning; volume, property type, days on market, sale-to-list | Nothing | The agent pays a referral fee when you close | Agents contact you; HomeLight may call to discuss matches |
| UpNest (Realtor.com)3 | Agent performance data; interview and win rates monitored | Nothing | Not stated by the source | 3 to 5 commission quotes within 24 hours |
| Clever7 | Its matching algorithm plus a Concierge team; agents with complaints removed | Nothing to match; 1.5% listing fee ($3,000 minimum) if you list | A referral fee from the agent's commission at closing | A Concierge team reaches out |
| FastExpert13See pricesOpens FastExpert's site. Not a referral link. | Page blocked our reader | Page blocked our reader | Page blocked our reader | Page blocked our reader |
| Redfin (brokerage)9 | Redfin's own agents; partner agents where it has none | 2% listing fee, 1% if you also buy; minimums $2,000 to $8,500 | The listing fee | A Redfin agent lists the home |
| Source | Company pagesRead Oct 8, 2026 | Company pagesRead Oct 8, 2026 | Company pagesRead Oct 8, 2026 | Company pagesRead Oct 8, 2026 |
A dash means the company's page did not say. UpNest's pages read today do not say how UpNest itself is paid.
HomeLight
HomeLight says it analyzes 'over 27 million transactions and thousands of reviews' to pick agents for you (the same page also gives 29 million), using 'Transaction Volume', 'Property Type Specialization', 'Days on Market Average' and 'Sale to List Ratios'1. Finding an agent 'is 100% free for buyers and sellers, and there's no commitment required', and 'Agents don't pay us to be listed'1.
On money it is direct: 'When you complete your transaction with the agent recommended by HomeLight, the agent pays us a customary broker-to-broker referral fee.' Its reviews article adds that 'HomeLight will receive a portion of the agent's commission as a referral fee. Agents cannot pay to receive a listing.'12
After you sign up, agents 'will contact you', and HomeLight may call to talk through your matches. You are 'under no obligation to work with any of the real estate agents we recommend'1.
UpNest (Realtor.com)
UpNest's process: 'We analyze thousands of real estate agents and send you the top performers', then you 'Receive 3 to 5 commission quotes from top agents in your area within 24 hours' and 'Compare commission rates, free services, and agent reviews all in one place'3. It says agents compete for your listing and that it monitors their interview rate and win rate3.
For sellers it shows each agent's rates upfront, and says it compares agents on how fast they sell, how many properties they work on and what they save or earn their clients4. UpNest is free and 'there is no obligation to hire any of the real estate agents that contact you'. 'In June 2022, Move, Inc., the operator of Realtor.com, acquired UpNest', and the home page brands the service RealChoice Selling by realtor.com35. How UpNest is paid is not stated on the pages we read.
Clever
Clever's model is a pre-negotiated rate: 'If you sell with a Clever partner agent, you pay a pre-negotiated 1.5% listing fee ($3,000 minimum) at closing.' The buyer's agent commission is separate and negotiable7. On a $400,000 sale, 1.5% is $6,000 (our arithmetic).
'Clever earns a referral fee from the agent's commission when a transaction closes, and only if you actually sell or buy a home through one of Clever's recommended agents.' Agents must meet minimum standards, and 'Agents who receive multiple complaints or negative reviews are removed from the network.' A Concierge team calls to confirm your details, and you 'never sign a binding agreement with Clever'67.
Clever's own pages give different figures for its network (14,000, over 13,000 and 18,000+ agents) and for its customer count, so we quote none of them as a measure of size.
FastExpert
FastExpert is an agent-matching service for home sellers and buyers. Its site answered our reader with a Cloudflare block on Oct 8, 2026, from every browser and tool we tried, so this page states none of its terms13. Before you sign up, read on its own pages how it chooses agents, what you pay, how FastExpert is paid and whether agents will call you. We will add its terms, quoted and dated, once we can read them.
Before you sign up with any matching service
Step 1
Expect calls
HomeLight says agents will contact you; Clever's Concierge calls; UpNest sends proposals. Use an email and phone you are ready to answer.
Step 2
Know how the service is paid
The agent pays the service from the commission at closing, per HomeLight and Clever. It is built into what you pay the agent.
Step 3
Negotiate with the agent, not the service
NAR: agent pay 'is fully negotiable and not set by law'. Clever's 1.5% is a pre-negotiated rate; others vary.
Step 4
Interview two or three
Ask NAR's questions: services, marketing, showings, and what the agent will be paid, in the listing agreement.
Step 5
Read the listing agreement
Its type (exclusive right-to-sell or otherwise), its term and its rate. You sign it with the agent, not the service.
Try a matching service
Good for a second agent-matching service to compare
FastExpert
- Terms
- Read them on FastExpert's own pages
Visit FastExpertOpens FastExpert's site. Not a referral link.
What to check first
- How agents are chosen and ranked
- Whether matched agents will call you
- What you pay, and what the agent pays
Good for data-ranked local agents to interview
HomeLight agent matching
- Cost to you
- Free, HomeLight says
- Paid by
- The agent, at closing
See how HomeLight matching worksOpens HomeLight's site. Not a referral link.
Also on HomeLight's site
What to check first
- Matched agents will contact you
- No obligation to use them
- Negotiate the commission with the agent
Agent-matching questions
Are agent-matching services really free?
To the seller, yes, by their own pages: HomeLight, UpNest and Clever all say so. The agent pays the service a referral fee from the commission when you close (HomeLight and Clever say this directly).
Does using a matching service raise my commission?
The service is paid out of the agent's commission. You still negotiate that commission with the agent; Clever's partners have pre-agreed to 1.5% for the listing side.
Will agents call me?
Yes. HomeLight says agents will contact you and that it may call to discuss matches; Clever says its Concierge team will reach out; UpNest says the agents that contact you are under no obligation to be hired.
Do I have to use the agent they recommend?
No. HomeLight, UpNest and Clever each say there is no obligation.
Is Redfin an agent-matching service?
No, Redfin is a brokerage with its own agents and a listing fee (2% in the markets it lists, 1% if you also buy with Redfin), though it may refer you to a partner agent where it has none.
What about FastExpert?
We could not read FastExpert's pages on Oct 8, 2026, so we state none of its terms. Read them on its own site.
Sources
- Client-agent matching (FAQ)
- HomeLight reviews (published Sept 25, 2026)
- How our free service works
- For sellers
- About us
- Home page
- FAQ
- How you save (updated September 2025)
- Commission savings disclaimers (fees and minimums by market)
- Consumer Guide: Listing Agreements
- Consumer Guide: 10 Questions to Ask a Seller's Agent
- What the NAR Settlement Means for Home Buyers and Sellers
- Home page (blocked our reader on Oct 8, 2026; nothing quoted)
About this page
Programs, fees and terms belong to each company and can change. The company's own page is the final word on price, eligibility and terms.
SellSmart Match is not a real estate brokerage, agent, lender or law firm. Nothing here is legal, tax or financial advice, and we do not pass your details to anyone.