Congress Realty Reviews: Pros, Cons and Alternatives

✏️ Editor’s Note: Realtor Associations, agents, and MLS’ have started implementing changes related to the NAR’s $418 million settlement. While home-sellers will likely save thousands in commission, compliance and litigation risks have significantly increased for sellers throughout the nation. Learn how NAR’s settlement affects home sellers.

Congress Realty is one of America’s oldest and biggest Flat Fee MLS companies. They cover 12 states, primarily on the West Coast and the South. Congress’ pricing is affordable, and they offer add-ons based on your needs.

Jared Andrew English, Realtor is Congress Realty’s broker-in-charge. He goes by “Andrew”. Andrew negotiates more sales in a month than 99% of realtors do in their entire careers. And he has stellar customer reviews.

The only downside to listing with Congress is that their technology is relatively weak. Showings will need to be scheduled on third-party platforms and offer contracts will need to be reviewed manually. Congress does not offer a mobile app.

✍️ Editor’s Take: For most home sellers, we recommend Houzeo over Congress. With Houzeo, you get one flat fee and don’t have to worry about purchasing add-ons every time you need something. For home buyers, we highly recommend working with Congress. Compare Congress vs. Houzeo.

Is Congress Realty Legit?

Yes. Congress Realty Inc. is a legitimate real estate company headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona. The company was founded by Jared Andrew English in 2002. With his expertise in pricing, staging, and negotiations, Andrew has successfully closed thousands of deals in his career.

Congress Realty aims to offer an excellent combination of savings and satisfaction. To maintain service quality, they do not refer their clients to brokers in other states. However, this limits their coverage to just 12 states.

» What’s My Home’s Value: You can know your home’s market value with Houzeo’s free Home Worth Estimator. It helps you estimate the amount you will get upon sale.

How Does Congress Realty Work?

The process of signing up with Congress Realty is quite simple. You just need to fill out the form and make a payment to start listing with them.

• Sign Up: Create an account by clicking the ‘Get Started’ button CongressRealty.com.
• Select Plan: Pick a package based on your requirements and budget.
• Enter Address: Specify the property and shipping address.
• Select Add-ons: Choose optional services like a yard sign, a virtual tour, a second MLS category, etc.
• Make Payment: Proceed with the payment to finish the sign-up process.

Once you make the payment, you can access Congress Realty’s client portal and start the listing process. You can also download the necessary forms and documents from there.

However, as Congress Realty’s listing process is not automated, you must manually complete all the paperwork. Once you have provided the information and photos, they will make the listing live within 24 hours.

Congress Realty Coverage

Congress Realty offers services in twelve states only.

Services/Packages

» Jump to: Seller Packages | Additional Services | Buyer Packages

For Home Sellers

Congress Realty offers 3 flat fee packages and 1 full-service package to home sellers.

1. Basic Package – $299

👉 Our Take: We recommend this plan if you are selling land or a lot. If you are selling a house, you will need more than 4 photos. You will also need unlimited changes. So this plan will be significantly more expensive than just $299.

2. Plus Package – $399

👉 Our Take: We do not recommend this package because it does not include open houses. For $399, Houzeo’s plan includes open houses. You also get a much better digital experience.

3. Premium Package – $499

👉 Our Take: We recommend Houzeo over Congress Realty for most home sellers. But if you really want to list with Congress, we highly recommend the “Premium” plan. It gives you all the tools necessary for a successful sale.

 4. Full Service Package – $399 + 0.5% at Closing

👉 Our Take: This is the best option for first-time home sellers who need an agent’s support. However, the process will be offline and you may have to complete a few tasks manually.

Additional Services

Congress Realty allows you to customize the plans by offering some services separately. You can add or skip these services based on your needs.

✍️ Take Note: Congress Realty offers a wide selection of add-on services. But compared to their competitors, they are on the expensive side.

For Home Buyers

Congress Realty provides a dedicated agent to home buyers. Your agent helps you at every crucial stage of the home-buying process, like contract reviews, negotiation, and closing. You can also get up to a 2% cash rebate upon closing.

Congress Realty Reviews

Congress Realty has an impressive 4.8 out of 5-star rating on Google based on 49 reviews. Many Congress Realty customer reviews highlighted Jared Andrew English’s extensive knowledge and professionalism, which helped them secure the best deals for their homes.

We also found some Congress Realty complaints on Google. However, the company addressed these complaints in a reasonable time frame.

Congress Realty Positive Reviews

✅ Daniel had a great experience with Congress Realty. He was delighted with J. Andrew English’s hands-on assistance.

✅ Debra was happy and appreciated Congress Realty’s services. She also highlighted English’s quick responses throughout the process.

Congress Realty Negative Reviews

❌ Andrew Hatch was not happy with his purchase from Congress Realty’s seller. However, in response to this comment, the company clarified that he waived his right to a pre-closing walkthrough. This would have saved him from this experience.

❌ Marcia, a competitor of Congress Realty, has raised concerns about their poor quality control. However, she has not provided a reason behind her perception.

Congress Realty Reviews: Pros and Cons

Congress Realty’s impressive ratings reflect their customer satisfaction. However, let’s evaluate the pros and cons to see if they are the ideal choice for you:

👍 Pros

Flat Fee MLS companies offer certain benefits over the traditional home-selling model. Let’s see how Congress Realty matches up to these expectations.

• Experienced Principal Broker: Jared Andrew English, Congress Realty’s principal broker, has a wealth of knowledge about the real estate business. Under his leadership, Congress has sold over $1 billion worth of properties. His expertise can help you get the best deal for your home.
• Commission Savings: Congress Realty’s flat fee packages allow you to ditch the listing agent commission entirely. Their full-service package is also cost-effective, allowing you to leverage the agent’s support while saving thousands.
• Direct Contact with Buyers: Congress Realty allows buyers to contact you directly. This also enables you to have better control over the sale.
• Greater Exposure: The company syndicates your MLS listing to national real estate websites like Zillow and Trulia. They also feature it on social media in their expensive packages for additional exposure.
• Transparent Fees: The company clearly outlines its fees, ensuring home sellers know what to expect upfront.
• Client Portal: Congress Realty’s client portal allows you to download all the necessary state and seller disclosure forms. You can also counter an offer or make changes to your listing from there.

👎 Cons

During our research, we found certain limitations of Congress Realty.

• Limited Coverage: Congress Realty only offers services in 12 states. Their limited coverage is a deal-breaker for people living in other parts of the country.
• Lack of Vital Features: Although the company is tech-centric, there is some scope for improvement. For instance, they do not have a listing management platform that can simplify your FSBO journey.

Congress Realty Competitors

» Jump to: Congress vs. Houzeo | Congress vs. Flat Fee Group | Congress vs. List With Freedom

If Congress Realty’s services didn’t excite you, here are 3 alternate companies you can consider:

1. Congress vs. Houzeo

Congress Realty offers savings on real estate transactions. However, their technology is not on par with current industry standards.

On the other hand, Houzeo’s technology provides you with the ability to manage your listings and showings. You can also compare and counter offers and request the highest and best offer. Moreover, you can do everything on the go with Houzeo’s mobile app.

2. Congress vs. Flat Fee Group

Flat Fee Group is a network of licensed brokers working in 48 states and Washington D.C. You can list with them no matter where you live.

However, your experience will depend on the broker that serves your state. So be sure to check their customer reviews before listing with the Flat Fee Group. In most states though, Flat Fee Group is more expensive than Congress Realty.

3. Congress vs. List With Freedom

List With Freedom is a licensed brokerage in 46 states. They serve these states themselves and do not refer your listing to third-party brokers.

Be careful though, Listwithfreedom.com packages may seem cheap, starting as low as $149. However, they charge you an additional fee of 0.25% at closing that they do not disclose upfront.

Moreover, List With Freedom does not include some vital services in their packages. You might have to pay almost $1,500 to avail of essential services like open house announcements and contract reviews.

Best Flat Fee Companies Near You

If you reside outside Congress Realty’s coverage area, here are the top flat fee companies that serve your state.

Other Options You Should Consider

• Sell to an iBuyer: iBuyers purchase homes needing minimal repairs in as-is condition. They can be a great option if you want to sell your house fast.
• Sell to Cash Home Buyers: Individual cash home buyers make all-cash offers, usually within 24 to 48 hours. They also let you skip listing on the MLS.
• Sell For Sale By Owner: For Sale By Owner websites help you list and sell a house yourself, saving thousands in agent commissions. Many FSBO websites will also help you with the paperwork.

Should You List Your Home With Congress Realty?

You can opt for Congress Realty to list your home if you are willing to put some manual effort into your sale. Their principal broker, Jared Andrew English, has extensive experience in the real estate industry. Moreover, they offer you hands-on assistance to help you secure the best deal.

However, you may find their a la carte services expensive. Additionally, their technology lacks some essential features that you may need in your FSBO journey.

Houzeo is a 100% online platform. Houzeo offers the best combination of maximum exposure, thousands in commission savings, and stellar customer support. And compared to Congress’ Premium plan priced at $499, Houzeo’s Silver plan is priced only at $399!

» Houzeo Reviews: Check out why more than 3,500 home sellers have rated Houzeo 4.9 stars out of 5 on Google Reviews and Trustpilot.

 

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