Home Avenue is a discount real estate brokerage company based in Minnesota. They have a 4 out of 5-star rating on Yelp based on 12 reviews and a 4.9 out of 5-star rating on Google based on 79 reviews.
Let’s delve into Home Avenue’s reviews and their pros and cons, to see if they’re the best choice for you.
Key Takeaways
- Pros: Home Avenue offers both FSBO and full-service packages to home sellers. So, you can select the option that suites your preference.
- Cons: Home Avenue’s packages are overpriced when compared to other alternatives. Moreover, they lack the essential services and technology to make your home selling experience easy.
- Our Take: We recommend Houzeo instead of Home Avenue. Houzeo offers better savings, cutting-edge technology, and stellar customer service. Compare Houzeo vs. Home Avenue.
What is Home Avenue?
Home Avenue is a real estate brokerage company founded by Greg Lawrence. The company has been offering MLS services since 1995.
They offer three For Sale By Owner packages and one full-service package to home sellers. The company also attracts buyers by offering a buyer’s advantage program.
Home Avenue offers savings on real estate commissions. However, their plans seem overpriced when compared to other alternatives.
They also lack the technology to cater to the needs of modern home sellers. You may have to reach out to them every time you wish to track the progress of your listing.
How Does Home Avenue Work?
You can schedule a meeting with Home Avenue agents through their website. You need to fill out the form with the following details:
- Your preferred date and time for the meeting
- The package you want to purchase
- Your personal information and contact details
- Your property’s location details
Once you submit the form, you will get a response from their team via your selected method of communication.
Services/Packages
Home Avenue offers three For Sale By Owner and one full-service package to the sellers. You can also purchase their add-on services to simplify your home-selling process.
For Sale By Owner (FSBO) Basic
Home Avenue charges $399 for this package and offers the following services:
- 3-month MLS listing with 10 photos that syndicates to popular real estate websites
- Listing on Home Avenue’s website
- Unlimited listing changes
- Assistance with pricing and market analysis
- For Sale By Owner guide
- Seller’s property disclosure statement
- Market-eye-report that includes information on recently listed, pending, or sold properties in your neighborhood
For Sale By Owner Plus
Home Avenue charges $698 for this package and offers the following services:
- Everything in the FSBO basic package
- 6-month MLS listing with 16 photos that syndicates to popular real estate websites
- Social media link to market your property in your online network
- Six-foot yard sign with your phone number
- Brochure box with 25 color brochures
For Sale By Owner Showcase
Home Avenue charges $998 for this package and offers the following services:
- Everything in the FSBO plus package
- 12-month MLS listing with 24 photos that syndicates to popular real estate websites
- Professional photoshoot with a virtual slideshow of photos
- Email to local realtors
- Unlimited open house directory
- 50 brochures
- Comprehensive pricing report
- Showing appointment service that will ask for your approval to provide access information to the buyer agent
- MLS supplement page to add additional information about your house to the MLS listing
Add–Ons
- MLS market analysis—$150
- Unlimited MLS open house directory—$100
- 18 additional photos on MLS—$25
- Showing appointment service—$100
- Purchase agreement facilitation service – $995
Home Avenue Complete
This is Home Avenue’s full-service package which costs $3,495 along with a $395 broker administrative commission at closing. This package includes the following services:
- MLS Listing that syndicates to local and national real estate websites
- Market analysis/pricing report
- Professional photography with 24 photos
- Just listed email to local realtors
- Yard sign and full-color home brochures
- Guidance with city-code compliance and truth-in-housing requirements
- Seller’s property disclosure forms
- Realtor lockbox
- Paperwork and negotiation assistance
Buyer’s Advantage Program
Buyers who are not represented by any agent can avail of Home Avenue’s buyer’s advantage program. This program provides an opportunity to receive a refund at closing.
To get the refund, buyers need to navigate through Home Avenue’s website to search for available homes. Once they find a home they are interested in, they can schedule a showing.
They become eligible for a refund upon finalizing the home. The refund amount depends on the purchase price of the home.
Pros and Cons
Home Avenue can help you save on the listing agent’s commission. However, you must evaluate the pros and cons before you make the decision.
✅ Pros
Home Avenue has some benefits over traditional real estate agents. The key advantages of selling with Home Avenue are:
- Variety of Packages: Home Avenue provides sellers with 4 packages to choose from. They also offer add-on services to help them simplify their home-selling process.
- Commission Savings: Home Avenue lets you avail of their brokerage services for a flat fee of $3,495 plus $395 instead of a 3% commission. So you can save money on commission depending on the sale price of your house.
❌ Cons
We also found certain dealbreakers with Home Avenue during our research. Some key drawbacks of working with Home Avenue are:
- Lack of Vital Services in FSBO Packages: Home Avenue’s FSBO packages do not include essential services you may need for selling your home.
- Pricey Add-ons: Home Avenue does not include some vital services like market analysis and showing assistance in their packages. Instead, they ask you to pay extra to avail of these services.
- Outdated Technology: Home Avenue’s technology may not cater to your home-selling needs. For instance, they do not have any platform to track listing progress or manage showing schedules.
Houzeo vs. Home Avenue
Home Avenue’s savings seem compelling due to their flat fee pricing model. However, most home sellers may end up scratching their heads while working with them.
Their FSBO packages lack many essential services and personal assistance. On the other hand, their full-service package is overpriced when compared to other alternatives. They also lack updated technology to make the home-selling process easier for you.
On the other hand, with Houzeo, you get maximum savings, stellar technology, and personalized assistance for $379. Plus, their mobile app and web technology will make your listing and sale a pleasant experience!
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| Request Highest and Best Offer |
Should You Sell With Home Avenue?
We recommend selling with Houzeo instead of Home Avenue. Houzeo offers stellar technology where you can manage listings, schedule showings, and see the highest and best offers.
Houzeo helps you save top dollar on listing agent commission without compromising the quality of services you get.
Frequently Asked Questions about Home Avenue
Is Home Avenue Legitimate?
Yes. Home Avenue is a legitimate real estate brokerage company that offers three FSBO and one full-service package to home sellers. The company was founded by Greg Lawrence and has been offering MLS services since 1995.
