✏️ 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.
Ideal Agent is an agent matching service. They collaborate with real estate agents to offer you services at a discounted price.
Editor’s Rating
User Rating
(1 Reviews)
Pros
- Ideal Agent doesn't charge a service fee directly to sellers.
- Their concierge team is efficient.
- They have nationwide coverage.
Cons
- Ideal Agent does not guarantee the quality of services provided by the agent.
- You are only matched with one agent.
- There is only a little scope of savings.
Ideal Agent is an agent matching service. They do not charge anything to sellers directly. Ideal Agent offers services in 47 states and DC.
Ideal Agent partners with full-service brokers from Keller Williams, RE/MAX, Christie’s, and more. They match you with an agent that you can interview and pick. But if you don’t like the agent, you need to look for an alternative way.
With Ideal Agent, you will miss out on the opportunity to save on commissions. Their agent’s fee is only 1% less than what traditional agents charge. All the other costs incurred by you remain the same. If you sell your home For Sale By Owner, you can save much more than this.
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✍️ Editor’s Take: We recommend selling your home with Houzeo over Ideal Agent. With Houzeo, you just need to pay a flat fee instead of a hefty commission. Compare Ideal Agent vs. Houzeo.
Is Ideal Agent Legit?
Yes, Ideal Agent is a legitimate agent matching service. The company was founded in 2016 by Steve Johnston. They are a licensed brokerage in Florida.
Ideal Agent collaborates with the top 1% of sales contributors in local markets. Their agents are independent operators. Ideal Agent doesn’t guarantee you the service quality provided by these agents.
How Does Ideal Agent Work?
Here is Idealagent.com’s process to list your property:
- Submit Your Property Information: You must complete an online form on Ideal Agent’s website. There are questions about your property, address, asking price, contact information, closing timeline, etc.
- Speak to the Concierge: Once you submit the form, Ideal Agent’s concierge team will reach out for additional details. The company then uses this information to match you with a realtor.
- Vet the Agent: You can interview the agents you are paired with and see if they fit your requirements.
- Sign the Listing Agreement: If you choose to move ahead with the agent, you need to sign a formal listing agreement.
Post that, the process is similar to a traditional home sale. Ideal Agent’s customer service will follow up with you to solve any difficulties you may face while you search for an agent.
- 👉 Other Services: Ideal Agent’s services are not obligatory. If you’re unhappy with the agent you’re matched with, you can walk away.
How Much Do They Cost?
Ideal Agent is a free service. Ideal Agent works with discounted brokers. If you choose to work with them, you have to pay 2% instead of the conventional 3%. This 2% commission is associated with a minimum fee of $3,000.
Basically, you pay a flat fee of $3,000 or a 2% commission based on your home’s sale price. So, if your home’s value is less than $150,000, you’ll end up paying more than the advertised 2%.
Moreover, Ideal Agents keeps 25% of the agent’s commission. For a home worth $150,000, you pay 2% to the agent. Out of this, Ideal Agent keeps $750. So the listing agent only gets $2,250 or 1.5%. Half of the conventional fees. This may be reflected in the service quality.
» 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.
Ideal Agent Coverage
Ideal Agents is a referral network for top agents. They have a vast chain of meticulously vetted real estate agents across the nation. Ideal Agent covers 47 states + DC in the US.
Ideal Agent Reviews and Complaints
Based on 6,109 reviews, Ideal Agent has a 4.9 out of 5-star rating on Trustpilot. Moreover, based on 461 reviews, Ideal Agent has a 4.8 out of 5-star rating on Google. They have also secured an A+ rating on Better Business Bureau. They have a 4.9 out of 5-start rating on BBB based on 314 reviews.
Ideal Agent Positive Reviews
✅ Kevin was thrilled with the agent he was matched with. The agent helped him sell his home for above the asking price.
Shawna was the absolute best agent. Using Ideal Agent paid off for us. Sold our house in a few days (multiple offers) 10 percent above asking price. Five Stars.
Source: Google
✅ Tyrone was grateful for how easily the Ideal Agent Realtor helped him sell his house during a personal time of grief.
This is the 2nd time using Ideal Agent, again outstanding professional service was received of the selling of my late father-n-law’s property. RealtorJaymes Willoughby and his staff (Alex Hana) were great! They guided us through the sells process step by step through a difficult time period. Different home/property selling circumstances, but the same great sales experience using Ideal Agent.
Source: Google
Ideal Agent Negative Reviews
❌ Eulala was furious because of the unprofessional behavior of their ideal agent, who failed to follow up with them.
HORRIBLE!!! The agent they referred me to was lazy, unresponsive and they did NOTHING about it! They sent a text msg to me 4 days ago and still have not followed up. You’re better off finding your own realtor or selling/buying on your own.
Source: Google
❌ Shawn was dismayed over the thousands of dollars they lost because of the agent they were matched with.
We used Christina Botto. We as the seller lost over $9,000 on the sale of our house. When the VA appraisal came in very low, and we asked for a appeal. The buyers’ agent then threatened to sue us. If our agent had just protected us by putting in the contract a out if the appraisal was low, but she did not. So legally we had no options’ and lost out on $9,000. Lesson learned, you get what you pay for.
Source: Google
Pros and Cons
Let’s take a closer look at the advantages and disadvantages of Ideal Realty’s services:
👍 Pros
Here are some of the benefits of working with Ideal Agent:
- Top-Rated Partner Agents: Ideal Agent’s referral network includes real estate agents from top brokerages like Keller Williams, Coldwell Banker, RE/MAX, etc.
- Dedicated Concierge Service: Ideal Agent’s concierge consists of real estate agents. So they give you expert guidance and solutions.
- Nationwide Coverage: This real estate company matches home sellers and buyers with agents across the country.
👎 Cons
Here are some of the risks you take when dealing with Ideal Agent:
- Minimum Listing Fees: Ideal Agent has a minimum listing fee of $3,000 or 2% of the home’s sale price.
- No Savings for Buyers: Ideal Agent doesn’t offer any buyer rebate or savings.
- Limited Savings for Sellers: With Ideal Agent, you’ll end up paying 4.5-5% in commissions.
- Inconsistent Service Quality: Ideal Agent simply matches you with an agent. They do not guarantee the service quality of the agent you’re matched with.
- Single Agent Match Only: Ideal Agent matches buyers and sellers with just one agent at a time.
Ideal Agent Competitors
» Jump to: Ideal Agent vs. Houzeo | Ideal Agent vs. Clever | Ideal Agent vs. Homelight
Ideal Agent vs. Houzeo
The scope of savings with Ideal Agent is not much. You still have to pay 2%, in some cases, even more than that.
On the other hand, Houzeo gives you a great opportunity to save. If you opt for Houzeo’s flat fee plan, you’ll only need to pay $379 to list your home on the MLS. Moreover, you can also get virtual agent support by paying a portion of what you’d pay to the agent of Ideal Agent.
| Ideal Agent | Houzeo | |
|---|---|---|
| Listing Fee | 2% Commission to Agent | $379 |
| Customer Rating | 4.9 stars (6,109 reviews) | 4.9 stars (6,500 reviews) |
| Coverage | 47 states + Washington D.C. | 47 states + Washington D.C. |
| Mobile App | ❌ | ✅ |
| Unlimited Listing Changes | ❌ | ✅ |
| Showings Management | ❌ | ✅ |
| Offer Management | ❌ | ✅ |
| Counter an Offer | ❌ | ✅ |
| Request Highest and Best Offer | ❌ | ✅ |
| Home Inspection Dashboard | ❌ | ✅ |
Ideal Agent vs. Homelight
HomeLight has a network of 28,000 agents. They connect you with 3 agents at a time. You can also ask for more options if the first 3 don’t suit your requirements.
However, with HomeLight, there is no scope for savings. You’ll have to pay the same old 3%. With Ideal Agent, you can save up to 1% of your home’s sale price.
Other Options You Should Consider
- Sell to an iBuyer: Many iBuyers, like Opendoor and Offerpad, purchase hundreds of homes available in the market. iBuyers can be a great option if you want to sell your house fast.
- Sell to Cash Home Buyers: Individual companies that buy houses for cash 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 will help you list and sell a house by owner and save thousands in listing agent commission. Many FSBO websites will also get you listed on the MLS and help you with FSBO paperwork.
Should You Sell Your Home With Ideal Agent?
Ideal Agent has partner agents all over the country, and their network has over 2,000 agents. However, they can take up to 2 weeks to match you with your “Ideal Agent”.
Since your property won’t be on the market during this time, you could miss out on some lucrative offers. And a 2% listing commission makes them no different from traditional real estate agents.
We recommend you list on the MLS with Houzeo. Houzeo’s flat fee packages allow you to save thousands. Moreover, your listing goes live in as little as 24 hours. So, you can get an offer with Houzeo in the time you finalize an agent.
» Houzeo Reviews: Check out why more than 6,500 home sellers have rated Houzeo 4.9 stars out of 5.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does Ideal Agent provide more than one agent match option?
No, Ideal Agent only provides one agent match per listing. If you're unhappy with your match, you can walk away. If you want to compare different agents before selecting one, you can check out their competitors.
Is Ideal Agent a scam?
No, Ideal Agent is a legitimate business that has earned Better Business Bureau accreditation. They are licensed in Florida. Ideal Agent works with over 2,000 agents to offer near-nationwide services.
What are the biggest Ideal Agent complaints?
The biggest Ideal Agents complaints are on lack of communication from agents and expensive commission rates. Read reviews of Ideal Agent to see what their clients have to say about them.
Reviews
(1 Reviews)
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CG
Verified Reviewer
19th Nov 2023
Overall, okay. Pros: -An agent/realty team was assigned quickly, -The property was professionally photographed and listed on the MLS in a timely manner (both at their expense) -The commission structure was lower that the typical 3%/3%, so more advantageous Cons: -The agent that arrived to meet us was not the one that we had been speaking with over the phone (apparently they were all part of a team though), -The commission arrangement that seemed fairly simple to comprehend, became clouded with the aspect of a realty team being involved…we ended up putting the details in writing prior to agreeing to list with them, -The agent/group wasn’t located in our county -Communication basically ended after the listing went active Result: No showings, no buyers… The list price was higher than comps and appraised value, as the property had just received a full high-end designer remodel and was not a flip. The team was not blamed for the apparent lack of buyer interest, but due to the communication issue we were/are unsure if they even received any calls on it. Ended up listing on the MLS through Houzeo, handled the showings and sale ourselves with a large commission savings. Sold. Conclusion: It may be a good option for some sellers. Possibly you find a good quality realtor with it and potentially save some in commission. However, If you are willing to be a slightly more involved and bear the costs of photography and MLS listing, you can offer it By Owner for a flat fee and likely save even more on the transaction.
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