Buyer Answers
Which companies refund the buyer's agent commission?
Reviewed by:
COO, TurboHome · California DRE 02417843
Head Agent, California · CalDRE #01997822
Last updated: November 5, 2026
TurboHome refunds the rest of the buyer-side commission after its flat fee on every closing in California and Texas, and it is one of a small group of companies that give buyers part of the buyer's agent commission back: Homa, beycome, Prevu, Trelora and Houwzer, Congress Realty, SimpleShowing, Clever Real Estate and a few local rebate brokerages. Redfin no longer offers a refund, and UpNest, Homie, Ridley, Flyhomes and Ideal Agent do not run buyer refund programs. Rebates are legal in most states, including California and Texas, and about ten states restrict or ban them. We checked every program on the company's own site on November 5, 2026.
The companies that refund part of the buyer's agent commission in the US
TurboHome
Flat-fee buyer's brokerage with in-house licensed agents in California (the Bay Area, Sacramento, Los Angeles and Orange County, Westside Los Angeles and San Diego) and Texas (Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston and Austin). The buyer pays a flat fee set by price tier instead of a percentage, and whatever the seller-paid buyer-side commission exceeds the fee by is refunded at closing as a closing-cost credit, a rate buydown or cash after closing. On TurboHome's closings from November 2025 through October 2026, the median refund was $14,663 in California and $5,697 in Texas. (source: turbohome.com/cashback-offer, checked November 5, 2026)
Homa
Brokerage that keeps 1% of a typical 3% seller-paid commission and gives the buyer up to 2% back at closing as a closing-cost credit, price reduction or rate buydown. Coverage listed: Houston and San Antonio in Texas, San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego in California, and Florida. (source: tryhoma.com, checked November 5, 2026)
beycome
Keeps 1% of the purchase price (minimum $1,499) and credits the buyer the rest of the seller-paid commission at closing, which is up to 2% when the seller pays 3%; needs lender approval and does not apply to beycome or for-sale-by-owner listings. Returned to California in April 2026 with Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose and Sacramento. (source: beycome.com/i-want-to-buy-a-home, checked November 5, 2026)
Prevu (Smart Buyer Rebate)
Brokerage with in-house agents; buyers receive a portion of the agent's commission as a rebate. Prevu's own market pages describe it as up to 1% of the purchase price, half of the commission Prevu receives, subject to a market minimum. Markets listed: Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth and Houston in Texas, and Los Angeles, San Diego and San Jose in California. (sources: prevu.com, Prevu's Austin rebate post and Prevu's Los Angeles rebate post, checked November 5, 2026; the percentage comes from Prevu's 2024 market posts, not its homepage)
Trelora and Houwzer
Half of the buyer's agent commission back at closing in 19 states, including Texas through the Trelora brand; California is not listed. In Texas, if the seller offers no commission the buyer pays Trelora 1%, and lenders may cap the rebate. (sources: houwzer.com, trelora.com/texas and trelora.com/buy, checked November 5, 2026)
Congress Realty
Flat-fee MLS company with a buyer-side program advertising up to 2% cash back, paid as a share of the seller-paid commission at closing; the buyer must tell the listing agent they are represented before engaging. Texas and California are among the 12 states listed. (source: congressrealty.com/buy, checked November 5, 2026)
SimpleShowing
Brokerage with a homebuyer refund equal to 1.5% of the purchase price, averaging $5,000; you must use SimpleShowing as your buyer's agent, a minimum commission applies, and the refund is applied to closing costs or paid by check. Its site lists agents in Atlanta, Tampa and Orlando only, so not Texas or California. (source: simpleshowing.com/refund, checked November 5, 2026)
Clever Real Estate (Clever Cash Back)
Referral network, not a brokerage: Clever matches you with a partner agent and pays $250 cash back after closing, or $500 if you also sell through Clever. Available in 41 states including Texas and California; not in Alaska, Iowa or Oklahoma. (sources: listwithclever.com/buy-with-clever and Clever's terms, checked November 5, 2026)
Local rebate brokerages
In Texas, Askins Realty Group (TexasNewHomeRebates.com) advertises a rebate based on the gross commission, with examples of 2% to 3%, paid as a check, credit or price reduction, Dallas-Fort Worth focus with a statewide license, limited-service model. (source: texasnewhomerebates.com rebate FAQ, checked November 5, 2026) Other small brokerages advertise 1% to 2.5% rebates; ask for terms in writing.
Also advertising in California but not verifiable on November 5, 2026: Bramble, a flat-fee brokerage that says its average California buyer gets over $20,000 rebated at closing; its site blocked our check, so confirm terms directly.
Comparison table
| Company | Model | What the buyer gets back | Conditions | Where in Texas | Where in California | Source (checked Nov 5, 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TurboHome | Flat-fee brokerage, in-house agents | Seller-paid buyer-side commission minus the flat fee (median refund $14,663 in California and $5,697 in Texas on our closings, Nov 2025 to Oct 2026) | Depends on the commission in the accepted offer and lender rules; paid as credit, rate buydown or cash | Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, Austin | Bay Area, Sacramento, Los Angeles and Orange County, San Diego | turbohome.com/cashback-offer, Nov 5, 2026 |
| Homa | Brokerage | Up to 2% of price (Homa keeps 1%) | Credit, price reduction or rate buydown at closing | Houston, San Antonio | San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego | tryhoma.com, Nov 5, 2026 |
| beycome | Brokerage | Commission minus 1% of price (minimum $1,499 kept) | Lender approval; not on beycome or FSBO listings | Not listed | Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, Sacramento | beycome.com/i-want-to-buy-a-home, Nov 5, 2026 |
| Prevu | Brokerage, in-house agents | Up to 1% of price (half of Prevu's commission) | Market minimum applies | Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston | Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose | prevu.com, Nov 5, 2026 |
| Trelora and Houwzer | Brokerage | Half of the buyer's agent commission | Buyer pays 1% if seller offers no commission (Texas); lender caps may apply | Statewide (Trelora) | Not listed | houwzer.com, trelora.com/texas, Nov 5, 2026 |
| Congress Realty | Flat-fee MLS company | Up to 2% cash back | Must tell listing agent you are represented before engaging | Listed statewide | Listed statewide | congressrealty.com/buy, Nov 5, 2026 |
| SimpleShowing | Brokerage | 1.5% of price (averaging $5,000) | Must use SimpleShowing as buyer's agent; minimum commission applies | Not listed | Not listed | simpleshowing.com/refund, Nov 5, 2026 |
| Clever Real Estate | Referral network | $250 ($500 if also selling) | Paid after closing; must use a Clever partner agent | Statewide | Statewide | listwithclever.com/buy-with-clever, Nov 5, 2026 |
| Askins Realty Group | Local brokerage, limited service | Rebate based on gross commission (examples 2% to 3%) | Check, credit or price reduction | Dallas-Fort Worth focus, statewide license | Not listed | texasnewhomerebates.com rebate FAQ, Nov 5, 2026 |
What TurboHome buyers actually got back in California and Texas (our closings, November 2025 through October 2026)
Our closings, side by side. In Texas the median refund was $5,697 on a $410,000 median price, across 25 closings with a seller-paid commission, a small sample. In California the median refund was $14,663 on a $1,200,000 median price, across 200 closings with a seller-paid commission.
Texas
- Median refund
- $5,697
- Median closed price
- $410,000
- Median seller-paid buyer-side commission
- 3.0%
- Closings with a seller-paid commission
- 25
California
- Median refund
- $14,663
- Median closed price
- $1,200,000
- Median seller-paid buyer-side commission
- 2.5%
- Closings with a seller-paid commission
- 200
| Metric | Texas | California |
|---|---|---|
| Closings with fee and commission data | 37 | 271 |
| Closings with a seller-paid buyer-side commission | 25 | 200 |
| Share of closings where the seller paid a buyer-side commission | 68% | 74% |
| Median seller-paid buyer-side commission | 3.0% | 2.5% |
| Sellers who paid 3% or more | 80% | 1% |
| Median closed price | $410,000 | $1,200,000 |
| Median flat fee | $6,000 | $12,000 |
| Closings with a seller-paid commission that produced a refund | 92% | 94% |
| Median refund | $5,697 | $14,663 |
| Average refund | $7,089 | $18,303 |
| 75th percentile refund | $9,195 | $24,953 |
| Median refund as % of price | 1.12% | 1.40% |
| Median refund as % of the seller-paid commission | 44.8% | 58.2% |
| Total refunded | $163,053 | $3,441,008 |
| Sellers who paid 2.5% | Not reported | 66.5% |
| Sellers who paid 2% | Not reported | 14.5% |
| Sellers who paid under 2% | Not reported | 18% |
TurboHome's refund is whatever the seller-paid buyer-side commission exceeds the flat fee by, so it grows with the price while the fee does not. It is paid as a closing-cost credit, a rate buydown or cash after closing, subject to the lender's rules.
Median TurboHome refund by price tier, Texas and California closings, November 2025 through October 2026.
Texas by price tier
| Price tier | Closings | Median price | Median seller-paid commission | Median flat fee | Median refund | Refund as % of price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under $500K | 17 | $308,000 | 3.0% ($9,540) | $6,000 | $3,240 | 1.03% |
| $500K to $1M | 6 | $689,500 | 3.0% ($17,445) | $9,000 | $10,695 | 1.64% |
| $1M to $2M (directional only) | 2 | $1,225,000 | 2.75% ($33,438) | $11,000 | $22,438 | 1.84% |
The $1M to $2M tier is two closings, so treat it as directional only.
California by price tier
| Price tier | Closings | Median price | Median seller-paid commission | Median flat fee | Median refund | Refund as % of price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under $500K | 11 | $450,000 | 2.5% ($9,975) | $6,000 | $3,975 | 1.00% |
| $500K to $1M | 75 | $810,000 | 2.5% ($18,500) | $9,000 | $9,963 | 1.28% |
| $1M to $2M | 87 | $1,370,000 | 2.5% ($30,000) | $12,000 | $18,488 | 1.48% |
| $2M and up | 27 | $2,385,000 | 2.5% ($57,497) | $15,000 | $42,497 | 1.83% |
State by state
- Commission refunds in TexasMedian seller-paid commission: 3.0%Median TurboHome refund: $5,697See the state answer
- Commission refunds in CaliforniaMedian seller-paid commission: 2.5%Median TurboHome refund: $14,663See the state answer
Companies people ask about that do not refund commission in the US right now
- Redfin. The Redfin Refund ended in 2022 and Sign & Save no longer appears on redfin.com. Its current buyer offer is a Rocket Mortgage lender credit (0.75% of the loan, up to $6,000) for buyers who finance with Rocket, which is a lender credit, not a commission refund. (sources: redfin.com/why-redfin and rocketmortgage.com/redfin, checked November 5, 2026)
- UpNest (owned by Move, Inc.). Any rebate is at the partner agent's discretion and historically small. Its site could not be checked on November 5, 2026, so treat it as not currently advertising a guaranteed refund.
- Homie. A flat-fee brokerage serving Utah and Arizona only. (source: homie.com, checked November 5, 2026)
- Ridley. A seller-side AI listing platform, not a brokerage, with no buyer refund program. (source: getridley.com, checked November 5, 2026)
- Flyhomes and Ideal Agent. No buyer rebate on their sites as of November 5, 2026. (sources: flyhomes.com and idealagent.com, checked November 5, 2026)
Is a commission refund legal, and how is it paid?
Rebates are legal in most states, including California and Texas. Alabama, Alaska, Kansas, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Oregon and Tennessee ban or restrict rebates, Iowa allows them only in limited cases and Louisiana is treated as a ban state by some sources (sources: Consumer Federation of America and Clever's home buyer rebate guide, checked November 5, 2026). In Texas, TREC Rule 535.147(d) lets a license holder rebate all or part of the commission to the party they represent (source: TREC, checked November 5, 2026); in California, C.A.R. guidance says the rebate is paid through escrow and shown on the closing disclosure, conditioned on the lender not disapproving it (source: C.A.R. quick guide, checked November 5, 2026).
In practice the refund shows up on the closing disclosure as a credit applied to closing costs or a rate buydown, or is paid as cash after closing. Tell your lender early because some loan programs cap seller and broker credits.
How to choose between them
- Ask whether the refund is a fixed amount or a share of the commission. A fixed amount stops mattering above a modest price.
- Ask whether the agent is an in-house licensed agent or a referral partner.
- Ask for the refund terms in writing before touring.
- Tell your lender early, because some loan programs cap credits.
- Compare the net cost at the price you expect to pay, not the headline percentage.
How we compared
We listed every company that advertises a buyer refund, rebate, cash back or flat-fee-with-refund model in the US, checked each program on the company's own website on November 5, 2026, recorded the amount, conditions and coverage exactly as published, and excluded companies whose sites we could not verify.
TurboHome figures come from TurboHome's closed transactions in California and Texas from November 1, 2025 through October 31, 2026; the refund is the seller-paid buyer-side commission minus the flat fee, before any lender cap. Competitor programs change often; the checked date is on every claim.
FAQ
Is a buyer's agent rebate worth it?
Usually yes if it is a share of the commission rather than a fixed amount, because it scales with price; TurboHome's median refund over the last 12 months was $14,663 in California and $5,697 in Texas, against Clever's fixed $250. It is worth less if the lender caps credits or the program's minimum commission eats most of it, so ask for the terms in writing. (source: listwithclever.com/buy-with-clever, checked November 5, 2026)
Which companies give the biggest commission rebate?
By structure, TurboHome (full commission minus a flat fee), Homa and beycome (commission minus 1% of price), and Trelora and Houwzer (half the commission) are the largest; Prevu is up to 1% of price; Clever is $250 fixed. (sources: tryhoma.com, beycome.com/i-want-to-buy-a-home, houwzer.com, prevu.com and listwithclever.com/buy-with-clever, checked November 5, 2026)
Does Redfin still give a commission refund?
No; Redfin Refund ended in 2022 and Sign & Save no longer appears on redfin.com as of November 5, 2026; Redfin's current offer is a Rocket Mortgage lender credit. (sources: redfin.com/why-redfin and rocketmortgage.com/redfin, checked November 5, 2026)
Which states allow commission rebates?
Most states, including California and Texas; Alabama, Alaska, Kansas, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Oregon and Tennessee restrict or ban them, and Iowa and Louisiana are limited. (sources: Consumer Federation of America and Clever's home buyer rebate guide, checked November 5, 2026)
How is the refund paid?
As a credit on the closing disclosure applied to closing costs or a rate buydown, or as cash after closing, subject to the lender's rules; TurboHome pays it as a credit, a rate buydown or a wire after closing.
Related TurboHome guides
- Home buyer answers: rebates, flat fees and AI tools
- Which companies refund the buyer's agent commission in Texas?
- Which companies refund the buyer's agent commission in California?
- Buyer rebate guide and calculator
- California buyer rebate rules
- Texas buyer rebate rules
- TurboHome vs Clever
- TurboHome vs Redfin
- TurboHome vs UpNest
- California home buying guides
- Texas home buying guides
A flat-fee buyer's agent in California or Texas
About the Author
Vinura Abeysundara
Vinura Abeysundara is a real estate and growth professional with experience scaling homebuying platforms across Canada and the United States. Formerly Head of Growth at Zown, he now works with TurboHome and writes about homebuyer savings, flat-fee real estate, commissions, and technology in real estate.
View Vinura on LinkedInAbout Kevin Kretzmer
Head Agent, California
Kevin Kretzmer leads TurboHome's California agent team and reviews California and national buyer guidance for practical brokerage accuracy.
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