Clever Real Estate
Clever Real Estate is a St. Louis-based agent-matching platform founded in 2017 that connects U.S. home buyers and sellers with a 14,000+ vetted agent network at discounted 1.5% listing fees, monetizing via transaction-based referral fees on closed deals.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersSt Louis, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Clever Real Estate does
Clever Real Estate is a St. Louis-based real estate technology company founded in 2017 that operates an agent-matching platform connecting U.S. home buyers and sellers with a nationwide network of 14,000+ vetted real estate agents from major brands including Keller Williams, RE/MAX, and Century 21. The platform combines a self-serve online matching experience with a phone-based Concierge Team available seven days a week, and it supports two customer segments: consumers seeking full-service representation at discounted listing fees (1.5% versus the typical 2.5-3%) and licensed agents seeking a steady stream of referred clients. Supporting products include Clever Cash Back buyer rebates ($250-$500 at closing, currently in 41 states), a flat-fee MLS directory for DIY sellers, and the January 2024-acquired Gravy Technologies loyalty rewards platform that extends reach to renters, homeowners, sellers, and repeat buyers.
Clever's revenue model is a referral/finder-fee structure: the company pre-negotiates a reduced 1.5% listing fee with partner agents (subject to a $3,000 minimum), and partner agents pay Clever a portion of that commission when a matched transaction closes. Customers use the service for free, and Clever monetizes only on successful transactions — a pay-as-you-go, transaction-based model with no disclosed subscription or enterprise contracts. Go-to-market is sales-led and multi-channel, relying on content marketing, organic SEO for commission-rate keywords, PR-driven earned media in outlets such as the NYT, WSJ, CNBC, HousingWire, and Inman, plus a B2B lender partnership program (getcleverpro.com) for mortgage lead referrals.
Clever has raised approximately $15M-$21M in disclosed funding across seed through Series B rounds, led consistently by Cultivation Capital with strategic participation from The Mortgage Collaborative, EssentVentures LLC, Dragon Capital, and Mike DelPrete. The company facilitated $4 billion in real estate sales volume in 2021, achieved profitability in Q3 2021, and scaled headcount from 75 to roughly 200 employees in 2022, with current size in the 101-250 range. Across its lifetime, Clever reports 23,000+ customers served and over $150 million in cumulative customer savings on realtor fees, with average savings of approximately $7,000 per transaction.
Clever Real Estate firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Clever Real Estate
- Legal name
- Clever Real Estate
- Website
- https://listwithclever.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Clever Real Estate is a St. Louis-based agent-matching platform founded in 2017 that connects U.S. home buyers and sellers with a 14,000+ vetted agent network at discounted 1.5% listing fees, monetizing via transaction-based referral fees on closed deals.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Clever Real Estate industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Real Estate Agent Referral Services
- NAICS
- Offices of Real Estate Agents and Brokers (53121), Offices of Real Estate Agents and Brokers (5312), Offices of Real Estate Agents and Brokers (531210)
- SIC
- Real Estate Agents & Managers (For Others) (6531), Real Estate (6500)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Real Estate Buyer Representation (FSAEAJAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Residential Real Estate Brokerage (Buy/Sell) (FSAEAJAA), Real Estate Referral Networks (Agents, Brokers & Lead Gen) (FSAEAMAF), Buyer Representation Services (BPAJAAAJ)
Keywords
Where Clever Real Estate is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- St Louis
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Clever Real Estate business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Operations
Revenue model
- Commission Share from Partner Agents: Clever earns revenue when customers close real estate transactions with matched agents. Partner agents pay Clever a portion of their commission (from the reduced 1.5% listing fee) when sales close. This is a referral/finder fee model where Clever provides agents with a steady stream of new clients in exchange for discounted commission rates.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | 1.5% Listing Fee with $3,000 Minimum |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Clever Real Estate product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Clever Real Estate operates an online platform that matches home buyers and sellers with top-rated, full-service real estate agents from major brands (Keller Williams, RE/MAX, Century 21). Partner agents provide a reduced 1.5% listing fee (versus the traditional 3%) in exchange for referred clients, while buyers can receive cash back rebates of $250-$500 at closing. The service is free for consumers and funded through commission share from matched agents.
Product overview
Clever Real Estate is a real estate technology platform that operates as a unified offering combining agent matching, discounted commission services, and buyer rebates. The core products include an Agent Matching Service that connects users with top-rated agents from major brands (Keller Williams, RE/MAX, Century 21, etc.), paired with a 1.5% Listing Fee Service for sellers. The Clever Cash Back add-on provides buyer rebates of $250-$500 at closing. The platform also curates Flat Fee MLS Services for DIY sellers. In January 2024, Clever acquired Gravy Technologies, a loyalty rewards platform, to expand its ecosystem to serve renters, homeowners, sellers, and repeat buyers beyond its initial focus on buyers and sellers.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Agent Matching Service Free matching service for home buyers and sellers that connects them with multiple top-rated, full-service real estate agents from major brands such as Keller Williams, RE/MAX, and Century 21. Users complete a short quiz and receive matched agent recommendations based on their goals, needs, and local market.
- 1.5% Listing Fee Service A pre-negotiated, reduced listing commission service in which vetted partner agents offer a 1.5% listing fee ($3,000 minimum) instead of the standard 2.5-3% rate. Full-service representation includes pricing, marketing, showings, and negotiation. Average customer savings of approximately $7,000 per transaction.
- Clever Cash Back Home buyer rebate program that provides cash back to eligible buyers after closing. Customers receive $250 for buying with Clever and $500 for both buying and selling with Clever; currently available in 41 of 50 U.S. states.
- Flat Fee MLS Listing Directory A directory of flat fee MLS listing service providers that enables sellers to list their homes on the Multiple Listing Service for a fixed rate. Listings are syndicated to major real estate portals such as Zillow and Realtor.com, serving DIY sellers seeking maximum exposure without full-service representation.
- Gravy Technologies Loyalty Rewards Platform Loyalty rewards platform acquired in January 2024 that originally served first-time home buyers with rewards at closing. Post-acquisition, the platform has been expanded through Clever's user base to also serve renters, homeowners, sellers, and repeat buyers, and to offer loyalty solutions to real estate professionals.
- Concierge Team Support A team of licensed real estate experts available seven days a week (8am-8pm EST) by phone to answer questions, offer advice, and help customers identify the right agent throughout the home buying or selling process.
Quantifiable outcome
- Customers save $7,000 on average per transaction compared to traditional 6% commission
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Clever Real Estate
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Clever Real Estate technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Clever Real Estate partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered supporting and core.
- TAPUSAsupportingPartnership to expand Clever's reach nationwide through ListingCalifornia.com, offering services in over 45 states.
- Secure Choice Lending / ListingCalifornia.comsupportingReal estate platform partnership enabling Clever to offer services through ListingCalifornia.com, expanding lender partnership program nationwide.
- Gravy TechnologiescoreAcquired startup offering a loyalty rewards platform for first-time home buyers. The acquisition aims to expand Gravy's mission to serve renters, homeowners, sellers, and repeat buyers while enhancing loyalty solutions for real estate professionals.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Clever Real Estate competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Rocket Homes: Owned by Rocket Companies (Rocket Mortgage), Rocket Homes matches consumers with real estate agents and is bundled with mortgage origination. Overlaps Clever's lender partnership strategy and competes for agent-matched home buyer leads.
- Zillow: Largest U.S. real estate marketplace with an agent matching/advertising platform, plus Zillow Homes iBuying. Represents the dominant SEO traffic competitor and an aggregator-level threat to Clever's organic funnel.
- Redfin: Tech-enabled residential brokerage offering discounted commissions and direct agent matching to consumers. Operates a much larger owned-agent model but competes for the same fee-conscious buyer/seller and has overlapping product positioning.
Direct peers
- Houwzer: Flat-fee/full-service discount brokerage offering reduced listing commissions and salary-based agent model. Competes in the same low-commission consumer segment with a different agent employment structure.
- Prevu: Tech-enabled discount brokerage offering reduced buyer rebates and listing commissions. Targets the same fee-sensitive consumer segment as Clever with a hybrid direct-agent plus referral model.
- Ideal Agent: Discount real estate agent matching platform that pre-negotiates reduced listing fees with partner agents. Closest pure-play competitor to Clever's 1.5% listing service model.
- HomeLight: Direct competitor operating a similar agent matching and referral platform connecting home buyers/sellers with vetted agents. Both monetize via referral fees from matched agents and target the same consumer pain point of high commissions.
- Trelora: Flat-fee real estate brokerage offering full-service representation at a flat or reduced commission. Direct competitor in the discount/full-service brokerage segment Clever occupies.
Emerging players
- Offerpad: iBuyer offering instant cash offers and traditional agent services. Competes with Clever for sellers deciding between traditional/discount agents versus direct cash sale.
- Opendoor: iBuyer that offers direct cash offers to sellers, bypassing agent matching entirely. Represents an alternative path for the same customer segment Clever serves (fee-sensitive sellers) and competes for seller mindshare.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Clever Real Estate social profiles
Digital presenceClever Real Estate financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Clever Real Estate leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Clever Real Estate subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Clever Real Estate funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds7 records
Investors6 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Clever Real Estate M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Clever Real Estate
What does Clever Real Estate do?
Clever Real Estate operates an online platform that matches home buyers and sellers with top-rated, full-service real estate agents from major brands (Keller Williams, RE/MAX, Century 21). Partner agents provide a reduced 1.5% listing fee (versus the traditional 3%) in exchange for referred clients, while buyers can receive cash back rebates of $250-$500 at closing. The service is free for consumers and funded through commission share from matched agents.
Is Clever Real Estate a public or private company?
Clever Real Estate is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Clever Real Estate founded?
Clever Real Estate was founded in 2017. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Clever Real Estate based?
Clever Real Estate is headquartered in St Louis, United States, in the North America region.
How does Clever Real Estate make money?
One revenue line is on record: commission Share from Partner Agents.
Who are Clever Real Estate's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Rocket Homes, Zillow and Redfin. Direct peers are Houwzer, Prevu, Ideal Agent, HomeLight and Trelora. Emerging players are Offerpad and Opendoor.
Does Clever Real Estate have an API?
No public API is recorded for Clever Real Estate.
What industry is Clever Real Estate in?
Clever Real Estate's product category is Real Estate Agent Referral Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAEAJAG, Real Estate Buyer Representation, with a secondary code of FSAEAJAA, Residential Real Estate Brokerage (Buy/Sell). Its NAICS code is 53121 and its SIC code is 6531.