This one-stop shop real estate company is driving better outcomes for home buyers and sellers
We live in a world where we can now browse hundreds of available homes on Zillow within a few minutes — so why does buying and selling real estate still feel so confusing?
According to a recent survey conducted by Nerdwallet, an incredible 42% of homeowners said the homebuying process was stressful, with another 32% calling it “complicated.” Much of the stress relates back to financing: for many people, a home is the most expensive investment they’ll ever make.
Even experienced homeowners report confusion. After all, homeowners stay in their homes for an average of 13 years now — and technology, the local market, mortgage rates, and processes are constantly changing in the interim.
Stress and confusion may feel like an inherent part of real estate, but they don’t have to be. At least, not according to Houwzer — an all-in-one real estate company that’s simplifying the complexity for home buyers and sellers, saving them time and money in the process.
You might know Houwzer as the top-rated brokerage that saves home sellers thousands of dollars in commissions, but it’s more than that. Over the last year, the company has expanded its services to include mortgage and title in order to streamline real estate transactions for their clients.
We talked to Houwzer CEO & Co-Founder Mike Maher about why Houwzer’s one-stop shop setup is a game-changer for first-time homebuyers and seasoned sellers alike.
Q: How did you come up with the idea of the “one-stop shop”?
“The traditional real estate model is outdated and brokerages haven’t really done anything about it. Having a stressful, complicated real estate experience has been the norm. All too often, buyers and sellers are being pushed through the process, when what they need is someone to guide them through it and give them the tools and knowledge they need to be successful.
The idea for Houwzer is to offer customers a way to receive the kind of exceptional service they crave while saving money, thanks to new efficiencies in the marketplace. And because mortgage and title are part of the process of buying a home, we knew we had to offer the full range of services to be able to give clients the smoothest experience.
When you’re already busy and stressed, the last thing you want to do is have to speak with multiple lenders and parse through their offers or waste precious time waiting for a call back that holds up the entire process. It further complicates the process when you have a bunch of moving parts and clients are the go-between.
Instead of leaving buyers to figure it all out on their own, our model removes some of the burden from the buyer’s shoulders. Our mortgage advisors shop around for the best rates, talk through their options and goals, and guide buyers through to closing, saving them both time and money and helping them feel confident in their decisions. ”
Q: Why is communication such a big issue in the real estate industry?
“There are way more people involved in your transaction than just the buyer and seller. Normally your real estate agent, loan officer, and title processor all work for different companies, which means they have different systems, priorities, and ways of doing things. This might be their first time working together. There’s a lot of lines of communication that can get tangled and a lot of the responsibility ends up falling on the client. The last thing you want to have happen is a breakdown in communication that results in a delayed closing. We take a lot of that responsibility off their shoulders. With one team handling the whole transaction, there is better communication, fewer delays, and a more seamless experience for the client.”
Q: Do clients save more money by using all of Houwzer services?
“The short answer is yes, using Houwzer’s full range of services is going to help a client’s bottom line while providing a better experience. Instead of the standard 6% commission, Houwzer charges our sellers a flat fee of $5,000 to the listing agent and 2.5% to the buyer’s agent — which saves sellers an average of $15,000. Bundle clients who buy and sell with Houwzer also receive a $2,500 rebate at the closing table to go towards their next home.
Buyers can also save money on their mortgage when they finance through Houwzer. Our low overhead costs and network of lenders enable our mortgage advisors to shop around for the best rates, which can save homeowners thousands of dollars over the lifetime of their loan.”
Q: Houwzer has hundreds of 5-star reviews and trustworthiness is a recurring theme in many of them. How does that relate to the one-stop shop setup?
“Taking on a mortgage worth hundreds of thousands of dollars can be a little nerve-wracking. Changing your rate by even a fraction of a point can make a huge difference in what you’ll end up paying over time.
We’re very transparent about the ways that the real estate industry fails buyers and sellers and are actively working to change it for good. People trust us because they know we are fighting for them and putting them first.
Normally, obtaining a mortgage can be a time-consuming and confusing process — you need to talk to multiple lenders, compare their mortgage options, and hope they get back to you in a timely manner. Our mortgage advisors shop around for the best rates, talk you through your options and goals, and guide you through to closing, saving you both time and money, and helping you feel confident in your decisions.
Everyone at Houwzer, including the agents and mortgage advisors, is paid a salary instead of working on commission, so they’re going to have your back and make sure you aren’t taking on more than what you can actually afford. For many clients, having a team they can trust and feeling confident in the decisions they’re making are just as important as the thousands of dollars they’ll save.”
Q: Why isn’t every brokerage doing this?
“It’s not just about adding a mortgage department — it’s about creating a better experience. That’s really hard to do when your entire workforce is made up of independent contractors. Everyone has their own way of doing things and because they aren’t employees, you can’t really manage the process or get everyone to adopt the same technology and tools. For other agents that may want to offer something better, they just don’t have the support they’d need from the top to make it happen.
The traditional industry is really focused on maintaining the status quo. That’s why most of the country is stuck with these outdated real estate models that are still charging the same overpriced commissions. Their lack of initiative was what drove us to build Houwzer. Customers and agents deserved better.
With Houwzer, it’s very different. The agents and mortgage advisors are focused on the client’s goals and delivering a smooth, pressure-free experience, instead of chasing a commission. Everyone is aligned around the mission and works as a team.
We’re the first real estate brokerage to become a certified B Corporation, which is a global movement of people using business as a force for good. Whereas other real estate companies are focused on creating value for shareholders, we have a responsibility to work in the best interest of our clients, employees, and community. Houwzer is impact-driven and we’re working really hard to make homeownership attainable for everyone.”
Q: Is Houwzer an industry disruptor?
“Companies like Uber and Airbnb fundamentally changed and improved their industries. It’s hard to remember a time when we had to stand on a street corner and hope a taxi would pass by. Houwzer is doing the same. We truly believe that real estate can change for the better, and we plan to continue innovating and pushing the industry forward.”
