{"id":15636,"date":"2023-01-04T23:16:50","date_gmt":"2023-01-05T04:16:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/listwithclever.com\/about\/"},"modified":"2026-04-03T09:53:33","modified_gmt":"2026-04-03T14:53:33","slug":"about","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/listwithclever.com\/about\/","title":{"rendered":"About Clever Real Estate"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Our mission: To help you buy or sell your home smarter \u2014 with expert guidance, pre-vetted agents, and commission rates that save you thousands. <\/p> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Clever Real Estate helps you buy or sell your home with a top local agent at a fraction of the typical cost. Since 2017, we've helped more than 200,000 customers<\/strong> save over $220 million<\/strong> on realtor fees, without sacrificing service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We're a nationwide real estate company that connects homeowners with top local realtors at a pre-negotiated 1.5% listing fee. No guesswork. No overpaying. Just experienced, full-service agents from brokerages you already know, backed by a dedicated concierge team that stays with you from first call to closing day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Need to sell fast or skip the traditional listing process? Clever Offers connects you with vetted cash buyers, iBuyers, and quick-sale programs so you can compare multiple competing offers side by side \u2014 with no repairs, no showings, and no obligation. Since launch, Clever Offers has facilitated over $500 million in home sale transactions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No surprises. No overpaying. Just a successful sale at a fair price. <\/strong>Simply share a few details about your home<\/a>, and we'll match you with top local agents in your area at a pre-negotiated 1.5% listing fee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\n Trustpilot<\/a>\n <\/div>\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why Clever exists <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Most sellers pay 5\u20136% of their home's sale price in agent commissions (often $15,000 to $30,000 or more), and many don't fully understand what they're paying for. The traditional real estate model hasn't changed in decades, even as technology has made nearly every other major transaction simpler and more transparent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Clever was built to fix that. We negotiate directly with top-producing agents on your behalf, so you get full-service representation at just 1.5% listing commission. Same experienced agents. Same marketing, negotiations, and support. Thousands less out of your pocket at closing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our story <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Co-founders Ben Mizes and Luke Babich grew up on the same street in St. Louis. After college, they started investing in real estate together and quickly saw the same problem from the inside: the process was opaque, overpriced, and stacked against consumers (even ones who knew the industry).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2017, they launched Clever Real Estate with a simple idea: pair homeowners with great agents at a fair price, with real human support behind every transaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What started as two people and a phone has grown into a platform that helps sell more than 10,000 homes each year<\/strong>, backed by a concierge team and a nationwide network of 18,000+ vetted agents<\/strong>. Millions of people use Clever's research, tools, and expert guidance annually to make smarter decisions about one of life's biggest financial moves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From St. Louis startup to 200,000 customers<\/strong> nationwide<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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2017<\/div>\n
Ben Mizes and Luke Babich found Clever Real Estate in St. Louis, MO. The company raises its first seed round from Cultivation Capital.<\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n \n
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2019<\/div>\n
Closes a $3.5M Series A led by Cultivation Capital and expands its agent network nationwide.<\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n \n
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2021<\/div>\n
Raises $8M in Series B funding. Reaches $4 billion in total real estate sold through the platform. Grows revenue 300% and achieves profitability.<\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n \n
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2023<\/div>\n
Named the No. 1 real estate agency on Trustpilot. Ranks No. 65 on Inc.'s list of fastest-growing companies in the Midwest. Launches Clever Closing Services.<\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n \n
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2024<\/div>\n
Named one of the best places to work by the St. Louis Business Journal. Recognized as one of Inc. Regionals' fastest-growing companies.<\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n \n
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2025<\/div>\n
Clever Offers reaches $500M in home sale transactions. Total customers surpasses 200,000. Savings exceed $220M in realtor fees. Trustpilot reviews pass 4,000 with a 5.0-star rating.<\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

How Clever works<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The Clever Real Estate process<\/div>
  1. \ud83d\udccb<\/span>
  2. \ud83d\udcde<\/span>
    Step 2: Talk to our concierge team.<\/strong> Within five minutes, a real person calls you to learn about your situation, explain our 1.5% commission model, and answer your questions.<\/div> <\/li>
  3. \ud83d\udce9<\/span>
    Step 3: Get matched with top local agents.<\/strong> We'll connect you with one to three vetted agents from top brokerages in your area \u2014 typically within the same day \u2014 via group text or email.<\/div> <\/li>
  4. \ud83e\udd1d<\/span>
    Step 4: Choose your agent and get support throughout.<\/strong> Pick the agent who's the best fit. Our concierge team checks in throughout your transaction to make sure things stay on track.<\/div> <\/li>
  5. \ud83d\udcb0<\/span>
    Step 5: Close and save.<\/strong> Sell with a full-service agent at 1.5% listing commission and keep more of your equity. Eligible buyers receive Clever Cash Back<\/a> within 30 days of closing.<\/div> <\/li> <\/ol> <\/div>\n\n\n\n

    Why you should trust us<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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    \n \ud83c\udfc6<\/span>\n Vetted, top-producing agents<\/span>\n <\/div>\n

    Our nationwide network of 18,000+ agents is carefully screened for performance, experience, and customer reviews. You're matched with agents from Keller Williams, RE\/MAX, Compass, Coldwell Banker, and top local brokerages.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n

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    \n \ud83d\udcb0<\/span>\n Real savings, full service<\/span>\n <\/div>\n

    Clever sellers list with a full-service agent at just 1.5% commission. On a $400,000 home, that's roughly $6,000 in savings compared to the traditional 3% rate. No corners cut on marketing, negotiations, or support.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n

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    \n \ud83d\udcde<\/span>\n Dedicated concierge team<\/span>\n <\/div>\n

    You're never on your own. Our concierge team is available seven days a week to answer questions, troubleshoot issues, and make sure your agent is delivering. If something's not working, we'll find you a new match.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n

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    \n \ud83c\udfe0<\/span>\n 10,000+ homes sold annually<\/span>\n <\/div>\n

    This isn't a side project. Clever facilitates thousands of transactions every year, giving us the volume and relationships to negotiate rates that individual buyers and sellers can't get on their own.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n

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    \n \u2b50<\/span>\n Excellent Trustpilot rating<\/span>\n <\/div>\n

    Clever holds a 4.9-star rating across 4,000+ verified Trustpilot reviews \u2014 one of the highest scores of any real estate company in the country.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n

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    \n \u2705<\/span>\n No obligation, no pressure<\/span>\n <\/div>\n

    If you don't love your matched agent, request a new one or walk away. There's no contract with Clever, no upfront cost, and no commitment until you're ready.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

    The people behind Clever<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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    Clever was named one of the best places to work<\/a> by the St. Louis Business Journal in 2024. Our team of real estate professionals, licensed agents, and experienced editors has spent thousands of hours building the tools, research, and agent network that power the Clever platform. Here are just a few of the people leading the way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n