Homa vs Century 21 (2026): A Lower-Fee Way to Buy a Home
The Century 21 alternative built for buyers after the NAR settlement.
Written by
Arman Javaherian
Published
Century 21 is one of the most recognized real estate brands in the country, with thousands of franchise offices and agents. It's a classic traditional-brokerage experience: local agent, standard buyer's agency agreement, 2.5%-3% commission baked into the purchase price. Homa offers a different path — a complete buying platform with a flat 1% fee and licensed broker support built in.
The Short Answer
Century 21 is a traditional franchise brokerage. Homa is a modern buying platform. Century 21 pairs you with a local agent and the commission structure that comes with them. Homa gives you a guided workflow, licensed broker support, and a flat 1% fee — saving buyers up to 2% on every purchase.
What Century 21 Actually Gives You
Century 21 is a long-established franchise brokerage with offices across the country. Buyers work with a local Century 21 agent who handles everything from tours to closing under a traditional buyer's agency agreement. It's a familiar, fully-delegated experience — and like any traditional brokerage, it runs on a standard 2.5%-3% buyer's agent commission that's built into the home's purchase price.
What Century 21 offers
Local agents in most markets
Full-service buyer representation
Established brand recognition
Standard MLS search via agent
Traditional closing process
What Homa Actually Gives You
Homa is a guided home-buying platform built for buyers who want to move fast, save money, and stay in control. Instead of handing you off to an agent, Homa gives you the tools, data, and licensed broker support to complete the entire purchase — from first search to final signature. It's not a listing aggregator. It's not a traditional brokerage. It's a modern home buying platform.
What Homa offers
Full home search with real-time MLS data
On-demand scheduling to tour homes instantly
Direct messaging with sellers — no agent middleman
Licensed broker support at every step
Dedicated closing coordinator
Transparent pricing data so you know what price to offer on each home
A guided workflow that walks you through every stage of the purchase
Flat 1% fee instead of a 3% buyer's agent commission
The Bottom Line
Century 21 is what most people picture when they think about buying a home: a local agent, a handshake, and a commission structure that hasn't moved in decades. It works — but it's expensive. Homa offers the same outcome (keys in your hand, paperwork done) through a platform instead of a person, with licensed brokers available at critical moments and a flat 1% fee instead of 3%. Same result. Different price tag. Century 21 is a franchise, which means the brand on the sign stays the same but the agent you actually get does not. Quality swings from office to office and person to person, and you don't know which you'll land until you're already in it. There's a timing piece too. Since the 2024 NAR settlement, the buyer's commission is no longer quietly baked into the listing, so paying a full 3% is now a choice instead of a default. Homa gives you licensed broker support at a 1% fee, with the same experience every time, because it's a platform and not a coin flip.
