Allen Markel spent 28 years running enterprise systems before he ever wrote a contract. That discipline built something the big sites don’t offer: these aren’t facts you look up after you’ve fallen for a house, they’re how you find it in the first place. Search by beds, baths, price and location, then keep going. Set a ceiling on the tax rate, the real one, with the MUD included. Say no HOA at all, or set the most you’ll pay in dues. Require A-rated schools and see the exact attendance zone. Choose which flood zones you’ll accept. Every home also carries a Crime and Safety read, published here since HUD’s rules changed this year, which most sites still don’t show at all.
Other sites hand you those numbers one house at a time, after the fact. Here you see only the homes that clear your bar.
Serving Harris, Fort Bend, Montgomery, Waller, Grimes & Austin counties
Don’t mistake free for cheap. This is the research layer other sites charge for — or never show you at all. It’s open to everyone, because a smarter client makes a better deal.
Most agents pitch you the one they get paid for. Here are all eight — pick one to see who it's for, how fast it closes, and what it does to your price.
Best for
Max price, with time to list
Speed to close
Moderate (30–45 days)
Price potential
Highest
Traditional Sale
Every other option on this list trades away some of your price in exchange for speed, certainty, or convenience — and sometimes that trade is absolutely worth making. You can only judge it against the number you'd be giving up, which is why this one is the baseline. Priced off closed sales rather than hope. Marketed hard through the first ten days, which are the ones that decide it. Negotiated on more than price, because closing date, repairs, and who pays what move more money than most sellers expect. You get a written net sheet before it ever goes live.
Thirteen situations I handle regularly — each with its own page, its own steps, and the options that aren't selling laid out beside the ones that are.
Your options
Sell and split the proceeds · One spouse buys the other out
First step
A private, no-pressure conversation — together or with each of you separately.
Keep in mind
Talk to your attorney first — I coordinate with them, I don't replace legal advice.
Divorce & Separation
Two people who no longer agree on much still have to agree on a house. What works is a neutral, documented process: one value both sides can trust, one timeline you set together, and identical updates to each of you so nobody ends up feeling handled. Your attorney handles the legal side and I don't replace that. What I do is keep the house from becoming one more thing to fight about.
Most people who could buy a home believe they can't — usually because of one thing they were told once and never checked. Pick the one that sounds like you.
First-Time Buyer
This is for you if
You've never bought before, or you haven't owned in the last three years
Worth knowing
You'll likely move again within a couple of years — that's usually too short a window for buying to pay off
What this is
Most of what stops first-time buyers isn't money. It's not knowing what order things happen in, and being too embarrassed to ask a question that feels like it should have an obvious answer. Nothing here assumes you already speak the vocabulary. And two Houston-specific things wreck more first budgets than the down payment does — the property tax rate, which a MUD can push well above a neighborhood a few miles away, and flood risk, which a perfectly dry house can still carry. Both get checked before you're attached to anything.
Allen Markel was a great choice to sell our home. He has the experience and technology to make the process easy. He’s constantly working and always keeps you updated on progress. I highly recommend Allen for your home buying or selling needs.
— Marc Whitman
a year ago
Google
Allen Markel exceeded our expectations that we had for an agent in helping us relocate to the Houston Texas area. Me Allen went above and beyond in his efforts to locate our new home. Unfortunately we had to change our moving location to a different state. Thanks for all the excellent service you provided
— Frederick Emrich
4 years ago
Google
Allen did a wonderful job helping us find our home.
— JOHN Seale
3 years ago
Google
Allen is all around great person. He goes above and beyond a realtor. Very patient and make sure you understand everything you need to know about your home purchase
— Femi Olabisi
4 years ago
Google
Allen helped me and my family purchased our first house in the US! From someone who has little to no knowledge about buying a house in the US, Allen has thought me a lot during and after the home buying process. My family are migrants, and this is very new to us. Since we are residing in Wisconsin and trying to buy a house in the Houston area, we thought it is going to be difficult. Luckily, Allen is good in video showing, and we were able to find the house that we want without even going to Houston. Also, Allen runs a website (like a searching tool) so his clients get notified ASAP with the updated listings in their preferred area.
Allen is such a great person and a very knowledgeable realtor. Will recommend Allen to anyone who is looking to buy a house in the Houston area.
— Brian Anotado
3 years ago
Google
Allen was the best realtor for first time homebuyers. He listens to everything that you like and don’t like and will always send you houses that matches what you like. He is on stand by all the time, you can call him at 11:00PM or 7:00AM and he will answer your call. I can’t praise this man enough for everything he has taught us and for the resources he has to help first time homeowners really get their feet underneath them. We will definitely be using Allen again for our next home search and for when we need to sell our house. Seriously you don’t need to look anywhere else, you found your guy here!
— Alexander Lopez
2 years ago
Google
Allen Markel helped us buy and sell our house through a bridge loan. He was very knowledgeable, trustworthy and proactive, which we really needed due to our uniquely time sensitive financial situation. I would easily recommend him to all who are in the market to buy and/or sell. He's also an honest and overall great person. We wish you the best! Thank you so much, Allen!
— Ken Rosete
3 years ago
Google
Allen’s dedication to smart selling strategies is what sets him apart from other agents—whether it’s ‘buy before you sell’, ‘fix & sell’, or ‘sell & stay’. His creative solutions, and data-driven marketing in the Cypress/Houston market shows he’s committed to doing what’s right for his clients! If you want a real estate expert that will take care of you, definitely reach out. And tell him I said Hi!
— James Brown
10 months ago
Google
Allen Markel is truly committed to making it possible for you to find the best home for your needs. Whether you're just starting your search or ready to make a move. With clear information, helpful tools, and a user-friendly experience, Allen ensures that you’re not just browsing listings, but finding a place to call home.
— Kenn Detruz
a year ago
Google
Allen is the absolute best in the business!!! Smart, knowledgable, patient and someone who we truly consider a friend now after our home buying and selling process.
For the buying process, we toured 30+ homes over 6+ months trying to find our perfect house. Allen never complained, never wavered, set up showings within hours of our requests every single time. He makes you feel as though you are his only client, even though he is slammed all the time because everyone wants to work with him!
For the selling process, his connections came through for us with a buy before you sell option that worked out seamlessly for what we were looking to do. We bought our new house, moved everything and then put our old house on the market, and guess what - Allen was able to sell the house in only 13 DAYS!!!!!!
We have now closed both deals and we have our dream home, all because we met Allen and he guided us through our entire journey. Please use Allen for all your buying or selling needs, you will not regret it!!!!!
— Nathaniel Smith
2 years ago
Google
Allan went above and beyond any and all expectations. I know working with me with all the challenges I brought to the table was asking alot but Allan met all of them head on and never flinched.
A true professional and very knowledgeable, a realtor you can definitely count on no matter your situation!
— Travis Buse
4 years ago
Google
Allen is diligent and clear. He goes always further and willing to support you. He has experience and provide you key information to make decisions.
— Diana Valencia
4 years ago
Google
Mr Alllen has great guy through out home search he is real genuine and helpful which is. Very rare quality I wish him the best
— Malik Sherwani
3 years ago
Google
It was a pleasure working with Allen. I would definitely recommend
— Jeff elsey
2 years ago
Google
Takes time to educate communicate and walk you through the process. Absolutely awesome company and Allen is beast. Works 10 days a week!
— Life's Purpose
4 years ago
Google
Great Customer Service. I will definitely utilize Allen again. He made his process stress free.
— B B
3 years ago
Google
Amazing to work with!! Answered every question we had along the way! From start to finish he made everything easier for us!! Recommend 100%!
— Whitney Ramirez
4 years ago
Google
There is so much more to Allen as a real estate agent. He is able to market you home, give you selling advice and even facilitate open houses. Where Allen was the most beneficial was during closing. He was able to provide professional and personal support when my buyers first loan fell through. He has been a rock and a solid friend during this entire journey. So valuable, I even used him at my guide to buy a new home!!
— M Bell
2 years ago
Google
Allen really stepped up and helped me find a place in Houston Tx. I feel like he focused on me and what I needed. He was a huge help to me and I would recommend him to anyone looking for a rental or a house!!
— Mike Guest
3 years ago
Google
Allen was a pleasure to work with when moving from out of state. I made an appointment with to “interview” him to ensure he understood what my wife and 8 were looking for. He hit a home run and quickly grasped what we were looking for. We flew in for a weekend to visit our daughter and get a feel for the Houston area and ended up buying a house. Once the purchase agreement was signed on the new construction home, Allen was able to keep us informed and recommend an home inspector for our piece of mind.
— Steven Barber
2 years ago
Google
Allen is not only trustworthy and dependable, but also incredibly knowledgeable about the entire real estate process. He guides his clients with confidence and clarity every step of the way.
Buying and selling a home at the same time is no easy feat—it’s often overwhelming and stressful. But Allen has a unique program in place that truly bridges that gap and makes the transition feel smooth and manageable.
If you’re looking for someone who genuinely cares, knows the market inside and out, and will go above and beyond to make your goals a reality, Allen is the realtor you want on your side. Highly recommend!
— Amanda Spence
a year ago
Google
Am absolutely amazing man! Super patient with me and willing to wait as long as I needed. 100% would recommend
— Hannah Douget
4 years ago
Google
Excelent experience, Allen made the stressful process of finding a house, so smooth and pleasant! Especially hard to achive during these difficult times of the housing market, working with Allen allowed us to find our dream home in a short time, and importantly while staying within the planned budget. I highly recommend Allen to anyone looking for professional guidance and responsiveness in selecting the house of the dreams, and securing the purchase without unnecessary overbidding.
— Arina Omer
5 years ago
Google
Our experience went great. As soon as we set the parameters for the search, Allen found out what things we had to have and he found us the perfect house. As he was looking for multiple houses to give us the ability to have a plan A & B. This allowed us side-by-side comparisons and to also have a back up plan.
Allen is extremely knowledgeable on the market and what we need to know before we commit. He walked us through the process and reassured us at every turn. He also educated us on what we should do, and what we could do in different situations. He also assisted in the walk-throughs for the house, which was very comforting to both of us.He is amazing.
— Chaz C
3 years ago
Google
The kids and I are very happy that we found Allen. He talked us through our first land purchase. Great guy. Very knowledgeable.
— Bellen Betan
2 years ago
Google
Allen was always ready and willing to meet us wherever we wanted to go. He was patient, and prompt. He was great at communicating with us regarding several properties, and was diligent about getting us all of the information we needed. I would highly recommend him to anyone!
— Breanna Miller
5 years ago
Google
My husband and I were ready for a move and we were looking for a trustworthy and reliable realtor. We were lucky enough to meet Allen Markel. He knew our market in Katy inside and out. He was spot on with all his numbers and was a true professional and credit to his industry. If your looking to sell or buy a home, Allen is by far the best in his field. His team is phenomenal and helped through the entire process. We could not have chosen a better person to represent us and expedite the sale of our home! Our home sold within 6 days and closed within 30. We could not be happier! Thank you Allen!!!
Sincerely,
The Medina Family
— Sarah Medina
3 years ago
Google
Allen was a great guy to work with. Very kind, quick to respond, and he is supportive! Highly recommend using him as your realtor!
— Muhammad Shaikh
2 years ago
Google
Allen is a great Realtor with tons of experience in buying new homes/Renting. Thanks Allen for all the help and support you gave in buying a new home. Allen has lots of patience and answers all of your questions. I have learnt a lot in this process with him . It was very fun working with you Allen 🙂. You are the best. I highly recommend Allen 🙂. Most important! His positive attitude is what i like. He will always say " Iam here dont worry Bharat"🙂.
— Bharat Patibandla
3 years ago
Google
Allen was able to make our dream come true by guiding us towards financing options we didn’t know existed.
The strategies for both the purchase of our new home and the selling of our previous home was spot on and we ended up getting great value for both transactions.
— Bjorn
4 years ago
Google
You can’t go wrong with Allen. We were new to Texas and he answered all our questions and helped us each step of the way. We decided in an area and he went above and beyond to find us homes, some weren’t even listed! In a month we found a home and a great friend! Thanks Allen, you’re the BEST!
— Mariela Figueroa
3 years ago
Google
I’m in the military getting ready to transfer across the country, I was a first time home buyer, I didn’t know much of anything about what went into buying a home. Then I met Allen I cannot rave enough about how professional and knowledgeable he is at his craft. Where we were looking for homes was over an hour away from where Allen lives and he went on multiple virtual home tours for us on different days he was available 24/7 and when I say 24/7, I mean no matter what he was always available he made a very scary and confusing process very easy and enjoyable. Putting 5 starts on here isn’t enough.
— Danny Loquercio
a year ago
Google
(Translated by Google) Mr. Allen is an excellent realtor. He looks out for what's best for you. He's a very positive and charismatic person who never gives up. I highly recommend him. 5 astral las.
(Original)
Mr Allen es un excelente realtor, el busca lo que más te convenga a ti, es una persona bien positiva, carismático, nunca se rinde, con mucha seguridad lo recomiendo. 5 astral las.
— Maria Perez
2 years ago
Google
Allen Markel is truly a very considerate and professional! We have viewed many places and he has always help me to pick out what kind of homes and areas suit my personal needs and wants.
I have never met any realtor who goes out his way to uplift his clients so I finally find my ideal home..
Thank you Allen!
— jenny xiao xia Gong
5 years ago
Google
I am a realtor who has worked with Allen on the other side of a transaction. He advocates well for his clients and is a pleasure to work with.
— Philip Apffel
3 months ago
Google
Allen provided us with the most personal professional advice, support and service in relocating back to the Houston area. He is very knowledgeable, always willing to go beyond the normal level to assist you in any request you make of him. He made sure he was available to us at any time!!! We can’t sing his praise enough.
— Jennifer Hammons
9 months ago
Google
Alan will go to the ends of the earth for you. Great job
— Glenn Hebert
5 years ago
Google
As a top producing agent I work with many agents good and bad. Allen Markel is a quality; knowledgeable and efficient agent. We had a few complications getting to closing but Allen worked as a team and we got the deal closed and funded right on time. It’s a pleasure to work with a true professional
— Lisa Blizzard
a year ago
Google
Allen have been working alongside with me through a difficult process and provided acknowledge recommendations to help minimize the financial risks that could potentially burden myself in the long term. The closing was finally completed with the help of Allen’s recommendation on a reliable mortgage lender to give me enough time to close on the property without risking a higher interest rate in the end. I would highly recommend his expertise and experience in dealing with complicated loan lending process.
— Eric Fox
3 years ago
Google
Allen is a great realtor, and an equally great person. Over an eight month span, he dealt with my randomly changing work schedule beautifully, and may have had to get back to me on about two of my seven million questions. Advice on, and speed of preparing offers couldn't be beat. And, perhaps the thing that I appreciated most, the talk was always straightforward. He'll do what you ask him to, but he'll also tell you if (and why) it's not the greatest idea. His knowledge about everything related to the task of buying a house was immense. He had a little two part catchphrase on day one that had something to do with being happy with the home I got. While I can't remember it, I clearly remember that he stuck to it. Because it was long search, and his enthusiasm never waivered. And I couldn't be happier with the home he helped me get.
— Alexander Santibanez
4 years ago
Google
Allen was an awesome realtor! He listens to what you're looking for in a house and delivers above and beyond. He was extremely transparent and honest about the buying process, also will offer sound advice. I would recommend him to anyone looking for a realtor in the Texas area, he will do right by you and always give 110%.
— Kevin Peterson
4 years ago
Google
I highly recommend Allen Markel if you are in the market for a home.
He is very knowledgeable about the real estate market (which is really important at the moment given there is a much higher demand than supply). He is great to work with and very patient. He will work with you on your terms --- whether you need someone to spend more time with you and help identify houses or if you're comfortable whittling down choices via various home listings yourself and then engaging with him when you are ready to make visits. He is exceptionally accommodating. And once you've found the right house, he will help you come up with the correct offer and then work with you through the remainder of the process.
I had a great experience with Allen and would absolutely work with him again.
— Hutch
5 years ago
Google
Allen helped me sell my home quickly and for a great price. He is a hard worker and does his very best to communicate every step of the process. He pays attention closely to details and listen accordingly. I think he is extremely professional, capable and trustworthy Real estate agent. I would highly recommend him.
— Reed
a year ago
Google
Allen Markel went above and beyond helping my fraternity brother relocate to Houston! From the first call to the final walkthrough, Allen was knowledgeable, responsive, and genuinely cared about making the process smooth and stress-free. He knew the area inside out, gave great advice on neighborhoods, and negotiated a fantastic deal. If you’re moving to Houston, Allen is the guy you want in your corner. Highly recommend! 👏🏡
— John Smart
a year ago
Google
Allen was the best realtor to work with!! My partner and I bought our first home with his help this year. As first time homebuyers, we really had no clue what the process was like. Allen took the time, and had the patience to answer questions and really explain everything to me and my partner. He gave us his personal number and answered us at all times, DAY OR NIGHT. We both work week day jobs, and he adjusted to our schedules to meet with us. He wasn't just our realtor. He became our friend. We still communicate with him to this day, and still ask questions about our home.