According to the 2020 National Association of REALTORS(r), Profile of Home Buyers & Sellers, 51% of home buyers found their home online. To put this in perspective, only 28% found the home they bought through their realtor, and 7% from a yard sign. Read about Real Estate Companies Near Me below.
Because they offer both buyers and sellers value, real estate websites attract so many eyes every month. A buyer can view hundreds of homes from the comfort of their own home in just a few hours. The home sellers also win; hundreds of buyers are able to view their features and photos from the comfort of their couch.
We evaluated 18 real estate websites based on their ease-of-use and performance, their support features, and their cost. It can be overwhelming to buy or sell a house without knowing which website to use. We’ve compiled a list of the top real estate websites to help you get started on your journey.
Best Overall Zillow
Zillow was founded in 2006 by two ex-executive Microsoft employees. It offers the most comprehensive suite of tools for buyers and sellers, landlords, tenants, agents, and other professionals. Zillow’s flexibility and power make it the best real estate website we reviewed.
Pros
- Largest property database with over 135,000,000 properties
- Comprehensive criteria sorting
- Here are some links to pre-qualified financing
- Numerous “how to” guides on home buying and selling are available in volumes
- A collection of mobile apps that allow you to do your research from anywhere
Cons
- Their Zestimate(r), proprietary algorithm, is only as good and reliable as the data loaded into the database
- Lenders and realtors pay for leads from the site. If you don’t wish to engage with agents on the site, please be cautious about filling out forms on-site
- Other than the listing agent, other agents may not have any information about the home.
Zillow is one of the most popular apps on both Android and Apple platforms. It is one of the most downloaded apps on both Android and Apple platforms. The important point as part of Real Estate Companies Near Me.
You can search for apartments and homes, list them for rent or sale, view the home with photos and videos, connect to agents and lenders, save searches and get push notifications about any updates to your search criteria.
Zillow sources postings from both the MLS, or multiple listing services, and non-MLS sources. Non-MLS sources include auctions, non-MLS foreclosures and for sale by owner.
In short, Zillow is free to buyers and sellers and instead makes its money by charging advertising fees to agents, lenders, and other home service providers. It can be used to generate leads for advertisers.
Most accurate: Realtor.com
Affiliated with the National Association of Realtors and linked to over 580 regional Multiple Listing Services, Realtor.com listings are the closest to the gold standard, the MLS, which is updated regularly by realtors. Realtor.com is therefore our choice for the most accurate real-estate website.
Pros
- This database includes 99% of all MLS-listed property
- It is easy to search all homes listed in a school district
- Here are some links to financial calculators and pre-qualified financing
- The robust “find a Realtor” feature is a real treat
Cons
- There is no option to search for “for sale by owner” listings
- Home sellers have no choice but to list their property on the market
Realtor.com launched in 1996 and is now operated by Move, Inc., a subsidiary of News Corporation (NWS). There are approximately 265,000 reviews on the Google Play Store. These reviews give the app an average rating of 4.5% stars. Around 280,000 reviews gave the app a 4.7 star average. The important point as part of Real Estate Companies Near Me.
You can search for homes and view photos and videos, as well as compare noise levels and neighborhood criteria. The app also updates its listings in real-time. The app maps allow you to draw a circle with your fingertip and only show properties that are within the area. The app allows users to contact realtors or run financial calculators.
Best Mobile App: Trulia
Trulia was founded in 2005 and has since created a website as well as a mobile app that are transparent. Trulia’s mobile app is our pick for the best mobile app because it is simple to use, powerful and easily accessible.
Pros
- App and website with hearty local information
- Get personalized alerts based on your criteria
- The app contains links to financial calculators and pre-qualified financing.
- You can fine-tune your geographical search by drawing a loop using your finger on the map
- How to make your app experience better as you use it
Cons
- Register or sign in to save your search criteria
- Home sellers have no choice but to list their property on the market
Trulia’s Android app has more than 208,000 reviews that give it a rating of 4.5 stars.6 More than 1,000,000 users have voted to give it a rating of 4.8 stars.7 Trulia separated these niches into Trulia Real Estate – Find Homes and Trulia Renters mobile apps for increased focus on renters. The important point as part of Real Estate Companies Near Me.
Trulia, purchased by Zillow for $2.5 billion in 2015, has the power of the largest real estate website behind it. It usually updates listings information within 24 hours. Despite the app’s high quality, data accuracy is only as good and accurate as the information that goes into it.
The app’s multiple maps views are one of its most popular features. You can see the property on a map showing crime in the area, where to shop, where to eat, schools and commute times.
Trulia is a favorite for those who want to get to know their neighborhood, not just what it looks like inside. You can even find neighborhood reviews from people who have lived in the area you are interested, telling you about their experiences.
Ideal for Foreclosures Foreclosure.com
There are several real estate websites dedicated to foreclosures but Foreclosure.com has the best mix of search criteria, sorting, quantity of listings, and perhaps most importantly with this complex process, education. Foreclosure.com is the best website to find foreclosures.
Pros
- Tutorial videos and articles on how to purchase a foreclosure are available.
- Nationally, there are more than 750,000 tax lien, pre-foreclosure and bankruptcy listings
- You can search for shadow inventory, sheriffs sales, rent-to own, city-owned properties and many more
- The Document Center has links to title searches on properties and other forms.
Cons
- Sign up with a credit card for a 7-day trial period
- Monthly fee $39.80
- Because it doesn’t update as often as the website, the app is not well-rated.
Foreclosure.com was created in 1999 by a group of software developers and real estate professionals who wanted to provide a single-stop shop for anyone looking to purchase properties during the foreclosure process. The data is automatically updated from tax rolls, government agencies and notices regarding legal actions of lenders.
The Apple app has less 50 ratings and an average rating of 1.5 stars out five.8 The Google Play store scores slightly better with almost 400 ratings, an average rating of 2.6 stars.9 However, the app’s full features can only be accessed by people who have paid the monthly subscription fee.
You might find buying a house that is not in foreclosure confusing. However, buying a foreclosure has its own set rules and regulations that can make it difficult for many. Foreclosure.com understands that this can be complicated so they have focused a lot on tutorial videos, articles and checklists to help people navigate the process of buying a home at a discounted price. Buyers will find the right direction with the help of the downloadable documents and links that link to state-specific laws.
Once you are familiar with the process you will be able to search for and sort homes in particular phases of foreclosure. You can search for specific situations, such as tax liens and sheriff sales. Another unique feature is the ability to search for homes listed as “Rent-to-Own.”
Subscribers pay a $39.80 monthly fee, but they do so because they believe that the home purchase could save them thousands of dollars.
The Best Renting Options: Apartments.com
Apartments.com is the best choice for renters who want to find out more about their apartments, as well as the community and tips for improving their rental experience. Easy to find Real Estate Companies Near Me.
Pros
- Apart from apartments, there are also houses, condos and townhouses.
- A large library of easily-digestible articles to help you in every stage of your rental experience
- Mobile app with built-in search and contact feature
- You can search for pet friendly apartments, but not just by geography.
Cons
- Although community guides are excellent, they lack “crime” statistics.
- Some users are frustrated with the sorting capabilities and updates
- The cost is $29.00 plus tax for 10 applications within a 30-day period
Apartments.com was founded in 1992 and later purchased by CoStar Group (CSGP) in 2014. CoStar Group is a well-known company for providing the best commercial realty research services in the United States. CoStar has a large research team that benefits Apartments.com. One million of its listings have been photographed and verified by CoStar researchers.
Google Play’s app has more than five million downloads. It has received over 38,000 reviews, giving it an average user rating rating of 4.6 stars.10 The Apple Store ranks it #13 in the Lifestyle category. This app has an average rating rating of 4.8 stars based on more than 100,000 ratings.
Apartments.com’s app and website allow you to search for properties without cost. Renters pay $29.00 plus tax to rent up to 10 apartments within 30 days via the mobile app.
Listings may include photos, 3D tours, floor plans and availability dates. They also list additional expenses like a pet fee or parking fees. You can also find information on nearby restaurants, shops, banks, grocery stores, and other services such as reviews from renters and lease length options. A neighborhood noise rating and Walk Score are two of the many features that help users get to know their neighborhood.
Ideal for “For sale by owner”: FSBO.com
Saving home sellers commissions since 1997, FSBO.com is our best website for “For Sale By Owner” sellers who want to “DIY” their home sale. FSBO.com offers a package that allows you to list your home on the MLS or syndicated websites such as Zillow, Trulia and Realtor. The important point as part of Real Estate Companies Near Me.
Pros
- An easy-to-find price plan allows for MLS listing and syndication via real estate websites
- Find professional services in your state that can help both the buyer and the seller
- Foreclosure.com partners with Foreclosure.com to search foreclosure inventory
Cons
- Traditional broker listing sites offer less information about property than do traditional brokers.
- There are fewer search and type criteria
- No mobile app
Although selling your home without a listing agent can save you 5% to 6% in commission fees, there are fees associated with selling your home through FSBO.com. There are two options for selling your home. The FSBO package for $99.95 includes a 6-month listing on FSBO.com, a video upload, and unlimited photos.
The MLS package for $399.95 includes a listing on the MLS and syndication on several of the best real estate websites like Zillow, Trulia, and Realtor.com. Other options are available depending on where you live.
When you search for and hire a professional–a photographer, for example–you will pay for those expenses directly to the contractor. The website provides ample information to help you navigate the selling process if you are not a real estate agent. You are equipped with legal forms and attorneys to help you get the job done.
FAQs
What is a real estate website?
Websites that sell real estate offer convenience for buyers and sellers. Buyers have access to hundreds of images, videos, and other features online before ever having to book a tour. The same applies to sellers who list their homes online. Hundreds or even thousands of potential buyers can see their property online and make an offer.
Another major function of real estate websites is to serve as a marketing channel and platform for professional service providers who are involved in the transaction. To generate leads, realtors, banks, inspectors and mortgage professionals can advertise on this website.
How Do Real Estate Websites Get Data?
There are many ways that real estate websites populate their homes inventory. Sometimes, the input is manually. A realtor, property manager or seller can update a home’s profile. The proprietary algorithm of each company allows for other digital updates. The algorithm collects information from city and town tax databases and regional multiple listing services, to name a few.
Are Real Estate Websites Accurate?
Real estate websites and mobile apps face the greatest challenge in accuracy. Some companies have increased their accuracy by verifying the data collected by their algorithms with their own research staff. Websites have increased the frequency of information updates from a few times per week to every 15 minutes in some cases, and even in real-time.
Are there fees for real estate websites?
Many sites offer free services to the renter or buyer. It is easy to get them in. However, in order to access all the features (such as saving your search criteria and getting push notifications when a property is sold), you will need to provide your name, email address, and sometimes your phone number. After this, you might be open to receiving several calls or emails from salespeople. The important point as part of Real Estate Companies Near Me.
Sellers can list their homes on websites that charge them, and property managers can communicate with tenants via the website or app. Renters can also apply for apartments through apps.
How we chose the best real estate websites
We reviewed 18 real estate sites in order to choose the top seven. We reviewed their pros and cons, tested search and sort capabilities, then delved into app reviews to find out what people liked and what they would like to see changed.
We also considered the reputations of each company when making our choice. We compared the sites to determine which one provided more information, was easier to find and if we could do it quickly using our mobile app. The important point as part of Real Estate Companies Near Me.
We then looked into the process by which the website collected information. Were they able to find the source data themselves or was it able to get it from a third-party website? We also looked at how the money was earned and who paid for which services. We compared all these factors and selected the top real estate websites. Hope you love reading about Real Estate Companies Near Me.
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