Zillow is the best real estate website for homebuyers and sellers because it offers a robust suite of tools that are also great for landlords, renters, agents, and other home professionals. We researched 18 real estate websites and made our picks based on the ease and performance of their search functions, the support features they offer, and their costs. Buying and selling a home can feel overwhelming without wondering which website to use. To give you a head start on your journey, we’ve selected the best real estate websites for your needs. The 7 Best Real Estate Websites of 2024 The 7 Best Real Estate Websites of 2024 The Bottom Line Compare Providers FAQs Methodology Key Specs Why We Chose It Launched in 2006 and founded by two former Microsoft executives, Zillow offers the most robust suite of tools for buyers, sellers, landlords, renters, agents, and other home professionals. Zillow's power and flexibility make it the best overall real estate website in our review. Pros & Cons Pros Largest database of over 135 million properties Extensive criteria sorting Links to get pre-qualified financing Volumes of “how-to” guides about home buying and selling Suite of mobile apps so you can do your research anywhere Cons Proprietary Zestimate algorithm is only as good as the information loaded into the database Realtors and lenders pay for leads on the site Overview Zillow has one of the most downloaded apps in both Android and Apple platforms. In Google Play, it has over 10 million downloads and has a rating of 4.7 stars out of 5 by more than 950,000 users. In the Apple Store, over six million people have given the app an overall rating of 4.8 stars out of 5. The primary Zillow app lets you search for homes and apartments, list yours for sale or rent, tour homes through pictures and videos when available, connect with agents and lenders, save your searches, and receive push notifications of updates to your search criteria. Zillow sources postings from both the MLS, or multiple listing service, and non-MLS sources. Non-MLS sources include for sale by owner, non-MLS foreclosures, and auctions. 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 is a source to drive leads to advertisers. That means you should be cautious about filling out forms on the site if you don't want to interact with these advertisers. Key Specs Why We Chose It Realtor.com is affiliated with the National Association of Realtors and uses MLS listings which are sourced from around 580 regional databases and considered the gold standard for quality listings. For this reason, Realtor.com is our pick for most accurate real estate website. Pros & Cons Pros Database includes 99% of all MLS-listed properties Easy to search all listed homes in a school district Links to pre-qualified financing and financial calculators for buyers Robust “find a realtor” feature Cons No option to search “for sale by owner” listings No option for home sellers to list their property for sale by owner Overview Realtor.com launched in 1996 and is now operated by Move, Inc., a subsidiary of News Corporation (NWS).The app has over 450,000 reviews on Google Play that give it an average rating of 4.6 stars. In the Apple App Store, it has over 700,000 reviews averaging 4.8 stars. The app allows you to search for homes, view pictures and video tours, and compare neighborhood criteria like noise levels. And it updates all its listings in real time, so you'll always have the most current info. Draw a shape with your fingertip on the app map and see only the properties within that geographic shape. Users can contact realtors and run financial calculators through the app, too. The app and website are free to buyers and renters. But be aware you won't find any for-sale-by-owner properties here. Key Specs Why We Chose It Trulia's website and mobile app excel at transparency. Since home buyers and renters do so much of their searching using their mobile devices, the fact that Trulia’s app is powerful, simple, and easy to use makes it our choice for best mobile app. Pros & Cons Pros Hearty “local info” available on website and app Personalized alerts for your criteria Links to get pre-qualified financing and financial calculators in the app Fine-tune your geographic search by drawing a loop with your finger on the map Real estate guides and information Cons Need to sign in or register to save your search criteria No option for home sellers to list their property for sale Overview Trulia’s app has over 270,000 reviews on the Android platform which give it an average rating of 4.7 stars. In the Apple Store, more than 1.3 million users voted to give it an average rating of 4.8 stars. While you can search for both homes for sale and rental apartments on the main Trulia website, Trulia split these niches into two mobile apps: one geared toward home buyers and one with an enhanced focus on renters. Trulia, purchased by Zillow for $2.5 billion in 2015, has the power of the largest real estate website behind it. It typically updates listing information within 24 hours. As good as the app is, the accuracy of the data is still only as good as what goes into it. Some of the features people like most about the app are its multiple map views for each property. For example, you can view the property plotted on a map that shows places to shop and eat, schools, commute time, and more. Trulia is the ideal pick for people who want to really understand their potential neighborhood, not just the home and what’s inside. There are even neighborhood reviews by people who live where you’re searching, telling you what they like and don’t like about the area. The app is free for users. Key Specs Why We Chose It 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. Pros & Cons Pros How-to articles, law information, glossary, and checklists More than 1.8 million listings nationwide Lots of options for search criteria Document Center with links for title search and other required forms Cons 7-day free trial period requires a credit card to sign up Monthly fee is $39.80 ($39.99 for mobile version) App does not update as frequently as website Overview Foreclosure.com was founded in 1999 by a team of real estate professionals and software developers who wanted to create a one-stop shop for people seeking to buy properties in the foreclosure process. Data is updated twice daily directly from the tax rolls, government agencies, and notices of lenders’ legal actions. Its app is rated rather poorly in the Google Play store with over 400 ratings averaging 2.8 stars. The app is free to use, but its full features are reserved for people who have paid the monthly subscription fee for the website. If you think buying a home that’s not in foreclosure can be a little confusing, buying a foreclosure comes with its own set of rules that frighten many people away. At Foreclosure.com, the team understands that it’s complicated and has thus put a lot of focus on the articles and checklists on the website to walk people through the process of finding a home at a discount. The downloadable documents and links to state-specific laws help steer buyers in the right direction. As you become familiar with the process, you can search and sort for homes in specific phases of foreclosure. For example, you can search for specific property situations such as sheriff sales and tax liens. Another unique feature is the ability to search for homes listed as rent-to-own. While there is a monthly fee of $39.80 for the web version and $39.99 for the mobile app, subscribers pay it because they see the chance to buy a home that could potentially save them tens of thousands of dollars, far more than the cost of the subscription. Key Specs Why We Chose It For renters eager to learn not only about their apartment choices, but also about the surrounding community and tips on improving their rental experience, Apartments.com is the top choice. Pros & Cons Pros Not just apartments; houses, condos, and townhouses, too Large library of easy-to-digest articles for every phase of the renting experience Mobile app with search and built-in contact feature Search by more than just geography Cons Community guides are missing crime stats Some user frustrations with sorting capability and updates Must pay fee to fill out applications Overview Apartments.com was founded in 1992 and later purchased by CoStar Group (CSGP) in 2014. CoStar Group is known for being one of the best commercial real estate research companies in the United States. The app on Google Play has over five million downloads and more than 80,000 reviews, giving it an average user rating of 4.6 stars. In the Apple Store, it is ranked #20 in the Lifestyle category and has an average rating of 4.8 stars from more than 365,000 ratings. Apartments.com and its app are free to use to search properties. The site makes money by charging renters $29.00 (plus tax) to apply for up to 10 rentals within 30 days on the mobile app. Property listings may show pictures, 3D tours, floor plans, availability dates, current rent specials, and added expenses such as parking or pet fees if applicable. There are also renter reviews, lease length options, and info on nearby shops, restaurants, gyms, banks, groceries, and coffee shops. The site's Walk Score and Bike Score help users understand neighborhood transportation, and a neighborhood noise level rating help round out a user's feel for an area. However, some of this information may not be filled in for every listing. Key Specs Why We Chose It Saving home sellers commissions since 1997, FSBO.com is our best website for sellers who want to DIY their home sale. FSBO.com has a packaged offering that includes an option to list on the MLS and syndicated real estate websites including Zillow, Trulia, and Realtor, to name a few. Pros & Cons Pros Easy-to-find price plan for MLS listing and syndication on real estate websites Search for professional services to support buyers and sellers Partners with Foreclosure.com for searchable access to foreclosure inventory Cons Less property information than traditional broker listing sites Fewer search and sort criteria No mobile app Overview Selling your home without hiring a listing agent could save you from potentially paying 5% to 6% in commission fees. But there are fees to sell your home on FSBO.com.There are two selling plans offered. The FSBO package for $99.95 includes a six-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. There are other options available depending on the state in which you live. When you search for and hire a professional—a photographer, for example—you will pay for those expenses directly to the contractor. But if you’re not a trained real estate agent, the website offers ample information to guide you through the selling process. With attorneys and title agents at your fingertips and legal forms to download, you are well-armed for the task. Key Specs Why We Chose It If you serve or have served in the military, or as a firefighter, EMS professional, police officer, health care professional, or teacher, you can buy, sell, or refinance your home and earn rewards and other savings at Homes for Heroes. Pros & Cons Pros Save on your home sale, purchase, or refinance Contributes to a nonprofit that supports local heroes Guarantees the most savings among all national programs Cons No free property information to browse No mobile app Overview Homes for Heroes is a different real estate website model. Instead of offering a database of homes to browse, your first step with this company is to fill out an online form so one of its specialists can work with you on your goals. There is no mobile app. If you fit into one of its career categories, Homes for Heroes saves you money by using its large nationwide network of realtors, lenders, and business services that have agreed to serve you with excellence and with a discounted fee. Founded in 2002, soon after 9/11, Homes for Heroes launched its national brand in 2009. Since then, it has helped over 66,000 heroes save over $128 million in real estate transactions totaling more than $18 billion. Its network includes 4,400 real estate and mortgage professionals committed to serving this critical population. As a result, Homes for Heroes, Inc. has been able to donate over $1.5 million to heroes who need assistance through its nonprofit, the Homes for Heroes Foundation. The savings add up. The company states that most people save at least $3,000, There is no fee to enroll; the hero pays that price every day just by doing their job. There are plenty of real estate websites for home buyers and sellers to wade through; however, Zillow is the best given its large database and sheer power in the industry. The website provides a plethora of tools for buyers, sellers, and professionals, along with "how to" guides to help those in the market, to make the process easier for anyone looking to buy or sell a home. Our choice for best overall probably could be described as the most popular too. It has the largest database of properties, with more than 135 million, and its app has been downloaded more than 16 million times across the Android and Apple platforms. Real estate websites populate their inventory of homes in a variety of ways. In some cases a realtor or property manager manually updates a home’s profile or a seller uploads pictures. Other updates happen digitally through each company’s proprietary algorithm. The algorithm collects information from city and town tax databases and regional multiple listing services, to name a few. Accuracy has been and still is the biggest challenge for real estate websites and their mobile apps. Some companies have improved their accuracy by validating the information collected by their algorithms using their own research staff. The websites have improved information refreshes from a few times per day to every 15 minutes, or in real time in some cases. Most sites provide free services for the buyer or renter. The goal is to pull them in without barriers. Typically, however, if you want to use the full features, like saving your search criteria or getting push notifications when a property you are watching lowers its price, you’ll need to give the website your name and email address, and sometimes even your phone number.Once this is done, you may open yourself up to several phone calls and emails from salespeople. Many websites charge sellers to list their homes for sale, or property managers to communicate with their tenants through the app or website. If a renter wants to apply to an apartment through an app, they will have to pay for that convenience too. We reviewed 18 real estate websites in order to choose the best seven. We uncovered their pros and cons and tested their search-and-sort capabilities. The companies' reputations influenced our decision for the best as well, so we dove into app reviews to see what people loved and what they wanted to see improved. We studied and compared sites against each other to see which provided more information, how easy it was to find, and whether we could do it on the run with a mobile app. Based on these factors, we selected the best real estate websites. Article Sources Investopedia requires writers to use primary sources to support their work. These include white papers, government data, original reporting, and interviews with industry experts. We also reference original research from other reputable publishers where appropriate. You can learn more about the standards we follow in producing accurate, unbiased content in our editorial policy. Zillow Group. "Investor Relations Stats." Zillow. "Zillow for Advertisers." Page 9. Google Play. "Zillow: Homes for Sale & Rent." Apple Store. “Zillow Real Estate & Rentals.” Realtor.com "What Is The MLS? The Multiple Listing Service, Explained." Linkedin. "Realtor.com." Google Play. “Realtor.com Real Estate.” Apple App Store. “Realtor.com Real Estate.” Trulia. "Discover a Place You'll Love To Live." Google Play. "Trulia: Homes for Sale & Rent." Apple Store. “Trulia Real Estate and Rentals." Zillow Group. "Zillow Completes Acquisition of Trulia for $2.5 Billion in Stock; Forms 'Zillow Group' Family of Brands." Foreclosure.com. "Terms and Conditions of Service." Google Play. "Foreclosure.com Find Homes." Foreclosure.com. "About Us." Linkedin. "Foreclosure.com." Apartments.com. "Help Center." Builtinchicago.org. "Costar Acquires Apartments.com for $585 million." Google Play. “Apartments.com Rental Search and Rental Finder.” Apple Store. “Apartments.com Rental Finder.” FSBO.com "FSBO.com." Homes for Heroes. "Our Story." Homes for Heroes. "Get Your Hero Rewards." Article Sources Investopedia requires writers to use primary sources to support their work. These include white papers, government data, original reporting, and interviews with industry experts. We also reference original research from other reputable publishers where appropriate. You can learn more about the standards we follow in producing accurate, unbiased content in oureditorial policy. Zillow Group. "Investor Relations Stats." Zillow. "Zillow for Advertisers." Page 9. Google Play. "Zillow: Homes for Sale & Rent." Apple Store. “Zillow Real Estate & Rentals.” Realtor.com "What Is The MLS? The Multiple Listing Service, Explained." Linkedin. "Realtor.com." Google Play. “Realtor.com Real Estate.” Apple App Store. “Realtor.com Real Estate.” Trulia. "Discover a Place You'll Love To Live." Google Play. "Trulia: Homes for Sale & Rent." Apple Store. “Trulia Real Estate and Rentals." Zillow Group. "Zillow Completes Acquisition of Trulia for $2.5 Billion in Stock; Forms 'Zillow Group' Family of Brands." Foreclosure.com. "Terms and Conditions of Service." Google Play. "Foreclosure.com Find Homes." Foreclosure.com. "About Us." Linkedin. "Foreclosure.com." Apartments.com. "Help Center." Builtinchicago.org. "Costar Acquires Apartments.com for $585 million." Google Play. “Apartments.com Rental Search and Rental Finder.” Apple Store. “Apartments.com Rental Finder.” FSBO.com "FSBO.com." Homes for Heroes. "Our Story." Homes for Heroes. "Get Your Hero Rewards." Related Terms Transfer of Physical Assets (TPA): What It Is, How It Works A transfer of physical assets (TPA) is involved when a HUD-insured loan is attached to a real estate transaction. more Mortgage Commitment Letter vs. Clear to Close: What's the Difference? Mortgage commitment letters and clear to close signal that you're ready to sign off on the purchase of a home. Learn how they work. more Home Equity Prepayment (HEP) Curve The home equity prepayment curve is a scale used to measure the prepayment rate of home equity loans. It has a 10-month seasoning ramp. more A home equity loan is a consumer loan allowing homeowners to borrow against the equity in their home. more Down Payment: What It Is and How Much Is Required A down payment is a sum of money, usually a percentage of the cost the buyer pays at the outset of a purchase of a home or car. more Restrictive Covenants: Definition, How They Work, and Examples A restrictive covenant is an enforceable clause in a real estate deed or lease that limits how an owner or tenant can use the property. moreThe 7 Best Real Estate Websites of 2024
Best Overall : Zillow
Most Accurate : Realtor.com
Best Mobile App : Trulia
Best for Foreclosures : Foreclosure.com
Best for Renting : Apartments.com
Best for For Sale By Owner : FSBO.com
Best for Heroes : Homes for Heroes
The Bottom Line
Compare Providers
Company Name Cost Listings Mobile App Zillow Best Overall Free to buyers, renters, and sellers 135 million+ Android and Apple Realtor.com Most Accurate Free to buyers and renters 99% of MLS-listed properties Android and Apple TruliaBest Mobile App Free for users 1 million+ Android and Apple Foreclosure.comBest for Foreclosures $39.80 monthly for web version;14 $39.99 for mobile version 1.8 million+ Android and Apple Apartments.com Best for Renting $29 for 10 applications Nationwide Android and Apple FSBO.com Best for For Sale By Owner Packages start at $99.95 Partners with Foreclosure.com None Homes for Heroes Best for Heroes Free enrollment 66,000 transactions since 2009 None Frequently Asked Questions
What Is the Most Popular Real Estate Website?
How Do Real Estate Websites Get Data?
Are Real Estate Websites Accurate?
Are There Fees for Real Estate Websites?
How We Found the Best Real Estate Websites
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FAQs
The 7 Best Real Estate Websites of 2024? ›
zillow.com ranked number 1 and is the most visited Real Estate website in United States in June 2024, followed by realtor.com as the runner up, and redfin.com ranking at 3rd place as the leaders of the Real Estate websites in United States.
Which realty site is most accurate? ›Compare Providers
| Company Name | Cost |
|---|---|
| Zillow Best Overall | Free to buyers, renters, and sellers |
| Realtor.com Most Accurate | Free to buyers and renters |
| Trulia Best Mobile App | Free for users |
| Foreclosure.com Best for Foreclosures | $39.80 monthly for web version;14 $39.99 for mobile version |
Top 10 Real Estate or Property Websites in India
- Magicbricks. ...
- Housing.com. ...
- NoBroker. ...
- Common Floor. ...
- Quikr. ...
- Square Yards. ...
- PropTiger. ...
- Makaan.com. Makaan.com is a prominent real estate platform popular for its extensive range of property listings.
zillow.com ranked number 1 and is the most visited Real Estate website in United States in June 2024, followed by realtor.com as the runner up, and redfin.com ranking at 3rd place as the leaders of the Real Estate websites in United States.
What is the most popular house selling site? ›Zillow is the most popular house-selling site because of its reach, Zestimate feature, and massive user base. Realtor and Redfin are also highly popular, with more of an agent-focused approach for professionals.
Is Zillow as accurate as MLS? ›According to Zillow's website, Zestimate's nationwide median error rate for active listings is 2.4%. 3 For off-market homes, it's now 7.9%. 4 Zestimates are only as accurate as the data behind them.
What is the most popular Real Estate company? ›Here are the top real estate companies in the U.S.:
- Redfin.
- Re/Max.
- Coldwell Banker Realty.
- Keller Williams Realty.
- HomeServices of America and Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices.
- Sotheby's International Realty.
- Compass.
- eXp Realty.
Feb 14, 2023
Zillow is among the most popular home value websites, and its Zestimate for on-market homes (meaning homes that are currently listed for sale) has a median error rate of 2.4% as of June 2024. This is pretty good! And, bonus points for the company's transparency in explaining how their models work.
Which website builder is best for Real Estate? ›The Best Real Estate Website Builders of 2024
- GoDaddy: Best for digital marketing.
- Weebly: Best for affordable real estate websites.
- Squarespace: Best for small real estate websites.
- Gator Builder: Best for email marketing.
- Shopify: Best for e-commerce real estate websites.
- Wix: Best for ease of use.
May 14, 2024
Zillow.com
What is the hottest real estate in the USA? ›
Hottest Housing Markets in America
| Rank | Metro | Median Sales Price Growth Feb 2024 YoY |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pittsburgh, PA | +22.0% |
| 2 | Fort Lauderdale, FL | +18.0% |
| 3 | Greensboro, NC | +17.8% |
| 4 | Meridian, ID | +17.3% |
Mar 28, 2024
Largest Real Estate Companies Research Summary
The largest real estate company in the world is Keller Williams Realty, with a revenue of $381.4 billion. As of 2023, the global real estate industry has a market size of $4.4 trillion.
Realtor.com is arguably the most accurate real estate listing platform today. It is affiliated with over 580 regularly updated MLS databases across the U.S. Realtor.com also operates in more regions than Zillow and Redfin simply because it's been around for longer, that is since 1996.
Where do houses sell the fastest? ›1 fastest-selling housing market: Hartford, Connecticut. As of January 2024, the fastest-selling housing market in the U.S. is Hartford, Connecticut. The metro area's median "days-to-pending" was eight days, down from 52 days in January 2020. This was the biggest percentage drop (-84.62%) of all the metros in the study ...
What realtor has sold the most homes? ›Real estate pro Ben Caballero is breaking records yet again. He individually sold 6,438 homes in 2020, topping his own previous world record in sales.
Who has the most accurate real estate estimate? ›Zillow offers one of the most accurate estimators overall. Being one of the top real estate sites on the internet, Zillow has a very accurate estimator that has helped many people in their journey to sell their homes. Most people turn to Zillow for all of their real estate needs.
What is the most accurate house valuation website? ›Zoopla also have a few other tools that can help. They have a tool that gives a 'Zoopla estimate'. Although it's just a ballpark figure, it's probably still the most accurate estimate tool available. They say that it's just a 'guide price' of a property's value.
Which property valuation is most accurate? ›Next, when you have your heart set on a property and you're sure it's the right one, it's a good idea to buy a valuation from a registered valuer. This is the most accurate estimate of a property's value available, and will most likely be required by your lender anyway.
How accurate are Trulia home values? ›That data is only shared with the Realtor community and tax entities. In some parts of the country, Trulia and Zillow are highly accurate — but those are areas with “open record” laws. In closed record states, Trulia and Zillow use tax appraisals for valuation. Again, in our market, the tax appraisals are inaccurate.