Real Estate Websites that You Need to Know in 2022

Image by mohamed Hassan from Pixabay

There was a time when house hunting involved cruising through several neighborhoods, looking for “For Sale” signs, or finding properties via classified ads. Though these methods did work in matching buyers with sellers, they were not as efficient and time-saving as the online tools of today.

The best real estate websites are helping both buyers and sellers find what they are exactly looking for in a quick and efficient manner. The listings on these websites are updated regularly, alleviating the frustration of finding the perfect home.

The various tools offered by these websites equip users with a lot of information to avoid any sticky situation. This article has everything you need to know about the best real estate websites.

1. Zillow

Zillow is a mammoth player in the real estate market. It has become the go-to place for sellers, buyers, for sale by owner (FSBO), renters, realtors, and landlords. Its database entails over 135 million properties and sees 29% of real estate website traffic.

The company offers in-depth data on home valuations by leveraging the Zestimate tool, forecasts, and more. Zillow also provides powerful tools for sales comparables, bookkeeping, etc.

Savvy users know not to depend on a single data source, but to collect information and do their own analysis. Zillow is a good place to begin and provides a set of simple-to-use features.

However, it is worth noting that the platform’s listings might not be regularly updated as other websites.

2. Houzeo

Houzeo is among the best real estate websites in the USA. It is a flat fee MLS listing service, which helps sellers save 3% listing agent commission. You can list your house for as low as $349, so you can save thousands on realtor commissions.

Houzeo reviews appreciate the five-star customer support provided by this platform. Homeowners across the US have rated the company 4.9/5 on popular review sites like Trustpilot and Google.

Houzeo reviews also mention how the company has intuitively digitized the listing paperwork. Home sellers can complete the formalities in typically 60 minutes. The platform is completely online and thus, has nationwide coverage. Listings get syndicated to the local MLS and hundreds of other real estate websites like Zillow and Realtor.com.

3. Redfin

Redfin is not just a real estate website but an extension of brokerage services. It allows sellers and buyers to get direct access to professional brokers.

Set up in 2004, this Seattle-based real-estate company has mushroomed in the online marketplace. While the platform prides itself on its technology, it derives its major strength from matching vetted, qualified brokers with buyers.

Redfin agents may be juggling more clients than independent brokers, so personalized attention could be an issue. Nonetheless, this approach may be beneficial for buyers who like a hand-off process.

Sellers and buyers who work with a Redfin agent can also get back some of the commission fees via the Redfin Refund program.

The platform updates its listings every five minutes, giving users the most updated information.

4. Clever Real Estate

Clever promotes itself as a flat-fee real estate company. It connects home sellers and buyers with real estate agents for a discounted commission.

The company offers a flat listing commission rate of 1% on homes over $350,000 and $3,000 if below that.

Buyers also get commission discounts of $1,000 or up to 1% for homes priced over $5,000.

Clever real estate reviews are mostly positive. The company’s agents are fully vetted and have strong sales records. Most come from reputable brokerages like RE/MAX and Keller Williams, so users are likely to get the exact same service as a traditional agent.

Clever real estate reviews also state that the company gives users multiple agent matches to interview and compare. If the brokers do not seem like a good match, you can ask for more or just walk away.

5. Apartments.com

Founded in 1992 and bought by CoStar Group in 2014, Apartments.com is also among the best real estate websites. It is supported by a strong research team and leverages innovative tools to make finding the right apartment simple.

The company gives renters access to an online database of more than 1 million properties for rent, including single-family homes, townhouses, and apartments.

Thanks to the wide range of filters and amenities tags, users can easily look through listings. This also saves a lot of time as renters don’t have to look at properties that do not fit their bills.

Apartments.com even has a useful affordability calculator that helps renters identify how much they can afford to spend per month on rent.

While its app cannot be regarded as the best in terms of user-friendliness, the website is streamlined and smooth.

Bottom Line

Picking the best real estate website is not an easy task because there are several options available. The above listed websites are not an exhaustive list, but it does include something useful for all types of property seekers, from buyers and sellers to even renters.