When it comes to finding homes for sale, there are plenty of options on the internet. Search the phrase “homes for sale near me,” and there are literally one billion matches. How do homebuyers know where to start, and what should they look for? A good real estate website should always state the property’s price. If there is not a price, the website was probably created to capture your contact information by forcing you to put in your email to get further details. There are plenty of transparent sites that give complete details. Along with the price, it should display the full property address. At least one photo is acceptable. Look for an MLS (multiple listing service) number. An MLS number indicates it is a property listed for sale with a real estate agent. Otherwise, it may be a for sale by owner home. Here are five popular and useful real estate websites.
1 - Realtor.com
Realtor.com is a product of the National Association of Realtors. The data on the site is pulled from local multiple listing services. Once updates are made on the local level, the new information will change on Realtor.com. Sometimes the changes take effect within a few hours, but it can take a few days. Because they pull their listings directly from MLS, the homes you see are currently for sale. Some outdated websites do not refresh their listings, and the properties that are listed for sale have actually been sold.
2 – Zillow
Zillow receives housing information from a variety of resources. Real estate agents can submit their client’s property. For sale by owners can also post on the site. There is an area for rentals, so do not confuse the two sections. Zillow is famous for offering its Zestimate on properties. A Zestimate is Zillow’s estimate of what a property is worth. They do not disclose how they come up with this figure, and they recommend buyers and sellers get other opinions of value. The site highlights homes that are going to be on the market soon. The coming soon area gives buyers a chance to get a jump on the property, and it is another vehicle to help sellers get their home in escrow faster.
3 – Trulia
Trulia is part of the Zillow Group. Trulia’s website is designed in a different format than Zillow’s. They offer more details on neighborhoods. Neighborhood elements they cover are the locations of retail and commerce. There is a demographic region that estimates the average age, education level, and homeownership percentage in that region. One section covers schools. Elementary, middle, and high school locations are mapped out and if available, reviews are posted. Both public and private schools can be found. Trulia pulls this information from a site called Great Schools. Crime is another stat available. That data consists of arrests, assaults, and theft. It is gathered from publicly accessible records.
4 – Homes.com
This real estate website posts all of the property details on one convenient page. It also shows you several agents you can contact and mortgage options and payment breakdown estimates. There is a personalization feature where a buyer can input must-haves or nice-to-have things. Bedroom count, school districts, and price range will be captured. The customization allows very specific details too, like basements, flooring, and energy efficiency. With this information Homes generates matches, and updates your feed when new homes that are a match or similar hit the market. The system calculates how close of a match each property is and advises the buyer if it is a 100% match or less.
5 – Land and Farm
Land and Farm focuses on homes with acreage. Farm homes for sale will encompass dairy and cattle land along with ranches suitable for crops. Organic homesteads and orchards are also listed. Developed vineyards property in California and Eastern states, such as Virginia and North Carolina are categorized as lifestyle properties. Often these homes are rural and powered by alternative energy. Several pages are devoted to homes that combine traditional electricity with renewable resources or that are solely powered with solar, wind, or hydroelectricity.
