The 15 Best Real Estate Websites for 2024

In today’s digitally-driven world, buying or selling a property largely takes place in the online realm. With the multitude of options out there, identifying the best real estate websites can be a difficult undertaking. Whether you’re working as an agent looking to list properties, a buyer in search of your dream home, or a seller looking to get the best market price for your home, the right website can make all the difference.

In this post, we’re taking a comprehensive look into the 15 best real estate websites in 2024, providing insights into their features, website traffic, what they’re best for, and their pros and cons. Our goal is to help you navigate through the top real estate websites not only by traffic but also by purpose, so you can find the right platform to accommodate your specific requirements.

According to recent market research, the top real estate websites by traffic attracted billions of visits throughout 2022, clearly demonstrating just how crucial these platforms are to the property market. Zillow, Realtor.com, and Trulia lead the pack, but there are a wide variety of other sites that offer unique features and cater to different niches, making them worth noting down.

Stay tuned as we offer a clear analysis, delving into real estate website design, features, and more.

Chart From Strategic Agent

15 Best Real Estate Websites

Zillow

Zillow is THE powerhouse of the real estate industry, boasting one of the largest online databases for real estate listings in the U.S. It’s become a go-to for many home buyers and sellers, featuring unique tools such as Zestimate, which provides an estimated market value for a home. With over 10.2 billion visits across its various platforms annually, it’s firmly the number one real estate website out there. It’s likely the best choice for someone starting their search for a new home. 

Pros: 

• Extensive property database with millions of listings to choose from.
• Zestimate tool makes it easy for sellers to set expectations with agents on how much they want for their home.
• Many useful filters and search features related to location, budget, and more.

Cons: 

• Zestimates are often inaccurate, leading to unrealistic expectations from sellers.
• Basic user interface that lacks the innovation of some competitors.

 

Realtor.com

Realtor.com is an online real estate marketplace connecting buyers and sellers with a comprehensive list of properties, along with some truly helpful resources that can help to inform personal decisions. In June 2023, Realtor.com received an impressive 99.8M visits, making it the firm number two in the field of real estate websites. It’s a great place for people to find an accredited Realtor to guide them through the transaction process, while also known as one of the best real estate websites for agents

Pros:

• It is directly linked to the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), ensuring that the listings are regularly updated for consistent accuracy. 
• Realtor also provides detailed neighborhood information, so users can make more informed decisions before buying in a certain area. 

Cons:

• Its known for having a fairly cluttered interface that some find overwhelming
• There’s a notable presence of third-party advertisements, which can be distracting to many users.

Redfin

Redfin operates a real estate database and brokerage website, providing real-time data about the market and specific properties. It’s also an effective space for finding a dedicated agent, along with featuring a dedicated section focused on mortgages. Their special features include a payment calculator, a referral system, and a number of informative resources. With 56.7M visits in June 2023, it’s a popular choice for those who value up-to-the-minute market insights.

Pros: 

• Redfin is known for low commission rates for sellers and refunds for buyers. 
• It updates listings every few minutes, ensuring your information never falls behind.

Cons: 

• It is not available in all areas.
• It’s primarily focused on urban markets.

 

Trulia

Trulia offers an online platform where you can view detailed neighborhood information along with property listings, while also filtering your searches through highly specific criteria. This user-friendly site attracted 25.33M visits in June 2023, making it a popular choice among buyers and sellers alike. It’s a good choice if you have a fully-realized idea of what it is you’re looking for.

Pros: 

• Trulia provides detailed neighborhood information including crime rates, schools, and local amenities. 
• It has an intuitive, user-friendly interface.

Cons:

• It often has fewer listings compared to other sites due to being updated less frequently.

 

Homes.com

Homes.com is a real estate search portal where users can find homes for sale, rentals, condos, land, and more. The USP of Homes.com is that it allows for collaborative searching, whether with an agent of your choice or a co-shopper. This makes it a great choice for couples or young families. In May 2023, the site attracted 14.8M visits.

Pros: 

• Homes.com offers a user-friendly interface and a large database of listings, including foreclosures and rental properties.
• The co-shopper feature is an innovative tool.

Cons: 

• Listings are not updated as frequently as some other sites.

 

Realestate.com.au

As Australia’s number 1 real estate website, Realestate.com.au is packed with listings, property data, and market trends, while also boating it’s realEstimate feature, similar to Zillow’s Zestimate. It’s a great tool for those searching for both residential and commercial property in Australia. It attracted 51.8M visits in June 2023, demonstrating its popularity among Australian property seekers.

Pros: 

• The provision of extensive property listings and insightful market trends.
• It features mortgage advice options.

Cons: 

• The site can sometimes be slow. 
• Specifically focused on the Australian market.

 

Apartments.com

Despite the name, Apartments.com isn’t just for apartment listings – it also features homes up for rent. It’s a great space to find a home if you’re not ready, or financially incapable of committing to a mortgage. The site received a considerable 50.7M visits in June 2023, highlighting its broad appeal.

Pros: 

• It offers detailed search options for apartments, condos, and houses for rent. 
• Detailed information is offered for each listing.

Cons: 

• Some users report that it has issues with listings that aren’t current.
• Only for renters. 
• Often a space full of sponsored listings.

 

Rightmove

Rightmove is far and wide the leading real estate listing website in the UK. With a multitude of features, filters, and free-to-read market resources, it’s become the go-to platform for browsing Britons looking for residential and commercial properties for sale and to rent, with a staggering 98.7M visits recorded in June 2023.

Pros: 

• It’s user-friendly and offers a broad range of property listings, including student accommodation for college academics.
• It offers property valuations to those looking to sell. 

Cons: 

• The site can be slow to update when properties are sold, leading to wasted time.

Zoopla

As the second most popular real estate website in the UK, Zoopla is the first choice for many in finding sales, rentals, and connecting users with agents. It’s popular among sellers for its dual Valuation tools, offering both instant valuations and vetted agent valuations. The site recorded 33.9M visits in June 2023, indicating its utility for property seekers in the UK.

Pros: 

• Zoopla offers valuation tools for sellers.
• It features a  wide range of properties for sale and rent.

Cons: 

• There have been user complaints about inaccurate valuation. 
• Less intuitive search functionality than other engines.

 

LoopNet

LoopNet stands out as the king of the best commercial real estate websites. The site allows users to search for properties up for lease, sale, and on auction, while also allowing them to discover fully-fledged businesses up for sale. In June 2023, the platform received 14.6M visits, a figure ten times higher than its nearest competitor, making it the number one choice for those operating within the commercial sector. 

Pros:

• LoopNet provides extensive listings of office spaces, investment properties, and more.
• It features advanced searching capabilities. 

Cons: 

• Some users have reported that the site can be slow and not as user-friendly as residential sites.

 

ForSaleByOwner.com

This unique platform empowers homeowners to sell their properties without the involvement of a real estate agent, allowing sellers to make bigger profits without commissions. Although it received a modest 618.2K visits in June 2023, the site provides a valuable service for self-starters looking to save on agent commissions.

Pros: 

• It provides a unique service for homeowners to list their homes without a real estate agent, allowing them to save on commission costs.
• Helpful resources such as an FAQ, a blog, and a property directory.

Cons: 

• The site lacks the support and resources of a realtor, which can be difficult for inexperienced parties. 
• Users need a degree of market knowledge.

 

HomeFinder

HomeFinder connects sellers with buyers and provides a simple, user-friendly interface. The site includes listings such as foreclosures and rent-to-own, with a multitude of filters, making it a good place to find something specific. Despite only garnering 813.2K visits in June 2023, it’s added degree of search specificity still makes it a strong choice.

Pros: 

• HomeFinder offers a broad range of listings, including foreclosures in an easy-to-navigate manner.

Cons: 

• Users report occasional discrepancies between listings on HomeFinder and other sites, implying a lack of updates.

 

RealtyTrac

RealtyTrac specializes in foreclosure listings and real estate owned (REO) properties, while also listing traditional homes for sale. The platform received 171.6K visits in June 2023, proving its niche appeal to foreclosure investors and house-flippers.

Pros: 

• It’s a leading site for foreclosure and off-market properties, making it a great space for investors to operate within.

Cons: 

• It requires a subscription to access full details of listings, which can be frustrating to investors working on tighter budgets.

 

Auction.com

Auction.com specializes in distressed real estate, making it another strong choice for investors and home-flipping parties. The search bar allows you to seek out foreclosures and bank-owned properties, while the site also offers resources on buying both. With 2M visitors in June 2023, this niche service is great for investment-focused buyers.

Pros: 

• This site allows you to search for $1 opening bid properties – a unique option in auction sites.

Cons: 

• The auction process is complex for new investors, often with a need for immediate cash payment.

 

Coldwell Banker

A long-standing real estate brokerage with a large online database of property listings, Coldwell Banker is particularly noted for luxury real estate and a highly professional approach toward transactions. They’re also notable for their home valuation tool. With 3.2M visitors in June 2023 and an annual revenue exceeding $1 billion, it’s a leading choice for high-end property transactions.

Pros: 

• Coldwell Banker’s site offers extensive listings. 
• The company has a reputation for professionalism.

Cons: 

• Not as many advanced search features or detailed neighborhood data as some other sites.

 

Conclusion

When it comes to finding the “best real estate website”, there isn’t really one answer. There are real estate websites like Zillow, Rightmove, and Realtor that are perfect for the average person with a growing interest in property, while a site like LoopNet is the only logical choice for someone seeking out a commercial property to build a business from. 

There’s also something to be said for real estate agent websites, which can help you find a property with the aid of an experienced professional. Before choosing the real estate website you want to use to sell, buy, or facilitate a transaction from, consider your overarching goals. This guide should help point you in the right direction. 

For more information on the real estate industry, visit our blog today.