The 7 Best Real Estate Websites of 2024

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.