Top 5 Real Estate Websites

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Top 5 Real Estate Websites

Homebuyers and people looking to move are among the top consumers for self storage. Since the housing market crashed in the mid-2000s, things have been improving slowly but surely so now may be the one of the best times for first-time homebuyers to look into making a purchase, for others to refinance and get better rates and for people to capture deals on rentals.

The plethora of information on the Internet makes it a bit difficult to narrow down exactly what you need to start the home buying or renting process. There are several real estate websites that offer free listings of rentals and properties for sale. Since they are not all created equal, how do you know if you are using the right one? We’ve gathered the top five real estate websites, all with mobile apps that can be downloaded from the App Store and from Google Play:

  • Realtor.com

    realtor.com on usselfstoragelocator.com

    This site features a comprehensive listing of real estate listings across the United States. Searches can be conducted for homes for sale, renatals and even those that have were recently sold. The website isn’t only useful for persons looking to rent or buy; it can be used to find licensed real estate professionals as well. Another useful feature of the site is the resources section that offers tips for first time homebuyers, information on how to sell a home, and how to find a mover.

  • Zillow

    zillow.com on usselfstoragelocator.com

    This site claims to have 1 million more listings than other similar websites. While this assertion isn’t readily verifiable, it does offer a few unique listings that may be absent from other websites. It has for sale by owner homes (FSBO) homes, newly constructed homes, and foreclosures. There is also a Zestimate® feature where a user can enter an address to find the estimated value of homes in that area. In addition to a blog that has advice on real estate investing, buying foreclosures and other relevant real estate information, there are home design ideas. Laid out similar to the social networking site Pinterest Zillow’s Home Design ideas are contributed by users and even show the estimated cost of putting the look together.

  • Redfin

    redfin.com on usselfstoragelocator.com

    Perhaps the most unique feature of this site is that users are able to search for properties that do not come with a Homeowners Association (HOA) fee or search according to the maximum HOA fee they are willing to pay. Persons that have a bit of experience with looking for a property to buy will know that the HOA fee is often associated with condos and houses that are in certain neighborhood. Real estate listings websites do not usually offer users the ability to eliminate houses that come with an HOA fee. In fact, the ability to search for listings without HOA fee is usually limited to licensed real estate agents who are using the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), Redfin is more than just a site for listings. The company has dedicated real estate agents as well who are available at all stages of the home buying process.

  • Trulia

    trulia.com on usselfstoragelocator.com

    With over 23,000,000 estimated unique visitors a month and an Alexa rank of 484, this is one of the most popular real estate websites, according to eBizMBA. Perhaps this has to do with the comprehensive set of visuals available for each listing. When buying or renting, it is rare to have sufficient time to visit each property so online pictures are of great help to aid in the decision process. It also gives an overview of not just the property, but the neighborhood as well. Many website include information on surrounding schools and shopping areas but Trulia goes a step further to even list the crime rate as well.

  • Yahoo! Homes

    yahoo.com on usselfstoragelocator.com

    The search engine powerhouse delivers much of the same listings that can be found elsewhere. However, it excels when it comes to available resources for the first-time or seasoned homebuyer or renter. There is a special section dedicated to foreclosures and galleries which showcase home designs. Since Yahoo! Homes is a part of the Zillow Real Estate Network, there may be some duplication in terms of the listings. Nevertheless, wealth of available resources and tips more than make up for this.

Whether you are looking to rent or buy immediately or in the near future, these websites will prove invaluable for finding your next home. Whenever you’ve identified your dream home, remember to let us here at USSelfStorageLocator.com take care of your self storage needs when moving.

Jodi Reid

About Jodi Ann Reid

Jodi is a writer for the Self Storage Blog. She enjoys traveling, working out, eating healthy and having fun.