Public House & Apartment Search Sites

Love it or hate it, Zillow owns the top spot in the hearts of homebuyers and sellers throughout the US. According to their website, Zillow’s database includes, “more than 110 million US homes — including homes for sale, homes for rent, and homes not currently on the market.” 

But we all know it’s the catchy Zestimates that really sealed the deal. Zillow’s Zestimates give would-be buyers and sellers a home value in a matter of minutes. For better or worse, everyone from the ready-to-strike homebuyer to the quiet lurkers who just want to know how much cash their neighbors are sitting on, goes to Zillow to get their questions answered.

Trulia is owned by Zillow and, like Zillow, it aims to be a one-stop shop for homebuyers and sellers. The main difference between the two is that Trulia has a stronger focus on education and community engagement. For example, the site offers neighborhood insights, crime maps, and the option to engage with agents and brokers via a dedicated online community called Trulia Voices.

Realtor.com is the other major listing site in the “big three.” It’s also the official listing site of the National Association of Realtors (NAR). Like the above two, it also aims to be the most comprehensive source of listings and information for homebuyers and sellers. So what’s the difference? This Quora answer from Matthew Holder of Houzz (and formerly Trulia) perfectly sums it up:

The main difference is that Realtor.com has listings that are inputted into any of the regional MLS systems, systems operated as non-profits and overseen by a board of local brokers, where Zillow or Trulia aggregate their listing data from individual broker sites (Coldwell Banker’s listings 

automatically syndicate to Trulia and Zillow).

Homes.com boasts a monthly visitor count of more than 12 million homebuyers and over 4 million homes listed for sale. Compared to the top three, this listing site is more of an up-and-comer. It doesn’t quite have the content, reach or reputation as the others, but with millions of listings and home buyers, it’s definitely one to watch.

Acquired by OJO Labs in 2020, Movoto aims to bring real estate into the future — and their site is one of the fastest growing listing sites in the US with nearly 26 million monthly visits. Movoto also offers an end-to-end suite of proprietary tools for buyers, sellers, and agents, all with the goal of making real estate easy for everyone. 

Keller Williams Realty claims to be the world’s largest real estate franchise by agent count, and the largest in the US by units sold. They have over 1,070 offices around the globe. Needless to say, you can find some great properties on their listing site. As with any brokerage-based listing site, browsers will be connected with a Keller Williams agent.

RE/MAX is a world-leading brokerage founded by real estate moguls Dave and Gail Liniger. They have a network of over 100,000 in more than 100 countries across the globe and according to their website, “Nobody sells more real estate than RE/MAX.” Like other brokerage sites, browsers on RE/MAX’s listing site will be connected with one of their local agents. 

Century21 is right up there with RE/MAX and Keller Williams as one of the world’s largest residential real estate brokerages. According to their website, they have 7,100 independently owned and operated franchised broker offices in 74 countries. Browsers on Century21 will be connected to a Century21 agent.

Who hasn’t heard of Better Homes and Gardens? The brand has been a leader in the real estate world for over 90 years. Its listing site has a comprehensive network of agents and brokers across the country. It’s also part of the Realogy group which is one of the most influential holdings companies in the industry. As with the other major brokerage listing sites, browsers on the Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate search engine will be connected with an affiliated agent in their network.

The Coldwell Banker brand is the oldest and most established residential real estate franchise system in North America. In fact, in many ways it was the original real estate “start up.” Founded by young entrepreneurs Colbert Coldwell in 1906 and later Benjamin Banker, Coldwell Banker is now one of the most trusted real estate brands in the world. Browsers on the Coldwell Banker site will be connected with one of their agents. 

Redfin is one of the originals. In fact, it’s credited with inventing map-based search for real estate. As a brokerage, Redfin offers a low fee of only 1% in some markets when a seller lists with one of their agents. The company also prides itself on being one of the more modern and technologically advanced listing sites in the market, offering 3D walkthroughs as well as local yard signs and marketing material.

ZipRealty includes listings from 33 markets across the US. While it doesn’t offer nationwide listings, it does have a great network of its own properties and real estate agents — and many users say its mobile app is one of the best. The app automatically notifies users about new listings based on their unique search criteria. ZipRealty is owned by Realogy, the same group that owns leading brokerages like Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate, Century21, and Coldwell Banker.

Compass is a fast-growing listing site that aims to simplify the process of purchasing a luxury home. It’s a relatively newer site, founded in 2012, but it’s quickly risen through the ranks to become one of the US’s largest luxury brokerages. It’s currently available in 35 key markets in 16 states throughout the US, but it prides itself in matching buyers with only the very best local agents.

Owned by Zillow, Hotpads specializes in apartment and home listings in urban areas across the US. It’s a map-based search engine known for its quick speed. It also offers five mobile apps to help users find their perfect home as easily as possible.

Not strictly a listings site, Curbed focuses on content first and foremost, providing potential homebuyers with deep resources on neighborhoods across the world. They cover a wide range of topics including, interior design and architecture, renovations, prefab, and real estate. Curbed is owned by Vox Media which has an audience of 165 million readers.

Specializing in luxury real estate, the Corcoran Group has been a staple in New York City, the Hamptons, and South Florida — and now, many more markets across the country. In addition to residential properties, they also offer a specialized division for healthcare facilities, and another for expert relocation services. 

Raveis isn’t just a listings site. It also gives you mortgage and insurance estimates all in one central place. Listings include luxury and high-end properties from the Northeast US. It offers highly personalized search criteria, as well as neighborhood mapping, market statistics and school information.

According to their website, LoopNet is the most heavily trafficked commercial real estate marketplace online with more than 10 million unique monthly visitors (20x their nearest competitor). They offer all types of commercial properties, including office, industrial, retail, multifamily, land, and businesses. Their SEO expertise has also earned them a #1 ranking for over 125k commercial real estate terms.

Believe it or not, HomeFinder.com has been serving the needs of consumers and real estate professionals since 1999 — which makes it the oldest surviving real estate portal in the country. With featured homes for sale in all 50 states, HomeFinder.com also allows you to select off-market properties. 

With a brand that is synonymous with luxury real estate, Sotheby’s 1000 offices serve a global client base covering 74 countries and territories. Their listing search is marked by truly stunning photography and video, plus 3D and virtual tours. 

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices is a truly global real estate network with a specialty for luxury — although they serve everything from first time homebuyers to high-end residential markets to middle-market communities to commercial real estate. 

At the opposite end of the spectrum, Foreclosure.com offers more than 1.8 million foreclosure, preforeclosure, bankruptcy, and tax lien listings from across the US. Their highly up-to-date and detailed information has earned them status as a national expert on distressed property statistics. 

RealtyTrac likewise provides an up-to-date and trusted database of foreclosures, bank-owned properties, MLS listings, auctions, and short sales. For Realtors working with real estate investors, RealtyTrac is a valuable resource.

ForSaleByOwner.com offers a variety of helpful resources and live customer support for the self-sufficient home seller — a mission they’ve been working on since 1999. As the largest “by owner” real estate website, ForSaleByOwner.com offers a sleek platform to search FSBO properties.

Although the site is somewhat spartan compared with other real estate search sites, FSBO.com may well be ‘home’ to some completely unique listings. In addition to properties listed for sale by owner, FSBO.com offers foreclosure listings as well.

As the name suggests, Rent.com is the go-to site for all types of residential rental listings. They have a massive selection and cool features like HD photos and 3D floor plans. Users can also access certified ratings and reviews directly from residents, a major perk when you don’t have direct access to the landlord. Rent.com’s mission is “to make it easier for renters to find and live in a place they love. Until we touch every renter, in every rental property across the world, our job is not complete.”

Yep. The classic hard copy guide is now one of the most trusted residential listing sites online. Apartment Guide is owned by RentPath, the same company that also owns Rent.com. The big perk of this site is that it has a seriously strong search function, and like Rent.com, it offers plenty of information for property searchers. They also have a Reputation Monitor feature to help listing owners track renter reviews and better engage potential leads. According to their website, “The brand’s commitment to maximizing owner and manager value makes Apartment Guide a leading multi-family housing industry partner.”

Rentberry is a transparent rental platform that streamlines rental tasks for tenants and landlords— from the application process to the rent payments and legally-binding eSigning of the agreements. The platform currently operates in over 50 countries, which makes Rentberry one of the biggest worldwide rental listings websites. Their global partnerships include big names like Domain Group, ImmobilienScout24, RealtyMX, Erasmusu, and other big names in the real estate industry. Tenants can make custom offers to the landlords and transparently discuss the rent price before they seal the deal.

MyNewPlace.com is another big one for residential rentals. It’s owned by RealPage and has over 4 million monthly users. Their mission is to “be the thought leaders of this dynamic industry.” They provide resources to help browsers find pet friendly rentals, check their credit scores, and get free quotes on rental properties. They also offer cool visual features, such as 3D floor plans.

Apartments.com provides personalized searches, community reviews, and even walk-through video demonstrations for renters looking for various types of residential properties. The site also has a great mobile app to make the user experience as easy as possible. Apartments.com also offers advertising to landlords and property management companies.

Much like ApartmentGuide, ForRent.com was originally For Rent Magazine®. This is a smaller rental listings site, but it does provide apartment listings nationwide and offers in-depth visual features such as 3D floor plans and virtual tours. This site also goes above and beyond a pure listings site by offering access to moving companies and insurance providers. One big perk of ForRent.com is that it has another three websites under ownership, After55.com, CorporateHousing.com, and ForRentUniversity.com and can therefore distribute listings across a wider network.