UPDATED January 6, 2007
1)BiggerPockets.com
BiggerPockets (yup, that’s us!) underwent a fabulous Web 2.0 transformation, and created the Premiere Real Estate Social Networking site out there. With a focus on networking, dealmaking, and education, the site brings a professional approach to the world of real estate for both the consumer and professionals. Join the community and help build your real estate network!
Zillow came out of nowhere and took the real estate world by storm. It allows anyone to find rough estimates of the valuation of their home by searching comparible properties. While values are not always accurate, the site continues to get it better.
3) RealEstate ABC
RealEstate ABC just released their Beta property valuation tool to compete directly with Zillow. It uses Google Maps in its technology mashup and allows you to do cool things like adjust values of properties given certain market conditions, web 2.0 style, something Zillow does not have. They seem to have beaten Zillow at their own game.
Trulia scrapes real estate sites to find listings and brings it all together in a clean, well designed site. Using Google maps and RSS feeds, the site seems to have taken the lead in the future of online property listings. I’m looking forward to see how they begin to compete with Craigslist for FSBO listings.
5) HotPads.com
Hotpads.com is an apartment, corporate housing, and roomate search site for the next era. With interactive mapping, great graphics and free listings, this is one site to watch! (Note: they don’t have a ton of listings, yet, but this cool site will catch on)
6) Propsmart
Propsmart.com, is another site that scrapes the web for property listings. Like the others, it uses GoogleMaps for interactivity. Nothing really to write home about, IMO.
7) Google
Who better than Google to use Google’s technology for real estate? The 800-Ton Gorilla is jumping into the game, bringing fear to the hearts of real estate web entrepreneurs everywhere.
HousingMaps (Honorable Mention)
HousingMaps.com is one of the innovators of the real estate space of Web 2.0. Dreamworks software engineer, Paul Rademacher, created a blend of Craigslist and GoogleMaps to introduce one of the first recognized nextgen real estate websites. While not the most beautiful site, this creation kicked off the revolution. A salute to one of the forefathers is in order, I believe!
These sites are all worth keeping your eyes on as leaders in the web 2.0 real estate space. We will look out for any new ones and will certainly keep you posted!
Article Author:
Joshua DorkinJoshua has written 539 articles for us.
Visit Joshua's Website: http://www.biggerpockets.com/
BiggerPockets.com was founded by Joshua Reed Dorkin in August 2004. An entrepreneur, web designer, real estate investor, and one-time realtor, Joshua was not satisfied by the online offerings of other real estate sites out there, and decided to build one himself. Mr. Dorkin's vision for BiggerPockets has helped to propel it into becoming one of the top real estate destinations online. His vision for the site and its future has brought national press attention to both Mr. Dorkin and to BiggerPockets.
Joshua Dorkin
Charles Feldman
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Here is a free “For Sale by Owner” site that has lot’s of listings and incorporates google map search: http://www.forsalebyownercenter.com/maps Also has alot of very useful mortgage calculators, including a mortgage qualification calculator tied to each fsbo listing.
I wrote an article called Top 3 Real Estate Search Innovators:
http://www.freshcreation.nl/comments.php?id=65_0_1_0_C
The number 1 in my top 3 is not in your list while it definitely should be.
At the left top click on ‘Liste Mit Karte’ (it’s in German) and start to explore the features to see what’s possible.
Most people don’t call an agent when they first start looking for a home. They start on the Internet and most go to Realtor.com. Then they call the listing agent or seller.
Put yourself in the buyer’s shoes when it comes to the Internet. Do you think they aren’t going to click on that little box that says show me Virtual Tours first? They will and do.
I see so much money wasted on News Print. What do you think a home seller will want more? Ask them this the next time you go to a potential listing. “How do you want me to market your home? I can put your listing in front of most listings on Realtor.com and in front of millions of potential home buyers by doing a Virtual Tour or I can spend the same money for a 4 line ad in the local paper.” I am not saying News Paper Advertising is bad but that’s all you “aged agents” know how to do outside the MLS.
It’s interesting to see how mashups have evolved over time. For example, here’s a new site built by our company that launched this week in Colorado:
http://www.coloradohomestop.com
Of course, this is only the latest step in the fast evolving market of online mapping.
My frusturation with real estate web sites is that most all of them only allow the same simplistic beds/baths/city/price criteria. Our company web site is “attempting” to open up the full MLS criteria.
I personally think they are all great for ‘locating’ properties.. but not great as a directory for real estate or international real estate.
I find that for the Asian Region, a good place to pick up statistics is to look at some of the larger International Real Estate companies in Asia such as CB Richard Ellis or Jones Lang Lasalle. They post their research papers on their respective websites.
gootube.net – the youtube of realestate videos?
I didn’t have the best of luck with Zillow when we were buying a house. I was really hoping to get a better outlook of how homes were selling in the neighborhood we were buying in, but there was little data.
i had only heard of like 2 of these. wow, this is going to be a huge time saver. i heard of zillow a couple of years ago and loved its interface. i’ll check the rest of this list out. thanks.
zillow is amazing
It would be good if Google Earth gave clearer images outside of main city areas. As soon as you get to the more rural areas, and smaller villages then the image is too blurred. Google Earth has a lot of potential for real estate websites.
So when does your new RE application come out, and is it going to make the next top 7 list?
Looking forward to it since i’m looking for an apt. right now!
-Brad
What a surprise!
I am a real estate agent in Paris, France, and have visited “biggerpockets” a few years ago and it has really changed since then.
By the way, Alan Greenspan gave an interview to the renowned French newspaper “Le Figaro” which was published today and where he predicted a market slow down. Well, we’ll see.
KHS, Paris
http://www.khs.fr/
Great information on the new property finder tools!
Another one that I use frequently in Craig’s List. It’s really easy to narrow down your searches by typing in key words.
Keep up the good work.
I know this is an old post, but this is a great collection of the sites that are changing the way real estate is done. Really nice post.
Zillow is amazing, are you kidding me! It has my home $75k below its actual real comps
well this post coming to you from where the actual boom is underway, – Dubai.
Next gen technology is also being created here, with what could possibly be a “first” for real estate listings.
Agents can send their property listing details directly via sms or mms and go live to a widespread audience.
check it here : http://www.realvisionhomes.com/multilistingsservice/
I just came upon this post and had to mention how much I love Zillow.com. I use this site on a regular basis to compare home value and properties in the different I am interested in. Web 2.0 and real estate are a perfect match, as I find the real estate industry is usually on the cutting edge of marketing.
This is really the coolest
I also just came upon this post (almost two years after it we released) and want to mention our site – http://www.propertymaps.com. You can search authentic MLS data along with community statistics, sex offenders, business proximities, etc. Check it out.
The problem with using maps in Asia is that most owners don’t give sole agency to estate agents, and so by showing the location of the property you are giving away your stock to other agents.
A useful feature for real estate agents to have on their websites is a measuring tool, so users can measure the distance from the house/apartment to the nearest train station etc.
Wow, even the real estate sector is getting involved with Web 2.0 style and design. I never even knew. Those sites look amazing for real estate websites. I’m too use to seeing boring old fashioned 1995 looking real estate websites, good to see a change.
- Dwayne Charrington.
http://www.dwaynecharrington.com
It is always fun to find new and innovative real estate web sites.
Great summary post. I`d like to recommend Banzza.com for searchign properties for sale and rent in Canada: real estate canada
I think that with the world today being so ’small’ and more people buying property in different countries, it is good for Real Estate related websites to have a currency converter tool.
A great collection of sites.
Great article and even the commenters sites are all great resources. The web sure has evolved!!
I really think HotPads is an exceptional website worth checking out!
Our land sales listings site Land Incorporated. which launched in January 2008 uses Google maps with the seller able to input latitude and longitude to help locate very remote properties.
iswherewelive.com is rather interesting and growing. they have free websites for real estate, i set up a mirror of my own blog, and display each realtors name as featured realtors next to listings for sale.
I wish Google Earth and Google Maps would update their information. The images are all about 3 years old already, and in the world of real estate, 3 years is a long time.
We just launched realmapz.com, which currently has only properties on California’s central coast, but has some features that we have not seen on other sites. The filters are applied with javascript without a round-trip to the server, and there is a sorting algorithm that changes the color of the marker icons based on the sorting criteria, again without leaving the context of the current page. Also, the detailed view is presented with AJAX, so you do not lose your place on your map (my biggest pet peeve with trulia).
I agree very good selection. Thanks for the effort.
Thank you very much for the useful info! I digged it.
Wow man!! what a great tips!! I have tried to use them on Israel and I couldn’t see places in Tel Aviv.
start a reverse search ssn now.
Thanks,
Benny
Yes very good selection of quality websites.. 2 of them are in my bookmarks already.
This article is interesting – but ran before the launch of Roost.com. Check out Roost [it rocks!] and maybe do another roundup?
Drew
I think houseingmaps is interesting. In NJ the gsmls IDX doesn’t have a mapping feature which I have seen in other states and love.
I love the sites with the map features. The New Jersey MLS doesn’t offer it on their IDX as I’ve seen it featured in other areas. I think its extremely helpful to buyers and sellers.
Trulia may not be the coolest but it’s very useful. For me, it’s the best. I wasn’t aware about biggerpockets, but will surely check it out now!
Great info, I agree these are the best but also the most well know. Looking around at some others might get you a better deal.
Hi All
I had seen a website a while ago that allowed people to partner with each other to do joint real estate investment. It was sort of like an online community where you can find partners who you would like to do joint investment with. I seem to have forgotten the URL…can anyone post a URL for that web site or something that does the above.
Thx
@ravi – It is http://www.biggerpockets.com