Hi guys, I’m a new investor and curious about comps. Is there a place to look at comps? Or do people just look at Zillow or places like that? Thanks!

Hi @Derek York. There are many ways to getting the comps in your area. Below is a paragraph out of one of my last blogs that talk about this point. Hope this helps. Knowing the rental competition or “comps” is much more than doing a google search for what other homes in the area are renting for. Although sites like Google, Zillow, Trulia, etc are very helpful in getting a rough idea of what the rental market is like, they do not give you the full story as to the landscape of the rental market or the important details what each rental offers. For example, you’re looking to purchase Duplex #1 and are using Duplex #2 that is three blocks away and also has two 2bed 1 bath units that are also 900sf each. Duplex #2 rents each unit for $1700/mo. It may be safe to assume that duplex #1 should rent out for the same however you never checked to see if duplex #2 offers such amenities as onsite laundry, garage parking, utilities included all of which add a great deal of value. Other factors such as bedroom size and layout or even the condition of the neighborhood all play a huge factor in the rental value and attractiveness of the home as those are the factors that tenants look and pay for. In general, you need to go visit the comps your using to compare your future real estate investment or you maybe undervaluing/ overvaluing the rents and attractiveness of the home. If you need help in doing this analysis, a good property manager or knowledgeable focused real estate agent can help you analyze the investment landscape and determine what the real compatibles are.

I have to disagree with Sam. Realtors can be a great help but it highly depends on the realtor. Not all realtors are created equally... Also, appraisers are fine but they have to live within such regulated box that they sometimes fail see the real comps and especially fail to where additional value can be derived. And don't waste your money with Realestatecompstoday.com; its a good approximation (similar to that of Zillow) but it's misses a lot important factors.

@Derek York. Realestatecompstoday.com. They’ll do this for you, for a small fee (5-15 dollars) and in my experience they’re better at it then just using a Zillow agent and sometimes even just a normal agent.

I was gonna respond to this post but @Daniel Gutierrez kinda knocked it out of the park with this one.

@Daniel Gutierrez Thank you Daniel I appreciate all the info!

Realtors and appraisers are most skilled in finding comps. Lenders have specific requirements and only the professionals know how to pull and make correct adjustment.

Thanks, @Rowen Burney. I had luckily just finished writing this potion of a blog article.

How to find comps in an areaHow to find comps in an area

Back

Resources & Media

Resource Hub Bookstore Blog Guides Pro-Exclusives PRO Podcasts Pro Partnerships Property Management Toolkit

Events & Training

BPCON2025 Webinars Upcoming Events Free Courses

Strategies

How to Manage Your Rental Property How to Operate a Short-Term Rental How to Passively Invest in Real Estate How to House Hack How Does the BRRRR Method Work How to Flip a House How to Invest in Commercial Real Estate How to Invest in Real Estate How to Invest in Multifamily Real Estate How to Build Wealth

The BiggerPockets Conference

This is your chance to learn from the best, network with the best, and become one of the best in the game.

Discover BPCON2025

The Podcast Investors Trust

No fluff. Just deals, strategies, and lessons from the front lines of today's market.

Listen Now

Back

Pick Markets

Market Finder - NEW PRO Picking a Market Workshop PRO Picking a Market Worksheet Top 100 Cash Flow Markets Market Insights - Sunbelt Region

Market finder

Pinpoint the best real estate market for your specific goals with expert recommendations and real-time data on appreciation, affordability, rent-to-price ratio, and more.

Pick Markets

Pro membership

Get unlimited access to tools and resources that make it easier to find, analyze, and manage deals with confidence!

Upgrade to Pro

Back

Find Deals

BiggerDeals Off-Market Deal finding PRO Real Estate Syndications Investor-Friendly Agents Find Foreclosures Community Listings (FSBO) Business Directory

NEW! Find Cash-Flowing Deals Fast

Search nationwide listings with built-in cash flow analysis.

Find Deals

Invelo - off market deals

Scale your portfolio with off-market deals.

Explore Now

Back

Calculators

Rental Property Calculator PRO Rehab Estimator PRO Rent Estimator PRO BRRRR PRO Fix & Flip PRO Short-Term Rental PRO Sell vs. Keep PRO Landlord Insurance Calculator by Steadily All Calculators

Rental property calculator

Is it a good deal? Run your numbers like a pro with this simple yet powerful calculator.

Run the Numbers

Rent estimator

Understand how much rental income you can expect based on recent reports and data for your specific property.

Run Report

Back

Manage Properties

Managing Properties 101 Find a Property Manager RentRedi Property Management Software PRO Baselane Automated Bookkeeping & Banking PRO Property Management Tools Ask a Management Question Finding Tenants Screening Tenants PRO Leases + Landlord Forms PRO Property Insurance Property Maintenance / Rehab PRO

Property management software

Manage tenants, tasks, and your entire portfolio with one simple tool.

Activate Now

Property manager finder

Find reliable property management partnerships that last.

Find a Property Manager

Back

Plans & Pricing

Pro Membership Business Membership

Try PRO for 7 days completly free

Avoid mistakes and make informed decisions with Pro.

Start Free Trial

Grow your business

Promote your business on BiggerPockets and make quality connections with the right investors.

Sign Up Now

Back

For You

Newest Unanswered My Discussions Followed Discussions Followed Categories Followed Locations Followed People

General Real Estate

General Real Estate Investing Starting Out Deal Analysis Buying & Selling Business & Marketing Landlording Property Management Reviews & Feedback

Real Estate Strategies

House Hacking BRRRR Short-Term Rentals Mid-Term Rentals Multi-Family Fix & Flip Other Strategies

Finance & Financing

Lending Creative Finance Personal Finance Taxes & Legal Issues

News & Announcements

Official Site Announcements Market Trends & Data Real Estate News & Current Events Pro Exclusive Area PRO

Events & Networking

Events & Meetups Classifieds

Back

All Books

Best Sellers Browse All New Books & Pre-Orders Bundle & Save Books for Beginners

Unlock hidden potential in every property and maximize returns

This is your creative breakthrough guide to escaping investment paralysis and unlocking hidden profit in any market.

Get Your Copy

Build a Cash-Flowing Glamping Business with High Equity Upside

Whether you're starting from scratch or expanding existing hospitality operations, learn the practical frameworks needed to capitalize on the growing demand for upscale outdoor experiences.

Learn More

How to find comps in an area

Most Popular Reply