Zillow, Redfin, and other real estate sites

[Peter Barnett]

Hi,

I'm new to BP and wanted to reach out and see what the community thought about the rise of Zillow, Redfin, etc.? I've read a lot of really interesting articles about them and being Seattle-based myself they are local rising companies. Should people opt to use these services over a traditional real estate agent or maybe in conjunction with an agent? Thoughts? Thanks! 

[David Ross]

While nothing beats the advice of a local, seasoned realtor, these tools definitely help you refine your ARV estimates and knowledge.

I'll advocate for Redfin being able to create better ARV values and comps than Zillow. Look at the nearby sold properties $/Sq.Ft. it will give you one of the better ballpark ARV estimates.

Good Luck!