Anyone using the Redfin or Zillow App?
23 Replies
Jonathan Pflueger
Rental Property Investor from Scotts Valley, CA
posted 12 months ago
Dustin Davis
from Goshen, Arkansas
replied 12 months ago
I use both and find Redfin more reliable although it doesn’t cover all areas. I also use Realtor app.
Jonathan Pflueger
Rental Property Investor from Scotts Valley, CA
replied 12 months ago
Thanks! I was tending towards using Redfin because I gave found it more reliable as well.
Charlie MacPherson
Realtor from Plymouth, MA
replied 12 months ago
@Jonathan Pflueger Realtor.com gets updated fairly quickly. Zillow lags behind and doesn't get direct MLS feeds as far as I know.
What ever you do though, do NOT rely on Zillow's "zestimates". They are legendary among real estate agents for their inaccuracy.
In my market (Boston, MA), Zillow's own claims state that their zestimate is withing 20% of true market value 80% of the time.
What does that look like? Pretty shocking, if you ask me.
On a $500,000 home, Zillow's valuatin is within $100,000 of the actual market value 80% of the time. That's awful.
Worse, that means that 20% of the time, they're off by more than $100,000.
This is where a good real estate agent will earn his paycheck. Someone who knows the market will get you comps you can actually rely on.
Jon Crosby
Investor from Rocklin, CA
replied 12 months ago
@Jonathan Pflueger , I like to use all 3, Zillow, Redfin and Trulia apps when out and about scouting available MLS properties. I personally like Redfin's mapping UI better but I think Zillow/Trulia have more data available from my perspective.
I personally like to use Realtor.com though when I'm sitting at my desk looking for properties as I believe they are the most accurate representation of the MLS once Rupert Murdoch purchased the company back in 2014.
Hope that helps a bit! ;)
Jonathan Pflueger
Rental Property Investor from Scotts Valley, CA
replied 12 months ago
Thanks, I hear you in regards to Zillows "guesstimates," I mean "zestimates."
Jonathan Pflueger
Rental Property Investor from Scotts Valley, CA
replied 12 months ago
I have not used Realtor.com very often, I have found Redfin easier to use/user friendly. I will look at it again and re-evaluate, thanks for the suggestions.
Shawn Ward
Real Estate Investor & Consultant from Los Angeles, CA
replied 12 months ago
@Jonathan Pflueger as an active investor in LA, Redfin works much better for us. Feel like the Estimated value and comps are better and easier to understand.
All the best!
sjw
Jonathan Pflueger
Rental Property Investor from Scotts Valley, CA
replied 12 months ago
Thanks, Redfin seems like the App to go with. Although I do like the "guesstimate" Zillow has for my properties better than most of other apps, it's accuracy is a whole other story!
David Michael
Flipper/Rehabber from Closter, NJ
replied 12 months ago
@Jonathan Pflueger
As a realtor I suggest using the Realtor app or have an agent send you comps or the information you needs. You can’t go wrong with the MLS
Cheers !
Alex Cornwell
Investor from Quincy, Massachusetts
replied 12 months ago
I use Zillow 10 or more times per day
Shiloh Lundahl
Rental Property Investor from Gilbert AZ Burbank, CA
replied 12 months ago
I use both the Realtor.com app and the Zillow app. I like both of them. I like that the Realtor.com app lets me know better when homes are under contract but I like that the Zillow app shows for sale by owner properties. I have purchased several properties using both of those apps.
Ruben Galindo
Investor from San Antonio, Texas
replied 12 months ago
Ruben Galindo
Investor from San Antonio, Texas
replied 12 months ago
Frank Macias
from Naples, Fl
replied 12 months ago
Great question @Jonathan Pflueger ! I used both apps and here is the reasons why:
Realtor:
Pros:
-I prefer the layout and find it easier to use
-If you search by property type it has a specific "multifamily" option
-Built in mortgage calculator that shows cost breakdown of principal, interest, taxes, insurance, and PMI (I have compared county tax records to what realtor has and they have been accurate >90% of the time) - the cost breakdown makes it easier for me to analyze deals
Cons:
-No search by keyword function
Zillow:
Pros:
-For sale by owner (which someone already mentioned), foreclosures, auction properties.
-You can filter properties by searching listings with keywords. For instance, I can search properties with the phrase "mother in law suite" and it will show all properties with that phrase in it's description. Which is great for finding house hacking potential properties.
Cons:
-No specific "multifamily" property type. It is lumped in as "condo/co-op" so you will have multi-family properties lumped in with condos.
-Seems to be buggy and crashes often when I am on certain computers.
As far as real time listings, I have seen properties come up for sale on realtor first and zillow second and vice versa. But I have heard that the listings on Zillow generally take longer to update.
Marian Smith
Real Estate Investor from Williamson County, Texas
replied 12 months ago
Realtor.com will search around you while parked in a car. When a realtor lists a house on the mls they can choose whether or NOT the listing is sent to syndicates like realtor.com, zillow, etc. Redfin is an actual broker with a mls subscription so the solds data is accurate, meaning true data straight from the mls. I am not sure if their ap is a syndicate or if it links directly to the mls. But any realtor will set up search parameters and send you auto results for new listings. It is uncommon for realtors to not allow syndicates to list homes, free advertising. But it happens. Low priced fixers that the listing agent doesn’t want a lot of hacks contacting and wasting time, etc.
Alex Corral
from Denver, Colorado
replied 12 months ago
I use Redfin, Zillow & Trulia.
I find the Redfin app to my favorite. It's the best layout & very user friendly. It seems to be the most accurate of the 3.
Trulia is second. I like the crime map & maps overall.
Zillow is all over the place, but I do like the fsbo & foreclosures. I also like the rent zestimates, but they tend to be $50-100 too high.
Brie Schmidt
(Moderator) -
Real Estate Broker from Chicago, IL
replied 12 months ago
Zillow and Trulia scrape the MLS and do not have direct access to it. Redfin and Realtor have direct MLS access and will be the most accurate.
Jordan T.
Rental Property Investor from Raleigh, NC
replied 12 months ago
Redfin is more user friendly and easier to use and sort. Zillow loads pages slower and gets bogged down, but is better for seeing rentals and helping you separate FSBO and regular listings. Trulia has a somewhat useful crime map function.
Tae C.
Specialist from Lenoir City, TN
replied 12 months ago
Redfin has become my go-to. Very clean format, really like the feature that allows you to scroll through pictures immediately from the map view rather than having to click on each individual property's actual page. I will cross reference with Realtor.com app when needed, and use Realtor where Redfin does not have access, location-wise. Zillow is my last resort...but do like it for FSBO of course. Finally, use Trulia Rentals to get quick crime reports and rental averages data.
Jonathan Pflueger
Rental Property Investor from Scotts Valley, CA
replied 12 months ago
All,
Thank you very much for all the feedback, really great stuff.
@Marian Smith I had no idea that Redfin was was an actual broker, very interesting.
Russell Gronsky
Flipper/Rehabber from Baltimore, MD
replied 12 months ago
Redfin, all day. I've never had any agent show me a property listed on MLS that I had not already seen in Redfin. Realtor has never worked out well for me. I find it to be clunky and it does not show all the listings that Redfin does in multiple areas where I regularly search. Redfin also gives good estimates for what a property is worth based on comps....unless you bought on auction, that throws off estimated property value for some reason.
Zillow..only use it to possibly find additional pictures of properties that are not posted on other sites.
Trulia...similar to zillow...I look for any additional photos that might not be on other sites....and the crime map, I like that.
David Weintraub
Lender from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
replied 12 months ago
Zillow should be called Zilchow.
Blows for dollar amounts
Love trulia crime map
Redfin and realtor seem best
I call agent friends for accuracy
Dustin Davis
from Goshen, Arkansas
replied 12 months ago
@Jon Crosby as far as data goes, I'd say Redfin wins it... If you're on their desktop version you can export all data to .CSV and slice, sort, and chop any way you want. That is a huge function in my book.
Create Lasting Wealth Through Real Estate
Join the millions of people achieving financial freedom through the power of real estate investing