Thomas J. Brock is a CFA and CPA with more than 20 years of experience in various areas including investing, insurance portfolio management, finance and accounting, personal investment and financial planning advice, and development of educational materials about life insurance and annuities.
Fact checked by Fact checked by Betsy PetrickBetsy began her career in international finance and it has since grown into a comprehensive approach to journalism as she's been able to tap into that experience along with her time spent in academia and professional services.
Real estate apps get millions of monthly visits thanks to the convenience they create with on-the-go searches and making the real estate process more efficient by providing comprehensive detail and real-time information. The National Association of Realtors reports that 97% of homebuyers begin their searches online, and 76% use a mobile or tablet device.
Real estate apps allow prospective homebuyers, sellers, renters, landlords, investors, and others in the real estate industry to search information filtered by price, location, number of bedrooms, square footage, and more. We analyzed 15 real estate apps based on their user interface, search efficiency, inventory size and accuracy, customer support, and reliability. We've chosen the best real estate apps to cover all your property-hunting needs.
Zillow’s app wins best overall because of its extensive inventory and scope across the United States. Its efficient features allow users to share a prospective property with their partner or roommate, and renters can even begin the application process for a new home via the app.
Pros & ConsZillow, founded in 2005 by two former Microsoft executives, is one of the leading apps in the real estate market. In fact, Zillow is the most-visited real estate website in the United States.
It is noted for keeping up to date with fast-paced real estate markets. For example, when a realtor or seller changes a property status from “for sale” to “pending and under contract,” you’ll see that change in the app within 24 hours. Property listings come from one or more of the multiple listing services, as well as from individuals posting their own homes for sale, auctions, foreclosures, and other properties.
Zillow offers the option to list apartments for sale, rent, lease, and prospective homebuyers can virtually tour properties and receive update notifications about selected properties from the app. Zillow is free for buyers and sellers because its primary revenue source comes from advertising and lead generation costs from realtors.
Xome Auctions is the best app for buying a property through an auction because of its comprehensive online bid listings. Like other apps, property details, photos, and map locations are shown, but Xome Auctions is the best for auctions because it also states whether the property is financeable or if it needs to be paid for in cash.
Pros & ConsThe Xome Auctions app is available on both Android and Apple app stores and hosts one of the largest collections of exclusive properties. Xome delivers transparent bidding and fast closing. Users can also use Xome’s pre-auction feature to bid on properties early.
You can search for residential or commercial auctions by location, status, and auction asset type, such as bank-owned, short sale, or newly foreclosed. Sort properties by price, beds, baths, square feet, auctions starting soon, or by auctions ending soon. The app includes a walk, commute, and bike score along with listing and sales history so you can see the historical value of the property over time.
The listings on the app come from multiple listing services as well as from exclusive Xome sources. The app wins best for auctions because of the comprehensive features available to the bidder. Details like financing, property and neighborhood statistics, alerts when someone else bids on a property you are watching, and property price history all keep the bidder well-informed. Xome Auctions further exceeds its competitors with an efficient e-signing capability for contracts.