Real estate directories are an essential tool for anyone involved in the real estate industry.
They provide a wealth of information and resources that can help you make informed decisions about buying, selling, or investing in real estate properties.
Moreover, real estate directories are also a great source of information for those looking to learn more about the real estate market.
These directories provide valuable insights into the latest trends, pricing, and other important factors affecting the real estate market.
Thus, in this article, we’ll be looking at the top 10 best real estate directories in the world and their services. This list is curated based on their services, domain rating and visits.
First of all, let’s look at the origin of real estate.
Origin Of Real Estate
The origin of real estate can be dated back to the 1500s in England and North America. One of the largest initial real estate deals in history known as the “Louisiana Purchase” happened in 1803 when the Louisiana Purchase treaty was signed.
The oldest real estate brokerage firm was established in 1855 in Chicago, Illinois, and was initially known as “L. D. Olmsted & Co.” but is now known as “Baird & Warner.
Furthermore, In 1908 the National Association of Realtors was founded in Chicago, and in 1916, the name was changed to the National Association of Real Estate Boards; this was also when the term “realtor” was formed to distinguish real estate professionals.
Real estate is a property consisting of lands and buildings. It can also be defined as real property consisting of lands, buildings, and natural resources which cannot be movable.
What Is A Real Estate Directory
Real estate directories are platforms or website that lists properties for sale or rent, typically categorized by location and type of property. Real estate directories contain a list of properties that are available for sale.
So, why not explore some of the top real estate directories today and see how they can benefit you?
Top 10 Real Estate Directories
Below is a compiled list of the best real estate directories. They are as follows:
1. Zillow :
Founded in 2006 by Rich Burton and Lloyd Frink, Zillow has been the best real estate agent directory in the world. With Zillow, you can buy, rent, and be loaned a house.
Zillow has a domain authority score of 93
Visits: 255.6M
Zillow also has a feature that can help you find an agent that is real estate agents, property managers, house inspectors, etc.
Well, that’s not all, it also has a rental management tool that enables you to:
- Make payments
- View your listings
- List a rent
- Leases
However, if you can’t access their site, Zillow has an app which you can easily access these features.
The app is available on Play Store and Apple Store. The app has a great user interface which makes it easy to use and understand.
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Zillow also has a unique feature called Zestimate which provides you with an estimated home market value across 50 states in the US.
It also takes account of home facts, locations, and markets. However, it is not an appraisal and cannot be used to replace an appraisal.
Despite having all these great features, Zillow is only available to US territory located properties which means that Realtors with international property listings cannot list international properties on Zillow.
2. Realtor.com:
It was first launched in 1995 and became a closed network for the National Association of Realtors. It was then relaunched in 1996 as a website that displays public properties.
Realtors.com is ranked as the second most visited real estate agent directory after Zillow, with millions of home shoppers. That’s great, isn’t it?
Semrush Domain authority score: 90
Visits: 111M
Now what makes it unique?
Realtor.com enables its user to :
- Buy properties
- Sell properties
- Rent properties.
- Shop mortgages i.e loan
Realtors.com also has a unique feature that enables you to :
- Track your home’s value over time
- Research and manage home improvements
- Scout other similar properties in the neighbourhood.
It also has a variety of tools such as mortgage calculators, valuation tools, and educational articles and videos. All these are put together to accompany you on your home-buying and selling journey.
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Unlike Zillow, Realtor.com is available in 80 countries with its headquarters in Santa Clara, California, United States.
Realtor.com has an app that is available on PlayStore and Apple Store which allows its user to search for homes, receive alerts and communicate with real estate agents. You can also use their website to access their services.
3. Trulia:
Trulia is an American online real estate marketplace that is registered under Zillow. It was founded in 2005 by Sami Inikinen and Pete Flint.
Trulia is one of the best real estate directories that enables you to:
- Buy
- Rent
- Scout neighbourhoods
- Take mortgage
Trulia also has blogs that serve as a guide on your home buying and selling journey with them. However, Trulia listings are only available in the US.
According to Semrush, Trulia has a domain authority score: of 81
Visits: 31.2M
4. Redfin :
Founded in 2004, by David Eraker, Michael Dougherty, and David Selinger. Redfin is one of the best real estate directories.
Semrush Domain authority score: 81
70.7m visits
Redfin enables its customers to:
- Buy
- Sell
- Rent
- Mortgage
Well that’s not all, it has unique features that enable you to:
- Compare selling options
- Tour homes
- Schedule houses
- Find agents
Redfin has a mobile application that is available on PlayStore and AppStore. Its mobile app has a user-friendly interface that makes it easy to understand and use.
One of the benefits of using Redfin is that when you buy and sell with Redfin, you’ll pay a 1% listing fee, less than half of what brokerages commonly charge. Great isn’t it?
5. Homes.com:
Homes.com is operated by Ten-X. Ten-X holds a real estate license in all 50 states in the US and Washington, D.C. It was founded in 1999. Like all other real estate directories, homes.com also allows its customers to:
- Buy
- Rent
- Sell
Homes.com connects its customers with different real estate agents.
Homes.com has tons of resources to help you stay informed of what’s happening in the industry, what’s working for successful agents, and what tactics are leading to success in today’s market.
Semrush Domain authority score: 72
Visits: 12.3M
The company also provides real estate marketing and media services including brand advertising, property listing syndication, reputation management, and lead generation.
6. Apartment Guide :
Founded in 1995, Apartment Guide has been one of the best real estate directories so far. Its search engine optimizes apartment renting by providing essential and available rentals for its customers.
Semrush Domain authority score: 68
Visits: 5M
The apartment guide also has the following features :
- Buy
- Rent
- Sell
According to its name, it also offers different kinds of apartments such as:
- College Apartments
- Military Apartments
- Corporate Apartments
- Senior Apartments
- Cheap Apartments
- Luxury Apartments
However, it also has some unique features that make it outstanding which are:
- They offer Business solutions concerning rents
- They also enable you to list a property on their website and lots more.
Here’s a link to their website. Click here.
7. LoopNet :
LoopNet is an online marketplace for commercial properties. When I say commercial property I mean real estate properties that are used for business activities such as hospitals, warehouses, etc. It is currently owned by a commercial company called Costar Group.
Semrush Domain authority score: 78
Visits: 11M
LoopNet offers the following services:
- Sale
- Lease
- Auction
- Businesses
A giant in Commercial properties indeed.
LoopNet also has blogs to educate people on the latest market trends.
So if you’re looking for a commercial property, LoopNet is the right place for you.
You can download their app on the PlayStore and Apple Store or go to their website.
8. Home Finder:
Homefinder is one of the best real estate agent directory with millions of customers. Home Finder includes millions of listings that enable its customers to reach their real estate goals.
Semrush Domain authority score: 46
Visits: 539.3k
Home Finder offers the following features:
- Sale
- Rent
- Foreclosure
- Buy
HomeFinder also has a unique feature that enables you to see off-market properties in your desired area which is a rare feature in many real estate directories.
That’s great, isn’t it? To enjoy this feature, you can easily download the app from the Google play store or Apple Store.
9. Rent.com
Rent.com is an online marketplace that enables its users to rent an apartment.
As the name implies, it deals mainly with renting apartments. It was founded in 1999 and is still ranked as one of the best real estate directories today.
Semrush Domain authority score: 75
Visits: 8.5M
We both know that rent is for some time, so if you’re looking for where to stay for some time then Rent.com is the right place for you.
You can get access to their mobile app which is available on Play Store and AppStore or you can access their website here.
10. Apartment.com:
Founded in 1987 by CoStar Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: CSGP), Apartment.com is one of the leading providers of commercial real estate information, analytics, and online marketplaces.
Semrush domain authority: 90
Visits: 48.7M
However, apartment.com deals mainly with Renting.
They also offer other services such as:
- Property management
- Advertising of Rentals
- Lease
- Tips on property management
Apartment.com is the sister site to Homes.com.
Importance Of Real Estate Directories
1. Provision Of Resources For Real Estate Agents:
Real estate directories are equipped with blogs that are used to educate real estate agents and those who want to go into the business on market trends and also on how to manage property effectively.
2. Effective Search Tools And Filters:
Real estate directories make it easy to look for homes with their search tools and filters.
This helps to reduce the stress of walking about to look for houses. With these search tools and filters, you can easily get houses around you.
3. A Comprehensive Listing Of Properties:
Real Estate directories provide a comprehensive listing of properties in your area which can help you to save the time and stress of having to browse through too many websites in search of a home.
4. It Serves As A Source Of Information:
In real estate directories, you get to meet other real estate agents with whom you can exchange Ideas and expand your knowledge.
5. Customers Reviews And Feedbacks:
With real estate directories, you get reviews and feedback from your customers which helps you to know what you’re lacking and how to improve.
Some Terms Associated With Real Estate
1. Commercial Properties
Commercial properties are buildings used for business purposes. Real estate also covers commercial properties and you can also find them in some real estate directories.
However, commercial properties can be expensive because they are larger and generate more profits. Some examples of commercial properties are banks, hotels, etc.
When choosing commercial properties, they’re some factors to consider such as cost, location, market demand, and the condition of the property. You must consider all these when you want to invest in commercial properties or real estate.
2. Home Remodelling
Home remodelling plays a very important role in real estate. Home Remodelling is the act of restructuring some parts of your building for example expanding a room, reconstructing your kitchen, etc.
Home remodelling is different from renovation even though they seem similar. Renovation is restoring or repairing something back to its original state or a better condition while remodelling is creating something new which involves altering its original state.
Now in case you’re wondering how home remodelling is important in real estate, here’s to clarify for you:
Designs for buildings evolve, the building in 2013 is not the same as the building in 2013.
To attract more customers, you must keep up with market trends that can be found in some real estate directories to get ideas on design to choose when remodelling your building.
Don’t forget that Good products attract customers.
The Importance Of Real Estate To Our Economy
First, we talked about the importance of real estate directories. Now let’s talk about the importance of real estate to the economy.
Real estate contributes to the economy in several ways. Here are some of the key ways that real estate contributes to the economy.
1. Creation Of Job Opportunities:
Real estate is one of the major contributors to jobs in the economy. Real Estate creates jobs like property management, building, construction, etc.
These jobs however cover a variety of jobs ranging from unskilled to skilled labour.
2. It Serves As A Source Of Foreign Exchange:
When you are building, some of the materials needed are imported from another country hence it can serve as a source of foreign exchange between the two countries involved in the trade. This can increase the growth of the economy.
3. Generation Of Tax Revenue:
Real estate generates tax revenue which can be used to build schools, good roads, social amenities, etc which is crucial for the growth of an economy.
Though there is more importance of real estate than was not mentioned above, real estate plays a crucial role in economic development.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a real estate directory?
A real estate directory is a platform or website that lists properties for sale or rent, typically categorized by location and type of property.
Are all real estate directories free to use?
No, some real estate directories may charge a fee for accessing certain features or information, such as contact information for property managers or real estate agents.
Can I contact the property owner or manager directly through the directory?
Generally, yes. However, some directories may have eligibility requirements, such as requiring properties to meet certain standards or be listed by licensed real estate agents or property managers.
Can I trust the information on real estate directories?
While real estate directories strive to provide accurate information, it’s important to keep in mind that mistakes can happen.
Conclusion
Real estate directories can be a valuable tool for those looking to buy, sell, or rent properties. However, it’s important to be selective about the directories you choose to list your property on.
Look for directories that have a strong reputation and high domain authority, and avoid those that appear spammy or low-quality.
Additionally, be sure to optimize your listing with relevant keywords, high-quality photos, and detailed descriptions to increase visibility and attract potential buyers or renters.
Overall, by using real estate directories strategically, you can improve your online presence and drive more traffic to your property listings.
