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Yes redfin is a real estate website. They tend to be more accurate because they are an actual brokerage that pays for membership to MLSs and therefore gets information from the source.
Zillow historically has not been, their information comes from copying data off of other public facing sites. That means they sometimes get things wrong and they don’t automatically update or correct listings. Clients too-frequently send me stuff they found on Zillow that is wildly wrong or hasn’t been on the market in a year.
Punchline for you is redfin.com is a better site ... try it.
If you’re not a savvy looker or savvy with search engines, I would recommend engaging a buyers agent in your area to start looking for you. They can set you up on a custom search and help filter out some of the bad listings that aren’t going to be of interest to you. They’re good at this, you can let them do it for you and just send you the good stuff!
Wow I didn't know all that! thanks a ton for sharing that with me. So that's why I have found properties with wrong information. I will check out "Redfin" I hope to have better results.
I am trying to understand the whole "Premier Agent" thing on Zillow. Does Redfin have that too? I try to call the "listing agent" to find out more about a property but I end up with a Zillow Premier agent service who connects me with someone who knows nothing about the property. Another frustrating thing....
So how do I change realtors on the Premier agent service?
Each area seems different on the acreage data. Here in NC the Zillow acreage data appears accurate, even if the land which was once 6 acres is now 80 townhouses on 3000 sq ft each.
In CA I find that the data on Zillow would still be listed as 6 acres, but for *each* townhome. It's so aggrevating. And yet since Zillow is an aggregator of public information, it means the website that Z has access to does not correct the old data, and even years later the updated record reads as 6 acres for each tiny home. Same whether there are 4 or 80 homes on that original 6 acres.
At least our counties in NC don't hide information. The public can eventually find the real numbers on the county tax websites as a cross check. But some states, or counties in those states, make discovery difficult because they force you to make a formal request for each piece of info.
Thank you Luv4horses, BTW I love horses too and had 6 in the past then went through a long spell without horses and now looking to get a couple soon. I really miss riding!
So thank you for your information and it sure is hard getting the right information. Its been crazy!
and I have found that "But some states, or counties in those states, make discovery difficult because they force you to make a formal request for each piece of info" is true. ( sigh~)
Wow I didn't know all that! thanks a ton for sharing that with me. So that's why I have found properties with wrong information. I will check out "Redfin" I hope to have better results.
I am trying to understand the whole "Premier Agent" thing on Zillow. Does Redfin have that too? I try to call the "listing agent" to find out more about a property but I end up with a Zillow Premier agent service who connects me with someone who knows nothing about the property. Another frustrating thing....
So how do I change realtors on the Premier agent service?
Get yourself an buyers agent and forward the MLS number to them. You'll need to do this anyway if you want to actually go see most of those properties. Don't go through the Zillow website as you are simply referred to a random buyers agent who will know nothing more about the property than what you read yourself. Plus you'll get access to the customer portal of their MLS system that also has searching capabilities and more accurate (and more complete) info (though the web interface isn't nearly as 'purty as Zillow). Ditto Redfin, get yourself an agent first and use Redfin as a first pass search engine and forward the listings to your own agent.
Don't use the Premier Agent thing on Zillow.... or Redfin for that matter. Those agents have paid to be there... they're not necessarily *good*.
I'm only recommending Redfin because it's a national site. There may be others that are better in individual areas, like our own... but we don't know where you are... so Redfin works!
I recommend you ask your friends on facebook, or a few other trusted friends or coworkers who have moved recently to the area where you're going, if they would recommend their buyer's agent. You don't want to contact the listing agent for the property, they work for the seller. You want an agent who is working for, and represents, YOU. Call and talk to a few who your friends have recommended, until you find one who seems to understand and click well with you. They won't know about this property now, but you can let them know which properties you're interested in, and they can call the listing agents involved, get the information you need, and advise you about other considerations they can see about the properties you want to look at. They can set you up on a search that emails you new properties as they come online. And they can guide you through the process, through all the parts you don't know you don't know yet. That's my best advice.
If you want there to be a house on the property, you should never use "land". Land is intended primarily for vacant land. Properties under land that have buildings, the buildings are usually considered tear-downs or are of little value.
But you should be able to choose House parameters and then find in advanced search options, Lot size options. Be sure to note whether it's searching in square feet or acres. Always try to round up or down a little in your parameters to get properties that are real close to your search. If searching for 5 acre parcels, you probably don't want to miss a nice one that is 4.98 acres.
I didn't try zillow, because I don't like them and never use them, because they're full of wrong info... but I did just try Redfin and it does have Lot size min and max fields.
If you work with a Realtor in your search, we often have tools available for more specific searches on other good search terms, like equestrian, forest, view, or outbuildings like barns or shops.
Hi Diana, I did try Redfin.... are they new? I found that searching around Georgia only has limited areas mostly around Atlanta and mid-state and southern GA they didn't have any information for those areas. SO they seem quite limited.
Hi Diana, I did try Redfin.... are they new? I found that searching around Georgia only has limited areas mostly around Atlanta and mid-state and southern GA they didn't have any information for those areas. SO they seem quite limited.
No Redfin has been around for a while, but they are not in every market. So they probably aren't in your local one.
I find Realtor.com useful. Redfin does not show listings in some areas, though I like them also.
On Realtor.com if you scroll down to neighborhood and click on it, a map will appear and on the map if you click on Crime, it will show you a color gauge on the safeness of the area in which you're looking. Thought that was a helpful item.
Good luck in your search !
I like to browse real estate without an agent so use Redfin and Realtor.com. The local MLS site that I used to buy our home 11 years ago became less friendly to consumers. That's short-sighted IMO but they are ruled by their member agents.
Realtor.com has less information for a search I like than Redfin. For example Redfin lets me choose "no HOA"in a search, Realtor does not offer that, that's a big issue for me. As noted above Redfin does not cover every area. The SoCaro area my SIL lives and trying to sell is not covered by Redfin but is by Realtor.
I buy real estate every 2 years on average and don't want to commit to a buyers agent. I want my saved searches and "likes" to be private.
edit to add: nakadinhi posted a BIG plus for me on Realtor.com, the crime overlay. A very good feature if you are not familiar with an area.
A GREAT feature on Redfin is you can see "SOLD" properties, date sold and sold price, not just list price. Realtor does not offer this (please correct me if wrong but I not seen it it.
Last edited by twinkletwinkle22; 09-30-2019 at 02:42 PM..
I like to browse real estate without an agent so use Redfin and Realtor.com. The local MLS site that I used to buy our home 11 years ago became less friendly to consumers. That's short-sighted IMO but they are ruled by their member agents.
Realtor.com has less information for a search I like than Redfin. For example Redfin lets me choose "no HOA"in a search, Realtor does not offer that, that's a big issue for me. As noted above Redfin does not cover every area. The SoCaro area my SIL lives and trying to sell is not covered by Redfin but is by Realtor.
I buy real estate every 2 years on average and don't want to commit to a buyers agent. I want my saved searches and "likes" to be private.
edit to add: nakadinhi posted a BIG plus for me on Realtor.com, the crime overlay. A very good feature if you are not familiar with an area. Yes really like this feature, though I do use Spotcrime.com for the types of crimes committed in the area.
A GREAT feature on Redfin is you can see "SOLD" properties, date sold and sold price, not just list price. Realtor does not offer thisI have seen it on many properties on Realtor.com. It also shows relist dates and amounts of original listings so you can see the progression or regression in price. Useful site IMHO to those searching (please correct me if wrong but I not seen it it.
GIGO! And certainly much of the information input on these websites or the sites that are accessed by these mainstream sites is garbage. Why should it be so difficult for a "real estate professional" to understand the difference between a condominium and a single family home and to click the proper box when posting a listing? Why shouldn't they post correct and complete information about lot size and HOA fees? For that matter why should that same professional make constant references to "dinning rooms?"
When hiring an agent to sell a house I certainly would be checking some of their recent listings to see if they are dedicated and professional enough to even getting the listing information correct if they want my business.
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That's my best advice. 
Did try Redfin
