How to Get Timely and Reliable Real Estate News: 10 Best Sources

To learn more about significant online sources that regularly report the latest real estate news and what are the current trends, read on.

Together, let’s discover the top sources for real estate news and information that will help you make wiser investment decisions.

Table of Contents 

1. 3 Key Factors That Drive the Real Estate Market
2. The 10 Best Real Estate Sources
3. How Factual Are Your Housing Market News?

Keeping up with the latest news in your local area and the industry is a key part of your job as a real estate investor or professional. However, with so many clumsy predictions and fake real estate news, it’s hard to know whom to listen to. 

Luckily, Mashvisor’s blog is here to assist you in your journey from beginning to end. This includes providing you with up-to-date information on reliable sources in the industry.

In today’s article, we’ll feature the top ten real estate sources .

Getting accurate news about real estate requires a close combination of knowing where to look and what to look for. Your market strategy will often depend on the right information at the right time.

Scroll down to learn more about the best news sources for real estate today. 

3 Key Factors That Drive the Real Estate Market

Before we move on to specific sources you can rely on for accurate and up-to-date information, it is important to mention your focus – the US housing market.

The three key factors that dictate the state of the real estate market are:

• Government policies
• Demographics
• The economy

It’s crucial to emphasize that the above-mentioned factors are not independent. They interact with each other, and their impact on investors depends on the current market conditions.

Without further ado, let’s get into each of them:

Government Policies

Government policies are vital for the real estate market because they can assist investors in maintaining stability in the marketplace, protect consumers, and play a major role in urban planning.

By implementing regulations, government policies prevent speculations and successfully discourage fraudulent practices. They also promote fair competition by establishing guidelines and rules that buyers, sellers, and other participants should comply with.

Additionally, government policies protect consumers by ensuring fair real estate transactions. It includes everything from regulations regarding property inspections to standardized contracts and access to accurate information.

Lastly, government policies play a major role in urban planning. These policies set zoning laws that carefully outline the laws on how residential, commercial or industrial land should be used.

Demographics

Secondly, demographics represent one of the key factors when it comes to the condition of the real estate market. By looking closely at the demographics of a particular area, real estate investors can get a better insight into the characteristics, behavior, and composition of the people who inhabit that area.

To put things into perspective, here is how demographics can help you assess a real estate market. One, you can analyze and compare population growth. It can help you get a better insight into how much a place has progressed, stagnated, or regressed over a certain period.

Two, with the help of demographics, you can better understand the type of property in high demand. Logically, real estate markets that are less populated will show a decreased demand, i.e., oversupply.

The Economy

Thirdly, we have the economy as one of the determining factors. Briefly, the economic situation of a real estate market affects the overall conditions for investing in properties. 

It influences the real estate sector by providing information on the economic growth of a particular market. For instance, during periods of economic growth, some real estate markets thrive, expand their businesses, and provide investors with more opportunities.

This can lead to successful investment strategies and a significant influx of residents and tourists, automatically creating a higher demand for residential properties. 

Related: 10 Things Real Estate Investors Should Know About STR in 2023

The 10 Best Real Estate Sources

According to NAR, almost 95% of buyers rely on online tools in their search process. It’s safe to say that real estate websites represent the basis when it comes to investment research.

Bearing in mind the scope of the internet and the number of resources investors are presented with, it’s crucial you focus on sources that will give you up-to-date information.

Below is a list of the ten best sources of news in the real estate business for all types of professionals:

1. Zillow

First on the list of best real estate news sources is Zillow. Whether you have been in the real estate business for a month or a year, chances are that you have clicked on this website at least once. Zillow is one of the most popular and visited real estate sources that provide future investors with all sorts of data. Some of its key features include:

• Home values: Also known as Zestimates, this feature covers a million properties across the US.
• Rental listings: Zillow provides its visitors with a wide collection of rental listings (apartments, single-family homes, etc.)
• Market trends: Investors can scroll through real estate market statistics, reports, and other relevant information.

2. Realtor.com

Next on the list of the best real estate news websites, we have the well-known Realtor.com.

It is primarily a real estate listing website,  as it provides the latest news on real estate market trends and insights into financing, improving, buying, and selling real estate.  Realtor.com includes helpful guides for new owners as well as potential buyers. 

Some of its key features include:

• Advanced search filters: Users can customize their search filters according to their preferences.
• Investment property details: This feature provides insight into relevant information regarding the property’s features, HOA fees, and so on.
• Interactive map: This provides a visual representation of the properties in question.

Realtor.com also offers annual market forecasts where you can find expert predictions on the twists and turns the market will likely take during the year.

3. Trulia

The third best source for real estate news is Trulia. This real estate website provides neighborhood information and local insights to potential real estate investors. Some of the key features of this website include:

• Interactive map: This is a map that allows searching for potential investment properties that are nearby. Investors can filter their search by property type, range, price, and so on.
• Crime data: Given that the crime rate dictates the safety of a certain location, Trulia offers data on reported crimes, their frequency, and so on.
• Local amenities: Since one of the focuses is on local amenities, this website offers information on nearby shopping centers, restaurants, and other attractions that are of importance to residents and visitors.

4. Redfin

Redfin is fourth on the list of the best websites for real estate news. Unlike the others we mentioned, this source is specific because it represents an online brokerage with the goal of buying and selling homes. Some of the note-worthy features include:

• Property search: Online search for homes for sale based on their price range, type, location, and other relevant criteria.
• Real estate agent assistance: It’s important to mention that Redfin has its own team of real estate agents who assist their users throughout their buying or selling journey.
• Home tours: This feature allows Redfin’s users to schedule a tour of their potential home directly using the platform.
• Reviews: This source also provides users with the opportunity to leave their impressions in the form of reviews and ratings for their performance and agents.

Related: Find New Investment Opportunities in Up-and-Coming Locations

5. Mashvisor

If you’re serious about investing in real estate, you should have a few bookmarked real estate sites, and Mashvisor is one of them. Mashvisor provides the best real estate news and blogs. 

It’s a comprehensive resource for real estate investors as well as agents, realtors, brokers, and property managers. From the best market strategies to tips for new investors looking to enter the market, Mashvisor is your go-to website.  Here are some of the key features that landed this source on our list:

• Property Finder: This feature allows investors to locate long and short term rentals for sale across the entire US housing market within minutes. 
• Heatmap: This is a very significant feature that indicates how many investment properties on the market are currently available for purchase. It automatically eliminates the need for other resources and predictive analytics.
• Rental Property Calculator: Mashvisor’s Airbnb rental income calculator allows you to make the necessary calculations regarding crucial factors such as rental income, occupancy rate, cash on cash return, and so on.

Mashvisor offers everything in one place – information on the best investing locations, housing market predictions, and the right tools for finding profitable investments.

To help you find the best deals on investment properties in any market of your choice, sign up for our 7-day free trial now.

6. Movoto

Next on the list of the best real estate news sites is Movoto. This real estate resource provides its users various features and tools that assist them throughout their investment careers. For instance, some of the most important features include:

• Local guides and neighborhood information: Motovo provides its users with a wide variety of information on neighborhoods in order to help them be better informed about the areas in question.
• Property Search: Movoto allows users to search for homes for sale or rent based on various criteria such as location, price range, property type, and more. Users can explore detailed property listings with photos, descriptions, and essential information.
• Home value estimates: This is an estimation tool that provides its users with up-to-date information on the value of specific properties.

7. Homes.com

Nearing the end of our list of the best sources, we have Homes.com. Similar to others, this is a well-known real estate platform that provides information on selling and renting homes. Here’s a brief overview of its key features:

• Home values: This tool provides estimated home values for properties across the US.
• Mortgage calculator: With the help of a mortgage calculator, users can estimate their monthly mortgage payments.
• Neighborhood information: This feature provides information about neighborhoods, schools, crime rates, local amenities, and so on. It helps users evaluate the suitability of a particular area for their needs.
• Home improvement: This feature covers a wide variety of resources regarding home improvement and decor.

8. Remax

Eighth on our list of the best sources is Remax. It is a global network that operates through a number of independent offices. Some of the key features include:

• Assistance from experienced agents: These are knowledgeable professionals who provide expertise and guidance throughout the entire buying and selling process.
• Commercial services: Unlike other sources that focus on residential properties, Remax also provides commercial services regarding office spaces, industrial properties, and retail spaces.
• Remax collection: This is a luxurious property program that displays luxury listings.

9. Point2Homes

Point2Homes is ninth on the list of the best sources for real estate news. Like many that we have mentioned so far, Point2Homes has a similar goal: to provide real estate investors with information on buying, renting, or selling properties across the US market. Its most important features include:

• Blogs: Point2Homes aims to keep real estate investors informed about the current market trends, investment opportunities, and guides for those just stepping into the market.
• Property search: Users can search for investment properties by setting filters such as property type, price, etc.
• Map-based search: This feature allows the investor to research the property visually, which is of great importance in the real estate industry.

10. Century21

Last on the list of the best real estate news websites is Century21. Similar to Remax, this is a global real estate brand that operates through independently owned offices. What sets Century21 apart is:

• Community involvement: This brand often participates in charities that benefit the community.
• Relocation service: This feature assists those who want to move or relocate to another area. More precisely, it offers reliable housing options, local information, and so on.

How Factual Are Your Housing Market News?

Which sources do you trust for factual housing market news? 

Here are simple checks you can perform to examine the integrity of a news piece:

1. Sounds too good to be true? If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
2. Check the source. A reputable site is less likely to jeopardize its high status with unverified real estate data.
3. Check the date. A real estate news article might have been groundbreaking in 2008. That doesn’t mean it’s worth much today.
4. Who wrote it? Social media is a good way to do this. Examine the author’s social media accounts and verify that they are who they say they are. 

So before you quote unverified information from a source in a professional real estate business meeting or base your real estate investing decisions on some analytics, ensure you have the right housing market news sources. 

Related: 3 Housing Markets Where Investors Can Earn Positive Cash Flow With Airbnb in 2023

The Final Verdict: The 10 Best Real Estate Sources

We have successfully covered the topic of the best real estate news sources investors can rely on. Before we sign off, let’s go through the key takeaways and recall some of the most relevant sources.

Before starting your online search for dependable real estate sources, you should have some background knowledge of the US housing market and its determining factors: government policies, demography, and the economy.

The most reliable sources include Zillow, Redfin, Mashvisor, Trulia, and many more. They all provide real estate investors with a wide variety of tools and features that can make their investment strategy development much easier and more straightforward.

To ensure that the source you’re relying on is to-the-point and up-to-date, double-check the date, source, and author who wrote it.

There’s one more thing we’d like to add.

If your intentions about investing in real estate and expanding your portfolio are serious, schedule a demo with one of our Product Specialists to learn more about what we offer.