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In a city as large, diverse, and fast-paced as New York City, buying an apartment here can be an overwhelming experience. These days, the process often starts online, with several websites offering an extensive list of the latest available apartments on the market, sales history, and neighborhood details. Some websites are better to use than others, though, whether it’s the amount of property information provided, a user-friendly interface, or up-to-date figures. Ahead, we’ve rounded up the five best real estate websites for New York City homebuyers.
The New York City real estate market is notoriously challenging to navigate and operates much differently than most cities. CityRealty, which launched in 1994 as one of the first ever real estate listing websites, offers an insider’s view of the city’s sales market, with licensed expert consultants matching prospective buyers with the best real estate agents for their search, free of charge. The matched broker has been vetted as the most fitting to assist the potential buyer with every part of the home buying process, from finding the right property to submitting an offer to final signatures on closing day.
With the city’s often complex market, having someone who is an authority on a particular neighborhood, building, or property type is key. The CityRealty team is well-versed in all of New York City’s core neighborhoods and their new condo developments, which come with their own set of rules and regulations. For those just starting their home search, CityRealty’s market data and editorial insights keep future buyers well-informed with the most up-to-date listings and market stats available.
One of the newest online resources available for homebuyers is Citysnap, a website and mobile app launched by CoStar Group and the Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY) in 2022. The unique partnership allows consumers to directly access REBNY’s Residential Listing Service, or RLS, a comprehensive up-to-date database of sales and rentals in New York City. The website is user-friendly, with clear sections detailing a description of the property, amenities offered, and its listing history.
Particularly helpful for New Yorkers, the listing page includes a commute time feature and a neighborhood map with the nearest public transit options. Unlike other websites, all leads go to the listing broker or agent without an additional cost or daily listing fee. Citysnap is probably best for homebuyers who already know what neighborhood or building they want to live in, as it doesn’t provide additional context regarding the market, new developments, or off-market listings. The website is also free for consumers with the agent-only version free for REBNY members.
As one of the largest real estate websites in the country, Realtor.com is jam-packed with information for homebuyers, renters, sellers, and agents. Each listing page goes way beyond the basic details, like price and property description, with tools providing monthly payment estimates and buying power. Another helpful feature is the interactive map that shows where the property is located and the price of apartments in the same neighborhood. As the world continues to deal with climate change, the platform’s environmental risk tool looks at the likelihood of dealing with floods or wildfires at a specific property. While it’s nice to have so much accurate data, it can be easy to get lost among all those numbers.
The website and mobile app StreetEasy launched in 2006 and has become one of New York’s most popular real estate listing sites for renters and homebuyers. Owned and operated by Zillow Group, StreetEasy is simple to use with a user-friendly interface, sleek design, and several ways to filter your search. Each listing also details the price history, including the date, price, and agent with the listing, important information when deciding on submitting an offer.
For New York buyers just starting their search, Marketproof is a good resource. The website pulls public records, real estate listings, and news articles to aggregate and interpret data about properties across the city, particularly new developments and the city’s most popular buildings. Marketproof has real estate listings from brokerages who are members of REBNY and includes a complete overview of a property’s transactions, permit history, and any press coverage related to a building.
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