What is Redfin and how does it work?
Redfin is a full-service real estate platform for buyers and sellers. It caters to homeowners and prospective home buyers who prefer to use an agent, rather than try to buy or sell on their own.
The Redfin app offers most of the features that the Redfin website provides, but not all. For example, you won't find the mortgage calculators that are available on the website. But you will find a menu link that opens the website in your browser so you can access those features.
The Redfin app is a great way to navigate and manage your real estate search from a handheld device. It's a good option for casual shoppers who want to browse the latest home listings. You'll find all the search tools you'd expect from a top-rated real estate app.
Top perks
Comprehensive search filters
Browsing Redfin listings is a breeze, and it's easy to narrow down your results with the robust search filters. You can filter your property search with dozens of criteria. You'll see all of the standard filters, such as square footage, bedrooms, and property type. You can also filter for more specific details, like setting the exact number of stories or parking spaces you want a property to offer.
For the visually inclined, you can choose to only search properties with 3D walk-throughs and virtual tours. And you can even filter by GreatSchools rating and include local schools on the map view. Browse the results in list view or map view, and create custom map lines to narrow your search to your preferred area.
Redfin also recently added neighborhood quality measures to its search filters including Walk Score, Transit Score, and Bike Score, so you can learn more about the area where you might be living.
Save, share, and hide individual listings
One place the Redfin app excels is in its ability to customize your browsing experience. For example, you can save any listing that catches your eye with a simple click of the heart icon. Or you can "X out" a listing that doesn't meet your needs, keeping it from popping up in future searches. This is a helpful feature many other popular real estate apps lack.
If you're shopping with a spouse or friend, share your favorite listings easily through the Redfin app with email, social media, or text.
Ask questions or schedule a tour from the app
When you find a property you like, you can use the in-app contact form to connect with a Redfin real estate agent or partner agent who can help with any questions. You can also reach out to schedule an in-person or virtual tour. In addition, you can browse for more information on Redfin and partner agents, including reviews from real clients.
Track past tours and upcoming open houses
The longer it takes to find the right home, the more organized you need to be. The Redfin app makes it simple to keep track of the homes you've visited with a handy list of your past tours. You can also browse any upcoming open houses in your desired area and save future open houses to your in-app calendar. You'll also be able to see a list of open houses you've been to recently so you don't forget a thing.
What could be improved
Can't list your home for sale for free
While some apps let you list your home for sale for free, Redfin's sales options are limited to its full service offering that includes selling with a Redfin agent. And this isn't free; you'll pay a 1.5% listing fee. If you also buy a house with Redfin, you can get 0.5% of that fee back.
In-app features limited compared to website
Although the Redfin platform has a lot of useful features, many of them aren't usable in the app. For example, the Redfin website offers a ton of home mortgage tools -- none of which are accessible in the app. This includes the mortgage calculator and market insights. You can still find them on the app menu, but clicking takes you out of the app and over to the website.