OT: Redfin.com - anyone ever use it to buy a house

[Acotts]

Hey guys,

I am doing a presentation on Redfin.com for an MBA class. I have a good handle on the quant stuff - company's background and financials - but have never personally used Redfin. In fact, I have never even purchased a house.

So, has anyone here ever used the company? Did you use them to purchase a house, or just as a research tool. Would you reccomend it to a friend? Can you give me some real world insight about using the company's technology to purchase a house?

None of this stuff is critical to my presentation, but I think some first hand knowledge could help me cement my arguments. Afterall, this is a consumer service and the consumer's voice should be heard.

Thanks guys.
-Andrew

[Dlevy05]

Never used redfin to buy a house, but there is one in my area that is actually listed by redfin (I previously had no idea they were a listing agency, as well). However as a research tool, it's functions are comprehensive, ergonomic, intuitive, and up to date; especially compared to the competition (ZipRealty, Zillow, Trulia, Realtor.com, etc.)

On an unrelated note, Google is now starting to list real estate. They're most likely going to sink the competition as usual...

[Acotts]

Google is getting into the biz...huh. I did not know that.

This poast has already paid off.

[justinf]

http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2011/02/google-maps-kills-foreclosure-and-real-estate-listings/71324/

or, this:

http://google-latlong.blogspot.com/2011/01/retiring-real-estate-on-google-maps.html

they are back out it seems.

[Kirk007]

I've used Redfin alot for searching for houses and in Seattle at least there are more and more homes being listed with a Redfin agent.

It's pretty good but was one of half a dozen that I would bounce around on as different sites often have different information.

I think it is useful but not a one stop internet home search site.

I think mlsonline is superior.

[tuxbailey]

I use it to look at houses that I think about buying in a few years. It has a lot of useful features.

Works quite well with iPhone too.