The best online services for homeowners looking to find a home to rent or buy are 

Zillow, Realtor.com, and Redfin.

These platforms offer a vast array of listings, robust filtering options, and unique features for both purchasing and renting properties. 

Top Platforms for Homeowners

Platform	Best For	Key Features
Zillow	Overall comprehensive listings and ease of use for both buying and renting.	Extensive database, Zestimate home value estimations, mortgage calculators, in-app rental applications, and virtual 3D home tours.
Realtor.com	Accuracy and timeliness of listings.	Listings pulled directly from over 800 Multiple Listing Services (MLS) and updated frequently (as often as every 15 minutes), detailed neighborhood and school data, and direct contact with local real estate agents.
Redfin	Home buying with potential cost savings and agent interaction.	Commission refunds for buyers in certain markets, ability to schedule tours (virtual or in-person) with a Redfin agent directly through the app, and accurate home value estimates.
Trulia	In-depth neighborhood research.	Map overlays that show crime rates, school ratings, and local reviews from residents, helping users get a feel for the area beyond the house itself.
Apartments.com	Exclusive focus on rentals (including single-family homes).	Large inventory of apartments, condos, and houses, detailed filters (e.g., pet policies), and options for online applications and rent payments.

Key Considerations

• Accuracy: While all major apps use MLS data, Realtor.com is often cited as the most consistently accurate and up-to-date due to its direct ties to the National Association of Realtors.
• User Experience: Zillow is the most popular and most downloaded app, offering a very user-friendly interface and comprehensive data. Redfin is also known for its well-designed and intuitive app interface.
• Neighborhood Data: Trulia excels in providing community insights and lifestyle information, making it great if location and local vibe are your top priorities.
• Cost Savings: If minimizing costs is a goal when buying, the brokerage model of Redfin may offer commission refunds or lower fees. 

For real estate investors, several niche platforms have emerged to provide access to specialized asset classes and investment strategies. These platforms often use a crowdfunding or fractional ownership model, allowing investors to pool money for larger projects that might otherwise be inaccessible.

Specialized Niche Platforms

• Arrived: This platform focuses specifically on fractional ownership of individual residential rental homes and vacation properties. It allows investors to buy shares for as little as $100 and earn returns from both rental income and potential appreciation without the hassle of property management.
• AcreTrader / FarmTogether: These services specialize exclusively in agricultural land investing. Investors can buy fractional shares in farm properties and receive returns through annual lease payments and land appreciation. This niche is known for its stability and inflation resistance.
• CrowdStreet / EquityMultiple: These are prominent platforms for accredited investors seeking opportunities in large-scale commercial real estate (CRE), including office buildings, industrial facilities, and mixed-use developments. They offer access to deal-by-deal investments and professionally managed funds with higher minimums (typically $5,000 to $25,000+).
• Groundfloor: This platform is a niche lending marketplace for short-term, real estate-backed loans, primarily for fix-and-flip projects. Investors act as lenders and can earn a fixed rate of interest (often with a 6-24 month duration) with a low minimum investment of $100.
• Roofstock: This platform is designed for investors looking to buy already tenanted single-family rental homes online, often as a completely hands-off investment. It provides tools to analyze potential returns and connect with property management services.
• Trulia / BiggerPockets: While Trulia is a general listing site, its strength for investors lies in its rich neighborhood data, including crime rates and school information. BiggerPockets is a massive online community and resource hub with forums, calculators, and educational materials specifically for investors of all experience levels, from wholesaling to property management.
• PropStream / Deal Machine: These platforms provide data and tools for investors looking to find and analyze off-market or distressed properties (e.g., foreclosures, tax liens). They offer advanced filtering and lead generation capabilities to find high-potential deals. 

Key Investment Models

• Fractional Ownership: Platforms like Arrived and AcreTrader let you own a slice of a physical property, receiving a share of the income and appreciation.
• Crowdfunding: Sites like Fundrise and RealtyMogul pool investor funds into diversified portfolios (eREITs/eFunds) that invest in various property types.
• Lending/Debt: Platforms like Groundfloor allow you to lend money to real estate developers for specific projects, earning a fixed interest rate in return. 

These niche platforms provide diverse opportunities tailored to specific investment goals, risk appetites, and property types that are not the primary focus of general listing sites like Zillow or Realtor.com.