Updated January 10, 2022
The aim of this post is to acknowledge the best real estate blogs on the internet today – websites with a solid reputation for putting out the most helpful and reliable content for those who are active in the industry.
It goes without saying that the vast majority of blogs are NOT “permanent fixtures” on the internet. There is a lot of noise in the blogosphere, and it's not always easy for readers to find the best information in an ocean of mediocrity.
Given the ever-changing nature of real estate blogs, this article will be re-visited on a semi-annual basis and kept up-to-date with newer blogs that show promise, while eliminating blogs that are collecting dust and no longer bringing substantial value to the table.
So what are the metrics to use when ranking the best real estate blogs on the internet?
In an effort to maintain a level playing field, and to remove as much personal bias as possible – there are a few key measurements we will use to determine which blogs belong on this list.
1. Quality Content
Great blogs are packed full of killer content. This means they should include plenty of the following…
- Actionable Advice
- Specific Instruction
- Well-Written Articles
- Engaging Multimedia (images, audio, video, etc.)
- Free Tools & Resources
- Excellent Entertainment Value
The best blogs on the internet do a great job of delivering undeniable value for their visitors.
2. Regular Updates
In the spirit of keeping readers well-informed, a good blog needs to publish new, original content on a regular basis. Personally – I'm more concerned with quality over quantity, but as a general rule of thumb, a good blog should be updated with new posts at least once every other week.
3. Reader Focused
There's nothing wrong with blogs that promote products and services when they legitimately add value to the discussion, but let's be honest – those instances are few and far between.
It's not hard to tell when a writer has shifted their focus away from helping others and more towards making money. Admittedly, this is a tricky balance for most bloggers because most blogs wouldn't exist if they couldn't be monetized in some way.
Nobody invests the countless hours required to maintain a popular blog without carefully considering the ways they can earn a financial return from it… so with that said – a good blog needs to be tactful about the types of “plugs” they pass on to its audience. They should be used sparingly and only within the context of legitimately helping the reader.
4. Niche-Specific
To serve an audience well, a blog needs to stay focused on its niche (whatever that happens to be). If I'm visiting a website to learn about real estate investing, I shouldn't have to sift through posts about physical fitness, relationship advice, political rants or any other subject that has nothing to do with real estate investing. The only reason any popular blog develops a following is that it gives the reader what the reader is looking for.
5. Good Design & Easy Navigation
This is easily the most overlooked aspect of all the blogs I've seen. Even if a blog has the best information in the universe – it's all for nothing if the reader can't find what they're looking for. The best bloggers on the internet put A LOT of effort into helping their readers find what they're looking for as effortlessly as possible (via search functionality, categorized posts, archives, sort by author, etc). If a blog isn't easy to use – it doesn't belong on this list.
So with that said – the running list will be grouped into the categories shown below…
Mainstream / Collaborative Real Estate Blogs
Zillow Porchlight – Zillow is an undeniably huge website that draws in hundreds of millions of monthly visitors. While the site is primarily known for its property listings, “Zestimates” and its massive marketing platform, a smaller-but-notable part of their website is the blog (aka – Zillow Porchlight). This blog has dozens of skilled writers who publish articles daily – highlighting various tips and advice, market trends, unique homes, home improvement ideas and a lot more.
Trulia Blog – Trulia is another dominating presence in the real estate space. Similar mission to Zillow, Trulia is known for its vast array of property listings and market data. Trulia's blog is constantly pumping out new articles that seem to lean more toward entertainment, rather than tips and actionable advice. Trulia blog categories range from showcasing celebrity homes, to “eye candy” properties, wow places, life at home and neighborhood insights.
Redfin Blog – Redfin has a fairly diverse blog archive with multiple new articles being published each week. Redfin is another well known real estate selling platform that hosts tens of thousands of real estate listings from around the country, so it only makes sense that the site would also see the value in putting on regular content for their very large audience. This blog published articles on a wide range of subjects, including news, data, tips & advice, and even articles directly from the CEO.
Forbes Real Estate – Forbes is a huge force in the real estate information age, with a long list of powerhouse contributors that publish fantastic new articles on a daily basis. Having been such a dominant player as a strong American business magazine, it makes sense that this website would continue to lead the way with news, insights and opinion pieces from some of the most successful real estate professionals in the world today.
Realtor News & Insights – Similar to Zillow and Trulia, the main article outlet for Realtor.com features posts from several different contributors and focuses on topics that range from market trends, celebrity-owned properties, unique homes, and pro tips. Overall, a good mix of news and entertainment with a touch of education.
NAR Culture Scan – This blog from the National Association of REALTORS covers a variety of topics and issues that affect real estate agents and the real estate market as a whole. Everything from practical tips and advice to the ways real estate is perceived through pop culture in today's media, this blog will give you a breadth of information that you'll find both entertaining and informative.
Real Estate Investing Blogs
REtipster – You are here! (Who else did you expect to see at the top of this list??) The REtipster Blog is focused on serving new and experienced real estate investors who want to master new investing strategies and find more effective ways to run their businesses. Special attention is paid to the niches of land investing, rental properties, finding deals, selling properties fast, the latest technology and reviews of software, products, and services available to professionals in the real estate industry.
BiggerPockets – Arguably the largest blog that focuses on the broader scope of real estate investing as a whole, BiggerPockets has become a huge source of information for real estate investors online. The website is probably best known for its massive forum and popular podcast, but the blog is also filled with time-tested advice from some of the most successful real estate investors in the business.
Real Wealth Network – A massive library of informative articles that range from industry news to practical advice and tips for real estate investors, this website is full of useful information that any active investor can benefit from.
Coach Carson – Chad Carson's blog is all about using real estate investing to retire early. Chad (aka Coach Carson) shares how he built wealth and passive income from real estate so he could do more of what matters in life – like traveling, spending time with family, and starting fulfilling businesses or projects. In addition to early retirement strategies, Chad shares techniques and tips on house hacking, long-term rentals, private notes, and successful landlording.
Master Passive Income – Dustin Heiner is an expert in buying rental properties to create passive income. He's able to do this by finding the right property managers who can ensure that the rental property business doesn't hijack his life and freedom. His blog dives into great detail about how you can do the same thing. This is a huge (and growing) treasure trove of resources that every rental property investor should know about.
InvestFourMore – InvestFourMore provides a wealth of knowledge on rental properties, flipping houses, being a real estate agent, and everything real estate investing. It was created by Mark Ferguson who owns 20 rentals, has flipped over 145 houses (26 last year), and has his own real estate team.
Spark Rental Blog – This blog is filled with wisdom and helpful advice for real estate investors who are focusing on the acquisition and management of rental properties. Written by two industry experts, you'll find all kinds of insights that can help in your journey to building streams of income from rental properties.
LANDTHINK – This site is part of the LANDFLIP NETWORK and it offers a wide variety of information, covering all areas of the land industry. Since this site was created in 2008, it has continued to gain popularity among industry professionals. The panel of contributors on this site is some of the most respected professionals in the land industry.
Real Estate Marketing / News / Technology Blogs
Inman – Inman is a powerhouse news outlet that focuses specifically on the happenings in the real estate industry. With millions of monthly visitors and a thriving online community, this website puts out daily articles from dozens of great writers from several different areas of expertise in the real estate realm. If you want to keep your finger on the pulse of what's going on in real estate today, this is a site you should add to your news feed.
FitSmallBusiness – This website serves a much wider audience than the just real estate crowd, but they have a dedicated real estate section that covers a ton of cool ideas, marketing trends, online resources, interesting news, and other information that real estate professionals will find useful. If you do enough searching for real estate resources online, you'll inevitably run across this one a lot, because they bring a lot to the table.
Carrot Blog – As one of the more well-known website services for real estate investors, the Investor Carrot team has a pretty killer blog that offers a ton of valuable insights on website SEO, developing an effective online presence, online advertising and everything in between. This is a great one to bookmark!
Mashvisor Blog – This blog is based around the company's core product, so by default, they have a lot of insights on market-specific data that can be informative in finding great markets for real estate investing. If you're in the market for any type of rental property (traditional or short-term), you'll probably find some value here.
Placester – Placester’s Real Estate Marketing Academy is filled with resources to help agents and brokers take their business to the next level. The posts range from high-level overviews of marketing concepts as they relate to real estate, to interviews with thought leaders in the same space. Whether you’d like to read about upcoming trends in the industry or learn how to create high-converting landing pages, this website is an indispensable resource for anyone looking to improve their digital marketing strategy.
RISMedia – This website hosts a wide array of real estate industry information, including news and industry updates, technology, how to guides, social media guides, marketing best practices and a lot more. A good all-around source of information for real estate professionals.
AgentImage Blog – This site has a special focus on real estate agents, websites and online marketing (among other things). If you're looking for ways to step up your game in the internet age, this could be a good site for you to stay in touch with.
Rentec Direct – Rentec is a software company in the property management industry. Their blog and content is mostly focused on small-mid sized property managers who manage 10 – 2,500 units. If this sounds like you, their content is definitely worth checking out!
Commercial Cafe – This blog dives into everything you can imagine related to commercial real estate. If you're working or investing in commercial, you'll find all kinds of relevant news and insights here.
Real Estate Economy / Data / Entertainment Blogs
Lighter Side Of Real Estate – This is possibly the most entertaining and funny real estate blogs on the internet right now. When every other website in the real estate space is focused on data, news and industry trends, these guys are bringing a much-needed breath of fresh air to the scene through a hilarious sense of humor. If you're looking for a different spin on what real estate has to offer, take a look on the lighter side!
HousingWire – HousingWire publishes daily news and knowledge about real estate, investments, lending, technology and open commentary on everything impacting the U.S. housing economy. An overall solid source of news and information in the real estate industry.
Sacramento Appraisal Blog – This is a top-ranking real estate blog with one weekly post. The goal of this site is to connect with the real estate community and the public to think through issues that come up during transactions. Three of the four posts during the month tackle common valuation issues that are encountered just about anywhere in the country, while the others are more specific to the local market in Sacramento.
PropertyShark – This blog covers real estate market trends, research reports, company and industry news, and many other real estate topics. It has become an established source of news for professionals in the industry and journalists covering real estate and housing. The blog features a series of recurring articles, released both quarterly and annually: top most expensive neighborhoods, top best-selling buildings, foreclosure reports, and more.
Eye On Housing – This blog is run by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), a Washington-based trade association representing the home building, remodeling, multifamily construction, property management, and other aspects of residential and light commercial construction. Some of the information in this blog comes from HousingEconomics.com, the online economics information source for NAHB.
Realty Times – This blog is aimed at both consumers and agents, with a wide array of different topics ranging from advice on buying, selling, mortgages, rentals and more.
The Close – The Close is a new kind of real estate site designed to give agents, teams, and brokerages actionable, strategic insight from industry professionals. This website covers real estate marketing, lead generation, technology, and team-building strategies from the perspective of working agents and brokers who want to take their business to the next level.
Did We Miss Anything?
Do you know of a blog that should be included in this list? Are you able to measure its adequacy by the criteria laid out above? If so, then, by all means, let us know about it in the comments section below!
