7 Best Real Estate Websites in Rockford, IL (2023 Updates)

Houzeo is a 100% online home-selling platform. It is the best way to sell your home fast and save thousands in commission. Houzeo offers you 4 FSBO MLS listing packages.

• Bronze Package – $329+: This package offers Houzeo listing only for 6 months with maximum photos.
• Silver Package – $399+: This includes everything that home sellers typically look for.
• Gold Package – $379+ 0.5 at closing: It is Houzeo’s signature MLS package and includes all the technology Houzeo is known for Houzeo Showings, Houzeo Offers, and DigiTransact.
• Platinum – $349+ 1% at closing: It includes the assistance of a licensed broker to help you with negotiations, disclosures, and closing.

👉 Our Take: We recommend Houzeo’s Gold plan for most home sellers. It gives you access to high-tech features like Houzeo Offers and Houzeo Showings.

» Houzeo Reviews: Houzeo is 100% online. You can finish listing formalities in less than 60 mins.

Houzeo is America’s #1 Flat Fee MLS service because of 8 reasons:

• Max Exposure: Houzeo attracts a monthly audience of more than 200,000 visitors. Moreover, when you use Houzeo, your home also gets listed on MLS, Zillow, Trulia, Realtor.com, and Redfin.
• Save Thousands in Commission: On average, home sellers who sold on Houzeo saved approximately $11,490. One seller even saved $45,000!
• Advanced Search: Home buyers can also access Houzeo’s advanced search feature. Using filters, you can narrow down to the exact home you’re searching for.
• 5-star Customer Service: Houzeo has a fully staffed customer service desk available 6 days a week. Chats and emails are open 7 days a week. This is rare in today’s world.
• 100% Online: Houzeo’s tech-centric approach means you won’t waste time printing, scanning, and emailing listing documents. Offers and showings too are online.
• No Listing Commission: In most states, you’ll be paying just a small flat fee to list on MLS. Houzeo covers 47 states + DC. And remember, all fees are disclosed upfront, so there are no Houzeo hidden fees.

There are no dealbreakers with Houzeo.

» Is Houzeo Good?  Houzeo addresses all Houzeo complaints from home sellers.

Houzeo has a 4.9/5 rating on Google & Trustpilot.

Realtor.com is America’s most comprehensive source of property listings. It is regarded as the best house-searching website and is the official listing website of the National Association of Realtors (NAR).

Pricing is not disclosed on the website. Although you will have to pay the common closing costs, home inspection, appraisal, etc..

👉 Our Take: We recommend Realtor.com if you are house-hunting. Accurate listing information and a substantial property database make it stand out from other real estate sites.

» Best FSBO Websites: High-tech FSBO sites are helping home sellers save $$$.

Here are some advantages of choosing Realtor.com:

• REALTOR Support: It is the official listing website of the National Association of Realtors (NAR). So, buyers can buy or rent a property through a Realtor.
• Neighborhood Information: Realtor.com is available nationwide and provides information about the property as well as neighborhood details.
• Accurate Data: It has accurate local information from 800 regional MLS, local broker associations, non-profit organizations, etc.
• Agent Support: Realtor.com provides a variety of options for selling through an agent.
• Home Value: Realtor.com offers accurate home value estimation.
• REALTORs Database: It has the biggest database of trust-worthy realtor communities.
• Best Calculators: Realtor.com provides mortgage and refinance calculators.
• Mobile App: Yes!

Realtor.com has some major drawbacks that a user should be aware of.

• Offline Process: Realtor.com has manual and offline procedures which can be very complex and time-taking.
• Poor Reviews: Realtor.com has very poor reviews on Trustpilot. Many of their users complain about their customer support and realtor’s services.
• Unwanted Calls: If you have ever inquired about a property on Realtor.com, you should expect unsolicited calls from their agents. As mentioned in some of their reviews.

Realtor.com has a poor rating of 2.2 out of 5 stars on Trustpilot.

Trulia, a Zillow subsidiary, is an online real estate marketplace for buyers and renters. They do not provide an MLS listing and instead only provide a comprehensive database of properties.

Trulia doesn’t charge users for features like browsing listings, photos, or contacting agents. However, it does offer premium features and advertising options that require payment.

👉 Our Take: We recommend Trulia’s app as it is powerful and that is easy to use

» Trulia Reviews: Is It Truly a Smart Choice to Sell or Rent? Read the comprehensive review to know more!

Trulia has an easy-to-use app that is preferred by a lot of customers. It has other following features:

• Extensive Listings: Trulia is a well-established online real estate marketplace with vast listings. It covers several property types and locations, allowing users to explore various options.
• Neighborhood Information: Trulia provides valuable neighborhood information, including crime rates, schools, amenities, and transportation options. This feature helps users make informed decisions about where they want to live.
• Agent Connectivity: Trulia allows users to connect with real estate agents directly through the platform. This service may benefit those who prefer to work with an agent when buying or renting a home.
• Mobile App: Trulia offers a mobile app for iOS and Android devices. They provide convenient access to property listings, saved searches, and notifications.
• Local Coverage: It offers a comprehensive map and filters, which make it easier to look for local information about the property.
• Best Calculators: Trulia has a mortgage, affordability, and refinancing calculator to serve you better.

» What is Trulia? Check this out to know more about Trulia and its working.

Here are some red flags you need to consider before choosing Trulia:

• No MLS Listings: Trulia does not directly provide access to MLS (Multiple Listing Service) listings. The company primarily relies on listings from agents and other sources.
• Limited FSBO Options: Trulia primarily caters to real estate professionals, so the site focuses on listings represented by agents. Thus, Trulia may not provide as much visibility to a For Sale By Owner home as an FSBO website.
• Pricing Information: Trulia does not publicly disclose specific pricing information for its premium advertising options for real estate professionals. For detailed pricing and package options, agents should contact Trulia directly.
• Listings Can be Outdated: Sometimes even if the house is sold, the listing is not updated. This can mislead the buyers.

Trulia has a rating of 3 out of 5 stars on G2

» Trulia pros and cons: Let’s find out all the merits and demerits about them.

RE/MAX is a network of franchised brokerages that are independently owned and operated. It has more than 125,000 agents across the U.S.

Pricing is not disclosed on the website, this means you might end up paying the traditional 3% to 6% commission.

👉 Our Take: We recommend RE/MAX  for its personalized agent service. The agents will guide you throughout the entire selling process and keep you updated on its progress.

Key features of RE/MAX  are:

• Personal Agent: RE/MAX agents guide you throughout your entire selling process and keep you updated on its progress.
• Pricing Your Home: Agents at RE/MAX will conduct an in-depth evaluation and a CMA of your property to price your home competitively.
• Extensive Marketing: Agents at RE/MAX use cutting-edge tools and implement multiple marketing strategies to ensure maximum exposure to your property.

Here are some red flags of RE/MAX:

• Poor Customer Reviews: RE/MAX has so many customer complaints. Previous customers have also said that the process took time and got delayed.

RE/MAX has a poor rating of  2.7 out of 5 stars on Consumer Affairs.

The Gambino Realtors is a local real estate firm. They have been active in Rockford since 1923. They offer a range of services, including residential and commercial sales, property management, and relocation assistance.

Pricing is not disclosed on the website, this means you might end up paying the traditional 3% to 6% commission.

👉 Our Take: We recommend this company for its map search feature. This helps users to get the exact location of the house.

Here are some advantages of Gambino Realtors you should consider before choosing them:

• Home Selling Services: Gambino Realtors provide services like marketing you home, virtual market analysis, market trends, and many more.
• Map Search: They offer a map search option on their website, which helps users to get the exact location of the house they are looking for.
• Strong Realtor Base: There are 100+ Realtors trained with a result-oriented mindset.
• Property Valuation: They provide property valuation services, which let you find your home worth and proceed accordingly.
• Lots & Land Search: They also let you search and buy land and plots.
• Add-on Services: They provide buying, leasing, and hosting services and manage open houses.

Here are some red flags you should consider before choosing them:

• Mobile App: They do have a mobile application but it has been removed from the store.

The Gambino Realtors is rated 4.1 out of 5 stars on Google reviews.

Rocket Homes is a one-stop shop for home buyers and sellers to find agents, browse listings, and apply for financing. Rocket Mortgage, their sister company, streamlines the home loan process and keeps everything organized.

Rocket Homes’ revenue comes from referring you to one of their partner agents and taking a percentage of the commission from the sale.

👉 Our Take: We recommend Rocket Homes for their one stop shop service, which includes properties, agents, and loans.

Here are some advantages of choosing Rocket Homes:

• One-Stop Shop: You can browse properties, connect with agents, and secure loans in one place with Rocket Mortgage.
• Nationwide Network: Rocket Homes have a nationwide network of trusted agents in 51 states.
• Multiple Selling Options: Rocket Homes offers 3 ways for sellers to sell their homes. i.e., with an agent, without an agent, and cash offers.
• Offers Personal Loans: Rocket Homes’ sister company, Rocket Mortgage offer personal loan and streamlines the home loan process.
• Mobile App: Rocket Homes has the best mobile app for buyers with a comprehensive search feature.

Here are some red flags of Rocket Homes, that could make your experience less satisfactory.

• No Financial Incentives: Rocket Homes do not offer any financial incentives, you will have to pay the standard 6% commission.
• High-Interest Rates: The loan interest rates of Rocket Homes are high. Also, they provide only two options for loan purchase and refinance i.e., 15 years and 30 years of the fixed loan period.

Rocket Homes have a 4.7 out of 5 stars rating on Google reviews.

Zillow is the largest real estate marketplace in the United States and has more than 40 million unique users every month.

FSBO Listing on Zillow – $0: You can list your home for free on Zillow’s FSBO platform.

MLS Listing via Zillow Premier Agent – 3% commission: A Zillow Premier Agent will assist you throughout your home selling process. However, this is the traditional way to sell your home and not the FSBO way.

👉 Our Take: If you are going FSBO, then we do not recommend Zillow as it limits your exposure. Further, you can also get multiple unsolicited calls from listing agents.

Here are some advantages of choosing Zillow:

• Biggest Database: Zillow has 135 million homes in its database. That makes Zillow the best website to start your home search on.
• Advanced Search: Zillow has saved your search criteria with its “save search” feature. It has more than 20 filters to narrow down your ideal property based on the preferences of price, beds and baths, home type, and many more.
• Largest Marketplace: With many tools and information for buyers, Zillow is the largest real estate website for buyers, renters, real estate agents, and much more.
• Mobile App: Yes.

Zillow has some major drawbacks that a user should be aware of.

• Poor Customer Reviews: Poor customer reviews and record-breaking debacles, as seen on Trustpilot.
• Your Listing Will be Hidden: Zillow hides FSBO listings under the “Other Listings” section, which most home buyers aren’t aware of.
• Buyer Leads go to Local Agents: Zillow does not prominently display owner information. Any buyer who tries to contact you will be matched with a Zillow agent instead.
• Your Info Will Become an FSBO Lead for Listing Agents: Agents target Zillow FSBO listings to extract owner info. You will get numerous unsolicited calls from these agents asking you to list with them.

Zillow has a poor rating of 1.7 out of 5 stars on Trustpilot.