We all know what real estate is, but we didn’t know that we would start doing real estate on mobile. Technology escalation brings this change in society, whether for online booking apps or Real Estate Apps like Zillow. As per the reports, the real estate market is set to hit 1 trillion USD by the end of 2030. Plus, it is expected to add 13% GDP by 2025.

This figure shows the demand for real estate app development is increasing. So, if you have a real estate business and are looking to build a real estate app like Zillow, then read this blog till the end.

This blog covers the development steps of real estate apps like Zillow, features, costs, monetization and other essential aspects.

So, let’s begin!

 

What is Zillow App?

Zillow is an app for real estate that lets users get in touch with agents. They can talk to real estate experts on Zillow and get the best deal whether they’re buying, selling, financing, or renting a home.

The business began in 2006 as a tech-based real estate market. The app can figure out what you need in a real estate deal and help users find an answer that fits those needs.

So, if you are intrigued with the idea to develop real estate apps like Zillow, you must consult with a mobile app development company.

 

Future Predictions & Projections of Real Estate

 

Source: Statista

 

• • It is thought that the world’s real estate market will be worth an amazing US$634.90tn by 2024.
  • Residential Real Estate is expected to have a market amount of US$516.80tn in the same year, making it the largest part of the market.
  • About 57 million people visited Zillow, which was a lot more than any other site in the list.
  • Going forward, the sector is expected to grow at a rate of 2.77 percent per year (CAGR 2024–2029), which will make the market worth 727.80 trillion dollars by 2029.
  • In a worldwide sense, it’s important to note that the US real estate market is expected to bring in the most money, with a whopping US$132.0tn expected to be made by 2024.
  • Trulia, which is owned by the Zillow Group, is the third most popular real estate website in the U.S., with 9.8 million users each month in 2023.

 

 

How Does the Zillow App Work?

Users can easily look for homes, keep up with real estate trends, and even get an idea of how much a house is worth with the Zillow app. Based on what a mobile app development services provider explained, this is how a simple Zillow app works.

 

 

1. Download and Install

First, get the Zillow app from the app stores on the user’s phone. After downloading, put it on the user’s app and make an account.

 

2. Search For Properties

In the search bar, type in the area, type of property, and price range you want. The app will show them a list of homes that meet their needs.

 

3. Explore Property Details

If you tap on a property entry, users can see more information about it, such as pictures, descriptions, features, and information about recent sales. They can also check to see if it’s for rent or sale right now.

 

4. Track Market Trends

In real time, Zillow shows things like changes in home values, rental prices, and losses. Users can use this knowledge to help them decide whether to buy or sell a house.

 

Cost to Build Real Estate Apps Like Zillow

Now that you have a good idea of the working mechanism of the Zillow app, let’s talk about the costs to develop real estate apps like Zillow. We know you’ve been waiting for this part to get an idea of the cost of real estate app development.

The cost to develop an app like Zillow clone can range from $10,000 to $25,000. Besides, you can measure the cost to build real estate apps like Zillow with the below formula:

 

Total Zillow App Development Cost = Developer’s Hour Rate * Development Time

 

Now you are well-versed with the real estate app development cost, it is time to consult with a real estate app development company. But first, let’s discuss the factors affecting the cost.

 

Factors Affecting the Zillow App Development Cost

We can all agree that making an app like Zillow is a good idea, so let’s talk about how much it might cost to make  a real estate app like Zillow. Making a business real estate app is more than just writing code. It’s a process with many steps, and the final cost to develop real estate apps like Zillow depends on many things.

 

 

1. App Complexity

First, know what can be if the real estate app development solution is complex. Having a more complicated feature can help you stay competitive in the market. It mostly depends on how you see it. Finding users is easy and doesn’t take much time if you have a complicated feature.

 

App Complexity	Cost Estimation
Simple Zillow-like App	$10000-$15000
Medium Zillow-like App	$15000-$20000
Complex Zillow-like App	$25000+

2. Platform Choice

Does anyone know if the Zillow app works on both iOS and Android? It is, yes. Now it depends on how many people you want to talk to and who you want to talk to. You can hire mobile app developers in this case. In the table below, you can see information about the tool, how it works, and how much it costs.

 

Features	Function	Average Cost
User Login	Login with social media, email address, forgot password, log out	$200-$500
Profile Completion	Add basic info, photo, region	$400-$700
Messaging	Online/offline status, typing status, send media files, read/sent status	$600-$800
Push Notifications	Push notifications and reminders for users	$800-$1,000
Basic Admin Panel: User Management	See list of users, delete/block user, create/edit user	$500-$900

3. Tech Stack

Technology is an area that is always changing in real estate apps like Zillow. And you won’t be able to understand it until you keep it up to date. A guide for the mobile app like Redfin or Zillow tech stack is all you need to keep up with changes in technology and stay aware of them.

Let’s look at the below table of tech stack that affect the cost to develop an app like Zillow.

 

Requirements	Tech Stack
Frameworks and Libraries	Next.js, Node.js,React,
Programming Languages	HTML, Java, CSS, JavaScript and PHP
Domain Name Services	Cloudflare CDN, Amazon Route 53, Infoblox NIOS, GoDaddy premium DNS, Google Cloud DNS or UltraDNS
Content Delivery Networks	Cloudflare CDN, Microsoft Azure CDN, Amazon CloudFront or ‎Rackspace Cdn, Google Cloud CDN
Web Accelerators	Cloudflare Website Optimization, Amazon DynamoDB, AWS Global  Accelerator, Azure Singular Service, or ApacheBooster
Utilities	Amazon SNS, AWS elasticate, AWS Chatbot, ElasticSearch, Postman, Twilio

4. App’s UI/UX Design

You can think of UI/UX design as designing the user experience for a website or an application. You need to finish the UI/UX interface before you can figure out the cost to develop an app like Zillow. Before you can make a user interface, you need to know how they are designed. So, here is a table that will show you everything.

 

App Process	Design Tasks	Average Development Cost (Approx)
App Design Research	Market research, Competitor analysis, Market trend analysis, Selecting ideal solutions	$120-$240
UX Design	Rough sketches, Low fidelity wireframes, High fidelity wireframes	$1300-$1700
UI Design (Visuals)	Mood boards, UI mockup samples, Final UI mockups	$1500-$2000
Branding	Creating brand identity (Logos, Icons, Social media)	$600-$1450

5. Development Team

As we reach the last factor that affects the cost to create an app like Zillow, you should know that the location and level of skill of mobile app developers are two things that play a role in the cost to develop real estate apps like Zillow. To find out more, please look at the table given.

 

Region	App Development Cost
India	$15-25/hr
United States	$60-170/hr
Ukraine	$30-100/hr
Australia	$80-200/hr
Russia	$60-150/hr

Steps To Develop a Real Estate App Like Zillow

Now comes the main part of the blog. So, you must be wondering “how to build real estate apps like Zillow?”. Well, it can be quite challenging to create an app like Zillow. But fret not! We have jotted down the step-by-step process to develop a real estate app like Zillow by consulting with our developers.

 

 

1. Discovery Stage

Discovering the target market, rivals, and user group is the main goal of the first part, “discovery.” To find trends and gaps in the real estate tech world, it’s important to do a lot of market study.

The main goal here is not only to come up with an idea for apps like Truila or Zillow, but also to make sure that it fits the needs and wants of people who might use it.

By the end of the discovery phase, you should have a detailed mobile app development roadmap that includes clear goals, core functions, and a long-term plan for how the real estate apps like Zillow will get from the idea stage to the point where you know how to start it.

 

2. Design Stage

While the idea for the app is still fresh, the design part takes the lead. Here is where the idea for the app turns into a real, eye-catching design.

In real estate website development, putting the audience first is the most important thing to do. The design should focus on making navigation easy, so people can have the best experience on phones and desktop. Examples of mobile app wireframes can help show you how to do this.

Also, when you develop a real estate app like Zillow, great visual features like high-quality pictures and, if possible, video tours should be thought of. Users may be more interested in offered homes if the pictures are clear and look good.

 

3. App Development Stage

Getting a plan to work in the real world isn’t always easy. To begin, your app needs to be able to handle a lot of info. Real estate apps like Zillow depend on up-to-date data like property details, market trends, and information specific to a place. You should make sure that apps work well together.

The focus on visual material is another problem in real estate mobile app development. Make sure your Android app development services provider knows how to use cutting-edge technologies like AI or virtual reality to make an experience that is both engaging and visually appealing.

 

Note: To be safe and get the app out to the market faster, we often tell our clients to start the app development process with MVP app development.

 

4. Testing Stage

Testing the app carefully to find any bugs and make sure it works well on all devices and in all situations is done often. Testing a mobile app is important to make sure it works well and keeps users happy.

We always tell our clients that testing should be a part of every step of the development process in order to get the most out of it all. This can be done with codeless automation testing tools.

 

5. Launch and Post-Release Support

Often, the success of the app launch depends on how well the steps that came before were planned and carried out. A successful start includes good marketing plans, ways to get users involved, and using feedback from the MVP example you built to make the last few changes.

Many people think that the process stops when the app is launched, which is not true. As time goes on, you should keep your real estate apps for buyers and sellers updated by adding new features and improving the ones you already have.

It is advisable to avail real estate app maintenance services from a reputed mobile app development company. Additionally, you can be in touch with users and promote the app as a flexible option in the real estate market, which is very competitive.

 

 

Essential Features of Zillow App Development

Now you know the steps to develop a real estate app like Zillow, let’s now check out the key features that you need to integrate in your app.

 

1. Database

In this service format, you have to deal with a wide range of people and their details, reports, and other archives. Thus, you need to churn out and refer to a huge amount of daily data and put it into a given process to assist you in gathering information.

Hence, you will require a detailed database and a compliant system to assist you in serving the communications requirements and trade well.

Zillow provides access to its data via MLS (multiple listing service) systems and the National Association of Realtors, also known as NAR. They also take assistance from various third-party vendors, real estate companies, and property agents to get that database working.

2. Advanced Search Functionality

It is among the key features of any real estate app. The more sorted and responsive your search events are, the better the entire user experience. It is the case in leading apps in this particular domain. In case you are collecting information on how to create real estate apps like Zillow, it is vital to study their embedded search functionality in detail.

You need to include various essential search parameters such as property type, location, amenities, and price ranges and then break them into various advanced search options. It helps users easily drill down to the most important and relevant details according to their requirements.

 

Features An Ideal Real Estate Search Mobile App

3. Display of Graphical Listing

To achieve much better quality and more engagement of users with the listings. It will help if you put them up with different visuals. Zillow replaces the complete listing descriptions with intuitive and presentable graphics.

You can easily choose to display various graphical interpretations on the app on Android and iOS platforms. It is easy to do by utilizing SDKs for graphs and charts.

Plus, it will allow you to easily put maps and pictures of the various properties along with the directions and street views sourced by Google. This particular feature is quite interactive and valuable to the users, and it is best maintained through reviews for the various Zillow listings over the various app stores.

4. Detailed Map

You have to put it with well-appointed detailed maps. It includes utilizing the markers to display the neighborhood information that allows you to filter as per the various search criteria. It can be displayed further with various clustered details in case too much information needs to show.

It shows how you segregate and prioritize the full information and allow the user to sort them can make a substantial difference easily. Users can consult with a real estate app development company to suggest how to place the map functionality to replicate this particular feature of the Zillow app.

5. Implementing Save Search to Retain Users

The saving search feature is similar to the “save to cart.” We often see it on any e-commerce website, which may appear in a small corner. Still, it has a broader impact on serving and retaining the users.

These particular saved searches allow the users to quickly refer to previous last activities of these users with the assistance of auto-suggestion and prompt them to search from where they left last continuously.

 

6. Selling and Buying Applications

The main aim of such an app is to quickly look for houses in different districts, contact the dealers, and arrange negotiations with these people. One of the most distinct and distinguishing features of such an app could be the opportunity to avoid the presence of adventurers. Plus, users must ensure they are dealing with the right and genuine person to buy or sell an apartment or house.

7. Extensions of Mortgage

It is difficult to understand the popularity of mortgages after the financial meltdown in the real estate market. However, it has become famous, and people are now doing business with this.

As you are aware, the arrangements of the entire mortgage calculations aren’t the easiest in the world. So, there is a significant need for a particular helper who will allow you to hold all the different operations properly, quickly, and efficiently.

Must-Have Advanced Features For Real Estate Apps Like Zillow

Developers who build any application want to get popular among the audience. Plus, they want revenue from that app because they invested some cost to develop a mobile app. So, to achieve that, they should invest in features correctly.

There are some features that your application should have. Without these features, your application would gain popularity among the audience, and even they would choose your application over others.

 

1. Registration/ User OnBoarding

It is the essential feature of a real estate app, and it should be as simple as possible. There are three main ways to do this.

• Social Media authorization
• Authorization via email
• Phone verification

A developer can use the above methods to allow users to sign up for your application. However, combining all three methods can be the best option as well.

2. Profile Management/ Users Profiles

Users should be able to make profiles in your app so that they are eligible to perform any activities in the app. Plus, different users should have different identities so that every user has a unique identity. Suppose you need to develop Android app development, then you must require a user profiles feature.

3. Property Listing/ listings Database

The property listing is another basic feature of the real estate app. Users should have a list of the properties with all the necessary details in those listings. It would create a good impression, plus, it will help them. iPhone app development is the best example of a listing database.

4. Search Filtration

To simplify the property searching process for your users. The developer needs to provide advanced search options to the users. Moreover, it can add categories and filters so that users can quickly locate a property that suits their needs.

 

Best Real Estate Apps Like Zillow

Before you develop a real estate app like Zillow, it is vital to know your competitors. So, we have listed one of the top real estate apps for reference.

 

Top Real Estate Apps Like Zillow	Available Platform	Downloads	Ratings
Redfin	Android | iOS	5M+	4.4
Trulia	Android | iOS	10M+	4.5
Realtor.com	Android | iOS	10M+	4.4
SpareRoom	Android | iOS	1M+	4.7
No Broker	Android | iOS	10M+	4.3

 

List of MLS and API to Develop Perfect Real Estate Mobile App

Why Is It Important To Fix A Budget For Your Project?

You should now have a good idea of the cost to build a real estate app like Zillow. Moving further, we will learn why it’s crucial to set a budget. Setting a budget helps you understand how everything fits together and ensures you take the right steps to build real estate apps like Zillow. That’s why you should remember these things before you start working on the growth of your business:

 

● Helps Identify the Actual Needs

Setting a budget for app development helps you think about what the end users want, so you can give them what they need right now. This will make it easy for you to understand what features your app like SpareRoom or Zillow needs and help you make the right choices.

 

● Aids in Market Research

The moment you think about your budget, you have to go out and do a lot of study on the market to find out what the going rates are.

 

● You Need the MVP

That meeting with the investors will only happen if you have a minimum viable product. To figure out how much and how long an MVP will take, you need to have a budget.

 

● Need to Save for Marketing

It would be silly to think that your work and costs will end when the app is finished. The big challenge is getting the app out there, selling it, and getting it to the right people.

The costs that come up after the development is done are what really matter for the success of an app. You can find out how much the on-demand real estate app development costs.

 

How To Monetize Your Real Estate Apps Like Zillow?

So far, you know the cost and how your budget will affect that cost. Now is the time to learn about the ways to make money that will help you figure out how to make money when you make an app like Zillow.

 

 

1. In-app Advertisement

You can make money from your real estate mobile app by putting ads on it. Businesses that offer services like interior designers, architects, and furniture sellers may be interested in putting ads for their goods and services on your app. You can also choose to have ads shown to users in certain areas of the mobile app like Relator.com or Zillow in exchange for a fee.

 

2. Commission Based App

For agents, you can charge a small fee. An example of this would be getting a small fee from the seller for every house that they sell. A broker will pay the fee for the five homes that were sold through your real estate apps like Zillow if he or she offered fifteen homes and sold five of them through your app.

 

3. Featured Listings

There are paid plans for buyers who want to put their name and properties at the top of the app so that as many people as possible see them. Until they have a plan, paid featured listing services on your app list the homes.

 

4. Premium Subscription

People who are interested in the real estate business can choose paid membership plans that come with extra benefits like ad-free versions, alerts when new properties are added, and more. You can offer sellers subscription deals that include up to fifteen ads per month as well as extra features that free sellers won’t be able to use.

 

 

Let’s Make Robust Real Estate Apps Like Zillow!

Real estate is a profitable industry. If you want to develop a real estate app like Zillow, now is the perfect time to invest. But but but…if you are planning on creating real estate apps like Zillow, you need to consider multiple monetization methods like in-app purchase, freemium model for a good revenue stream.

Also, you must not forget to start off with an MVP(a backbone version of your real estate app). As the demand for blockchain in real estate Industry is increasing.

So, all you need to do is consult with a real estate mobile app development company who can integrate blockchain in real estate apps for a robust Zillow app development solution within your budget.

 

Frequently Asked Question’s

 

1. How Much Does It Cost To Develop An App Like Zillow?

The cost to develop a real estate app like Zillow varies depending on your project requirement. It generally costs you around $10000-$25000 or more.

 

2. How Long Does It Take To Build An App Like Zillow?

The time to develop a real estate app like Zillow will take around 2-8 months. But it can fluctuate on the basis of multiple factors like app complexity, features etc.

 

3. What Are the Benefits of Zillow App Development?

When you invest in real estate app development, you will get many benefits:

• Increased visibility
• Lead generation
• Brand awareness
• Enhanced customer service

4. How To Use AI in Real Estate industry?

Businesses can use AI in real estate industry in the following ways:

• Enhanced real estate marketing
• Prediction of market-competitive property value
• Advanced real estate analysis
• Personalized customer experience
• AI-powered property management

5. How To Build A Real Estate App Like Zillow?

You can develop a real estate app like Zillow just by following the below steps:

• Do conduct research
• Know your competitor apps
• Create a feature list
• Design user interface
• Develop the backend
• Test & launch

6. How To Make Money From Real Estate App Development?

To earn money from your real estate app with the following methods:

• In-app purchase
• In-app advertisement
• Freemium model
• Subscription model