Best New Home Search Websites
Customer Ratings of Top websites in the 2025 America's Most Trusted Study
In the digital age, selecting the right new home search website has become pivotal for homebuyers navigating the often overwhelming real estate market. With a multitude of platforms available, each boasting an array of features—such as detailed property listings, advanced filtering options, and user-friendly interfaces—consumers are not just looking for listings but for a comprehensive, streamlined experience. The right website can significantly enhance the home search journey, enabling buyers to access timely information, engage with local real estate agents, and make informed decisions. The convenience and functionality of these platforms can mean the difference between a stressful search and a seamless one.
Yet, as homebuyers dive into the sea of options, one crucial factor often stands out: brand trust. Consumers gravitate toward platforms that inspire confidence in an environment rife with potential pitfalls, from inaccurate listings to hidden expenses. Trust in a website’s brand can significantly influence decision-making, impacting everything from the likelihood of clicking on a listing to the willingness to share personal information. When it comes to one of the most significant financial investments many will make in their lifetime, the perception of trustworthiness can transform a mere website into a go-to resource, making it imperative for brands to cultivate and communicate this trust effectively.
To delve deeper into the dynamics of brand trust in the home search process, we turn to America’s Most Trusted® study. This comprehensive research initiative aims to uncover how consumers perceive and select new home search websites, focusing specifically on trust and reputation’s role in their choices. By examining this crucial intersection of trust and decision-making, we can better understand what drives homebuyers to rely on certain platforms over others.
The 2025 America’s Most Trusted Study
Introduced over a decade ago, America’s Most Trusted® has emerged as a pivotal initiative for understanding the intricate relationship between consumer trust and brand loyalty. This influential study sheds light on how trust influences buying decisions each year, providing brands with invaluable insights to navigate a competitive landscape. The study has become a cornerstone for brands seeking to establish and maintain strong customer connections by emphasizing trust's critical role in consumer behavior. With annual updates released every January, America’s Most Trusted® has solidified its status as the definitive benchmark for brand trust across various sectors.
At its core, "brand trust" encapsulates a customer’s belief in a brand’s reliability and ability to fulfill its promises. This trust is not merely an abstract concept but a tangible asset that can significantly impact a brand’s bottom line. When consumers trust a brand, they are more likely to engage with it, recommend it to others, and remain loyal over time. In the fiercely competitive arena of home search websites, where choices abound, and stakes are high, cultivating brand trust becomes even more crucial. The ramifications of trust extend beyond mere loyalty; they shape consumer perceptions and ultimately influence purchasing decisions.
Every year, Lifestory Research conducts an extensive survey for the America’s Most Trusted® study, polling thousands of individuals about their perceptions and experiences with various brands. Participants share their insights while shopping for specific products, allowing researchers to gauge the levels of trust associated with different brands. The Net Trust Quotient Score (NTQS) is central to this evaluation, a validated metric that assesses consumer confidence in a brand within its product category.
The study aims to deliver comprehensive, consumer-driven insights into brand performance by employing rigorous social and opinion science methodologies. With the ever-evolving landscape of home search platforms, understanding which new home search websites rank highest in trust among consumers can illuminate critical trends and preferences in the market.
What are the most trustworthy brands in America? What companies do people see as trustworthy? What are the top brands people trust the most?
2025 America’s Most Trusted Home Search Website
In the Lifestory Research 2025 America’s Most Trusted® Home Search Website Study, Zillow has emerged as the leading choice for individuals on the hunt for a new home. With a Net Trust Quotient Score of 108.8, Zillow topped the rankings, demonstrating the highest level of consumer trust among prominent home search platforms. This is the fourth consecutive year of the study in which Zillow was rated by consumers as the most trusted website.
This comprehensive study is grounded in the feedback of 51,024 individuals actively engaged in searching for a new home through various websites. The rankings highlight the most trusted platforms in order: Zillow, Realtor, Homes, Redfin, Point2homes, Trulia, and Movoto. To qualify for the rankings, brands needed to gather a sufficient number of survey responses to ensure a 95% confidence level, with a margin of error not exceeding 3%.
TOP 7 Ranked Home Search Websites – 2025 Customer Ratings
| 1 | Zillow.com | 108.8 | ★★★★★ |
| 2 | Realtor.com | 107.0 | ☆☆☆☆ |
| 3 | Homes.com | 97.8 | ☆☆ |
| 4 | Redfin.com | 97.5 | ☆☆ |
| 5 | Point2homes.com | 97.5 | ☆☆ |
| 6 | Trulia.com | 95.2 | ☆☆ |
| 7 | Movoto.com | 94.1 | ☆☆ |
No promotional use or advertising can be made of America's Most Trusted® survey results without the express prior written consent of Lifestory Research. America's Most Trusted® is a registered trademark of Lifestory with all rights reserved. Study results are based on survey responses and should not be considered legal or financial advice. Your experiences may vary.
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Websites Ranked in Study
The Lifestory Research America’s Most Trusted® research study actively surveys new home shoppers throughout the year in the United States. The study is focused on measuring consumers' opinions of the market's most recognized new home search websites.
Here, we provide information on the brands in the 2025 America’s Most Trusted® study. The brands are presented in the order they ranked in the 2025 America’s Most Trusted® study.
Zillow
Zillow.com is a real estate and rental marketplace operated by Zillow Group, headquartered in Seattle, Washington. Established in 2006, the Zillow.com platform is a widely utilized resource for homebuyers, sellers, and renters, offering access to property listings, home value estimates, and connections to real estate professionals. The Zillow user-generated content and market data integration allow users to make informed decisions in their real estate transactions.
Realtor
Realtor.com is managed by Move, Inc., a subsidiary of News Corp, and is based in Santa Clara, California. Launched in 1995, the site provides extensive property listings alongside various tools designed to support users in buying, selling, and renting homes. Realtor.com is affiliated with the National Association of Realtors (NAR), which enables it to offer a range of resources and listings that are updated frequently to reflect current market conditions.
Homes
Homes.com, owned by CoStar Group and headquartered in Norfolk, Virginia, was launched in 1999. The Homes.com platform features property listings and neighborhood insights to assist buyers, sellers, and renters in their home search endeavors. Homes.com also provides various tools and resources to facilitate the home-buying process, such as mortgage calculators and market analysis.
Redfin
Redfin.com is both a real estate brokerage and an online marketplace, based in Seattle, Washington, and launched in 2006. Redfin operates as a traditional real estate brokerage while also providing a digital platform for property listings and home value estimates. Redfin differentiates itself by offering a combination of technology-driven services and real estate agent support, catering to both buyers and sellers.
Point2Homes
Point2Homes.com, a real estate search platform operated by Yardi Systems Inc., was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in Santa Barbara, California. The Point2Homes website provides comprehensive property listings and related information to users. Point2Homes is part of a larger suite of real estate software solutions offered by Yardi, which enhances its functionality for users seeking to navigate the housing market.
Trulia
Trulia.com, also owned by Zillow Group, is a real estate and rental marketplace established in 2005 and based in San Francisco, California. The Trulia platform emphasizes neighborhood insights, school ratings, local amenities, and property listings. The Trulia focus on community information aims to assist homebuyers and renters in understanding the context of their potential new homes.
Movoto
Movoto.com Real Estate is a search platform founded in 2005 and headquartered in San Mateo, California. The Movoto website provides property listings and various resources to simplify the home buying process. Movoto incorporates features designed to help users navigate the complexities of real estate transactions, including detailed market data and user-friendly tools for buyers and sellers.
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Foundational Principles
At Lifestory Research, we pride ourselves on being an independent research company committed to delivering unbiased and accurate insights into consumer behavior. Unlike many studies that lean on expert opinions or committees, our approach is rooted firmly in the voices of consumers themselves. This commitment ensures that our findings seek to reflect public sentiment.
By prioritizing consumer opinions, we effectively eliminate the biases that can come from personal agendas or industry affiliations. Our research methodology captures a wide array of perspectives, allowing our results to be representative of the broader population.
Core Principles of Quality Research
We uphold several foundational principles that define top-tier consumer research:
Reliability: We ensure our research consistently produces accurate results.
Validity: Our methods guarantee we measure what we intend to measure.
Objectivity: We take great care to avoid bias throughout the research process.
Generalizability: Our findings can be applied to the larger population.
Our Commitment to Excellence
Lifestory Research adheres to these principles through a series of rigorous practices:
Rigorous Sampling Methods: We carefully select representative samples to generalize our findings to the broader population.
Standardized Survey Instruments: These ensure consistency and reliability in data collection.
Quality Control Measures: Our team meticulously reviews and analyzes data to identify and rectify inconsistencies.
Ethical Standards: We prioritize the well-being of our participants and uphold their privacy throughout the research process.
When you explore our findings, you can trust that they are grounded in the authentic opinions of real people. This dedication to integrity makes our research a valuable resource for businesses and consumers.
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What Is the America’s Most Trusted® Study?
The America’s Most Trusted® study focuses on evaluating brands that offer products or services to consumers in their homes, particularly in the residential new home industry. Instead of attempting to survey every brand, the study specifically targets the largest and most impactful brands in this sector.
How Does the Survey Work?
Conducted throughout the year, the America’s Most Trusted® survey aims to gather consumer opinions while minimizing biases that might arise from external events or trends. This year-long approach helps capture a more accurate snapshot of consumer sentiments.
Participants are surveyed based on specific criteria, such as whether they are actively considering a purchase in a relevant category—like buying a home, faucet, HVAC. Only those who express familiarity with a brand are invited to share their opinions on its trustworthiness, ensuring that the study reflects genuine consumer insights.
The Importance of Brand Awareness
An essential component of the study is brand awareness. Participants are first asked to identify brands they recognize. Only those who are familiar with a brand proceed to answer questions about it. This criterion ensures that only brands with sufficient public recognition are included in the final trust rankings.
Sampling Methodology
The study employs a non-probability sampling design, relying on online panels to recruit participants. Online panels are organizations that have an established relationship with consumers who agree to complete opinion surveys. Lifestory randomly ask consumers questions that identify consumers shopping for a specific product. Qualified consumers complete an online survey in which they are asked a set of questions about specific product brands.
The number of people completing a survey is referred to as the sample size. Each of the America’s Most Trusted studies seek to obtain a sample size that is large enough to be representative. The sample size is also designed to collect a large number of consumer opinions to minimize error and to assure the study results reflect the majority of consumers sentiment about a brand.
Calculating Trust Scores
At the heart of the America’s Most Trusted® study is the Net Trust Quotient Score. Participants evaluate brands based on their trustworthiness through a series of targeted questions. The responses are then categorized into three groups:
Advocates: Consumers who express strong trust in the brand.
Neutrals: Those who trust the brand but do not consider it superior to others.
Antagonists: Consumers with little to no trust in the brand.
These evaluations are quantified using a statistical method called a z-score, which standardizes the responses, allowing for easy comparison across brands. The results are ultimately transformed into T scores, which are more intuitive for understanding how each brand ranks relative to the mean score of all brands surveyed.
Additional information about the study can be found on the survey methodology page of this website.
Additional insights and questions about the America’s Most Trusted® study can be found in the frequently asked questions section of this website.