Choosing the right property data service can make or break your real estate business. Here's what you need to know:
- Data quality is key: Look for complete, accurate, and up-to-date information
- Coverage matters: Ensure the service covers your target areas with detailed data
- Check system connectivity: A solid API is crucial for smooth integration
- Provider track record: Go for experienced companies with a proven history
- Support and training: Good documentation and customer support are essential
- Scalability: Choose a service that can grow with your business
- Compare prices: Costs vary widely, from flat fees to tiered pricing
- Unique features: Look for standout tools that match your specific needs
When evaluating services, consider:
- Data completeness and accuracy
- Update frequency
- Geographic coverage
- API capabilities
- Security measures
- Company reputation
- Customer support quality
- Pricing structure
- Scalability options
- Unique selling points
Quick Comparison:
| Feature | The Land Portal | DataTree | PropStream | Connected Investors | RealQuest Pro |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AI lot detection | ✓ | - | - | - | - |
| Skip tracing | ✓ | - | ✓ | ✓ | - |
| Advanced filtering | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Nationwide coverage | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Direct mail | - | - | ✓ | - | - |
| Heat map | - | - | - | - | ✓ |
| Monthly cost | Not specified | Varies | $97 | Not specified | $150 - $275 |
| Commitment | No long-term | 12 months | No long-term | No long-term | 12 months |
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Key Data Quality Factors
When choosing property data aggregation services, you need to focus on a few crucial factors. These can make or break your real estate decisions. Let's look at what you should watch out for.
Data Completeness
Data completeness is the foundation of any good property dataset. It's not just about having some info - you need ALL the important pieces.
A complete property record should have:
- Property address
- Square footage
- Number of bedrooms and bathrooms
- Year built
- Last sale date and price
- Current owner information
- Zoning information
Miss one of these? Your analysis could be off, leading to bad decisions. In fact, Gartner found that companies lose an average of $15 million per year due to poor data quality.
When looking at a service provider, ask them:
"How do you collect your data? What specific fields do you include in your property records?"
Data Accuracy Checks
Accuracy is KING in real estate data. Wrong info can cost you big time.
Take HouseCanary, for example. Their Automated Valuation Models (AVMs) are usually within 5% of the actual selling price. That's the kind of accuracy you want.
When checking out a data service, ask:
- "Do you cross-check your data with official county records?"
- "How often do you update your info?"
- "What do you do when you find errors?"
Remember: Even a tiny mistake can cause big problems in real estate deals.
Data Format Standards
You need consistent data formats across different datasets. Why? So you can easily compare and analyze properties.
The Real Estate Standards Organization (RESO) has set up data standards for this reason. When looking at a service, check if they follow RESO standards or have their own consistent format.
Duplicate Record Checks
Duplicate records can mess up your analysis. A good data service should have ways to spot and remove these duplicates.
The Warren Group, for instance, regularly checks and removes outdated and inaccurate records. They make sure each property only shows up once in their database.
Update Timing
In real estate, old info can be useless. How often the data gets updated can really affect your decisions.
Stantem, for example, offers real-time data updates in their premium plans. This can give you an edge in fast-moving markets.
When looking at update timing, ask:
- "How often do you refresh your data?"
- "Do you update in real-time or on a schedule?"
- "How fast do you reflect major changes like sales or foreclosures?"
Data Range and Detail
When choosing a property data service, you need to know what you're getting. Let's look at the key things to check.
Location Coverage
First up: where does the data cover? You need to make sure the service has info for all the areas you care about.
Take PropertyRadar. They cover all 50 states with data on over 150 million properties. That's great if you work all over the U.S.
First American DataTree goes even further. They say they cover over 100% of U.S. housing. That means you're unlikely to miss anything.
When you're talking to providers, ask:
"Do you have data for all the counties and states I work in?" "How detailed is your local data?" "Are there any holes in your coverage I should know about?"
Past Data Access
Old property data can tell you a lot. It helps you spot trends and guess what might happen next.
ATTOM is good for this. They have lots of old data on sales, mortgages, and foreclosures. This lets you see a property's whole story and make better guesses about what it might be worth later.
Think about:
- How far back does the old data go?
- What kinds of old data can you get?
- Is it easy to look at and use the old data?
Data Sources
Where the data comes from matters. More sources usually means better, more complete info.
CoreLogic gets data from 99.9% of U.S. property records and over 140 million mapped parcels. Using lots of sources helps make sure the data is right and complete.
Black Knight does something similar. They cover 99.9% of the U.S. population by getting data straight from county offices. This can mean you get newer, more reliable info.
Ask providers:
"Where do you get your property data?" "How often do you update it?" "Do you check data from different sources to make sure it's right?"
System Connection Options
When choosing property data aggregation services, you need to think about how they'll work with your current tools and handle data. Let's look at the key things to check.
API Features
A good API can make your property data integration smooth or a nightmare. Here's what to look for:
Real-time access: Can you get data instantly? Zillow's Bridge API gives you live MLS listings, so you can show fresh property info on your site or app.
Customization: Can you tweak how data is shown? The ATTOM Data API lets you customize property reports and market trends for your needs.
Data format: Does it use easy-to-work-with formats like JSON? The Bridge API sends data in JSON, which most coding languages can handle easily.
Coverage: Does it have all the data you need? CoreLogic's API offers a ton of info - property details, ownership, mortgages, and risk assessments.
Always check the provider's docs. They'll show you what's possible and how to use it.
Data Safety Measures
Keeping property data safe is a must. Here's what to look for:
Encryption: Does it use strong encryption? Look for HTTPS with TLS 1.3 for data moving around, and AES-256 for stored data. These are top-notch security standards.
Authentication: How does it check who's accessing the data? OAuth, API keys, or JWT tokens are common. Multi-factor authentication (MFA) adds extra security.
Access controls: Can you control who sees what? This helps you follow real estate data rules.
Compliance: Does it follow rules like GDPR or HIPAA? This depends on where you are and what data you're handling.
Regular checks: Does the service get security check-ups? A SOC 2 Type 2 cert under SSAE 16 means they take security seriously.
"Cybersecurity is no longer a box to check; it's an imperative endeavor that protects sensitive information, which is often your competitive advantage."
Service Provider Checklist
When choosing a property data aggregation service, you need to take a close look at the provider's background and support. Here's what to focus on:
Company Track Record
A provider's history can tell you a lot about how reliable they are. Check out:
How long they've been around: Older companies often know their stuff better. Take The Warren Group - they've been in the real estate data game since 1872. That's a long time!
What clients say: Look for reviews from businesses like yours. For example, MAXA Designs (a real estate design firm) used LiveBy's neighborhood data to make their marketing better.
Industry cred: Have they won awards? Got any important certifications?
Data accuracy: Ask about their error rates. How do they fix mistakes? ATTOM Data, for instance, is known for detailed property reports and market trends.
Help and Training Materials
Good support can make or break your experience. Here's what to look for:
Customer support: Try contacting their support team. Are they quick to respond? Helpful? DataTree is known for great customer service, but they make you sign up for a year.
Guides and docs: Look for clear API docs, user guides, and tutorials. Zillow Group, CoreLogic, and LiveBy all have good API documentation.
Training: Do they offer webinars or video tutorials? These can help your team get up to speed fast.
User community: Some providers have forums or knowledge bases where you can ask questions and share tips with other users.
Service Quality Basics
Let's talk about two key things you need to look at when choosing a property data service: how reliable it is and how it can grow with your business.
System Reliability
Reliability is a big deal. You need data that's there when you need it.
Uptime is crucial. The best services aim for 99.999% uptime. But what does that really mean?
| Uptime Percentage | Average Annual Downtime |
|---|---|
| 99% | 87 hours, 40 minutes |
| 99.9% | 8 hours, 46 minutes |
| 99.99% | 52 minutes, 36 seconds |
| 99.999% | 5 minutes, 16 seconds |
Even 99% uptime means almost 88 hours of downtime a year. That's not great if you're trying to close a deal.
Fresh data is key. Some providers, like Stantem, offer real-time updates in their top plans. This can give you an edge in fast markets.
When you're checking out a provider, ask:
- "What's your uptime been like in the last year?"
- "How often do you update your data?"
- "How do you handle unexpected downtime?"
Don't forget: reliability isn't just about being online. It's about consistent performance, even during busy times.
Growth Options
As your business grows, your data needs will too. You need a service that can keep up.
Look for flexibility. Good providers offer different plans. Stantem, for example, has plans ranging from 30,000 to unlimited property exports per month.
Check the API. As you grow, you might want to plug property data right into your systems. A good API makes this easy. Make sure the provider has clear API docs and support.
Think about coverage. You might start local, but later need national or even global data. Make sure your provider can expand with you.
When looking at growth options, think about:
- How the pricing scales
- How easy it is to change your plan
- What extra features or data you can get as you grow
- How well it handles more data and complex needs
Choose a service that not only meets your current needs but can also grow with your business. It'll save you headaches down the road.
Service Comparison Charts
Let's compare top property data aggregation services. We'll look at features, pricing, and value.
Core Features Comparison
| Feature | The Land Portal | DataTree | PropStream | Connected Investors | RealQuest Pro |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AI-powered vacant lot detection | ✓ | - | - | - | - |
| Skip tracing | ✓ | - | ✓ | ✓ | - |
| Advanced filtering | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Nationwide coverage | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Direct mail capabilities | - | - | ✓ | - | - |
| Heat map visualization | - | - | - | - | ✓ |
The Land Portal's AI-powered vacant lot detection is unique. PropStream offers a full marketing toolkit. Connected Investors hits a sweet spot for real estate investors.
Pricing Structure
| Service | Pricing Model | Monthly Cost | Commitment |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Land Portal | Monthly subscription | Not specified | No long-term |
| DataTree | Usage-based | Varies | 12 months |
| PropStream | Flat fee | $97 | No long-term |
| Connected Investors | Monthly subscription | Not specified | No long-term |
| RealQuest Pro | Tiered packages | $150 - $275 | 12 months |
PropStream's $97/month with no strings attached is tempting. RealQuest Pro costs more but offers tiered options.
Data Quality and Sources
DataTree uses public records and GIS mapping data. It's solid for deep property research. PropStream pulls from multiple sources, potentially offering fresher, more complete info.
The Land Portal zeroes in on land investors with custom filters and AI features. If you're in the land game, this could be gold.
User Experience and Support
Connected Investors gives you 2,500 free skip traces and 5,000 free records monthly. That's a big money-saver for regular users. Their platform is built for real estate investors, so it might feel more intuitive if that's your focus.
DataTree is known for easy list-pulling and property research. But you're locked in for 12 months, which might not work for everyone.
Unique Selling Points
Each service has its strong suit:
- The Land Portal: Bundles multiple services for less, with AI tools for land investors.
- DataTree: Tons of filtering options, easy to use for property research.
- PropStream: Full marketing toolkit, flat-fee pricing.
- Connected Investors: Investor-focused features, free monthly allowances.
- RealQuest Pro: Advanced visualization, flexible list creation.
Your choice depends on your needs. Land investor? The Land Portal might be your best bet. Need marketing tools? Look at PropStream. Want advanced visualization and flexible data access across the U.S.? RealQuest Pro might be worth the extra cost.
Summary
Picking the right property data aggregation service can make or break your real estate business. Here's what you need to know:
Data quality is non-negotiable. Go for services with complete, accurate, and current info. Take ATTOM, for example. They've got data on over 155 million U.S. properties, covering 99% of the population. Their API? It's a goldmine with access to more than 70 billion rows of data and 9,000 different data points.
Coverage and depth matter. Make sure the service covers your target areas and gives you the nitty-gritty details you need. CoreLogic is a heavy hitter here. They pull data from 99.9% of U.S. property records and over 140 million geo-coded parcel maps. That's what we call comprehensive.
Look at system connectivity. A solid API is key for smooth integration. You want real-time access, customization options, and tight security. Zillow's Bridge API is a good example. It serves up live MLS listings in an easy-to-digest JSON format.
Check the provider's track record. Go for companies that have been around the block. The Warren Group has been in the real estate data game since 1872. That's some serious staying power.
Don't forget support and training. Good documentation and customer support can save your bacon. Zillow Group, CoreLogic, and LiveBy are known for their top-notch API docs.
Think about scalability. Pick a service that can keep up as your business grows. Stantem offers plans from 30,000 to unlimited property exports per month. That's flexibility you can work with.
Compare prices. Costs are all over the map. PropStream keeps it simple with a flat $97/month, no strings attached. RealQuest Pro goes tiered: $150 to $275/month with a year-long commitment.
Look for standout features. The Land Portal has this cool AI-powered vacant lot detection. If you're into land investing, that could be a game-changer.
Here's the deal: there's no one-size-fits-all solution. Your pick should line up with what you need, what you can spend, and where you're headed. When you can, take advantage of free trials or demos. Kick the tires before you buy.
Rob Barber, the big cheese at ATTOM Data Solutions, puts it like this:
"In today's data-driven real estate market, having access to comprehensive, accurate, and timely property data is not just an advantage – it's a necessity for staying competitive and making informed decisions."
Couldn't have said it better ourselves.
FAQs
What are the techniques of data aggregation?
Data aggregation is key for property data services. There are two main types:
- Time aggregation: Collecting data points for one resource over time. Think of The Land Portal tracking a property's price changes over a year.
- Spatial aggregation: Gathering data for multiple resources in a set timeframe. Picture PropStream compiling property values across a neighborhood for the current month.
These techniques help real estate pros make smart choices. Julian Vogel, Founder & Co-CEO at TOWER360, puts it simply:
"There are two primary types of data aggregation: time aggregation and spatial aggregation."
In the real world, property data services often mix both methods. Take CoreLogic - they use spatial aggregation to cover 99.9% of U.S. property records, while also using time aggregation to track how things change over time.
Here's the thing: these techniques are only as good as the data they use. ATTOM, for example, keeps its database of 155 million U.S. properties up-to-date, making sure both time and spatial aggregation stay on point.
When you're checking out property data services, ask about how they aggregate data and how often they update it. This info can make a big difference in how accurate and useful the data is for your real estate decisions.
