With such a competitive market, you’ll need a competitive edge. Thankfully, there are tons of great iPhone and Android apps out there to expand your options and help you find a great deal on a house.

1. Realtor.com Real Estate

Realtor.com is one of the most popular home search websites available. Its website is one of the go-to sites for those wanting to see what’s available. Its app is also just as accurate and convenient, with a few extra features that make it a must-download.

One of the most liked features is searching by commute time. We all know buying a home in a metropolitan area can be expensive, which is why many people choose a suburb to commute from. Searching this on your own can be a hassle, but if you search by commute time, you can see how far certain areas are and be surprised at how many new and often more affordable areas you discover.

For those who are buying a home out of state, the Realtor.com app also offers a virtual tour feature. This is great as it helps you figure out if the house would be worth making a trip to see it in person, or in some cases you may even make an offer immediately!

Download: Realtor.com Real Estate for iOS | Android (Free)

2. Zillow Real Estate & Rentals

Zillow, another popular website for searching real estate, also has a great app that makes searching for your new home easier than ever. Zillow offers great features like the Zestimate, which shows you an accurate value of the home. Zillow also has a variety of homes for sale owned by Zillow and offers virtual tours along with an easy buying process.

Zillow has almost all the same listings that Realtor.com has, as its listings come directly from the multiple listing service (MLS). However, there are other options to find properties not listed anywhere else. Zillow has a great by owner feature, with which you can see all properties for sale that aren’t through a realtor.

In many cases, you’ll find more affordable properties with less competition when you search by owner. If you have a realtor, they can help guide you through the process of purchasing properties directly from owners.

Download: Zillow Real Estate and Rentals for iOS | Android (Free)

3. Facebook Marketplace

Facebook might not be the go-to site when searching for real estate. However, Facebook Marketplace has tons of properties for sale by owners that aren’t available anywhere else. These properties can be anything from a small plot of land to a multimillion-dollar mansion.

Many real estate investors list on Facebook Marketplace due to the number of people searching on there, and this gives you the potential to snag a deal. A qualified real estate agent or buyer’s agent can help you navigate the process of buying a property you like here.

Download: Facebook for iOS | Android (Free, in-app purchases available)

When a person can’t make mortgage payments anymore, their home typically goes up for foreclosure. In this case, the bank will usually sell the home to make up for the amount of money lost from lending it out. Since many people had made some mortgage payments, sometimes for years, the loss isn’t that great and the banks just want to sell the properties to recoup their initial investments.

For those looking for a home deal, the USHUD Foreclosure Home Search is a great app. The homes vary in condition from run-down to almost brand new construction. USHUD Foreclosure Home Search also lists homes that are put up for auction by the government, which gives buyers an even greater deal. However, you need to be pre-qualified to see listings.

The app allows you to choose your notification settings which include being notified of every new property listed.

Download: USHUD Foreclosure Home Search for iOS | Android (Free)

5. Homes for Sale, Rent

Homes for Sale, Rent is the name of the official Homes.com app. Homes.com has one of the largest databases of homes for sale or available to rent in the US. While there are many similar features to the other popular home buying apps, there are a few key additions that set this app apart. One of them is the live mortgage rate calculator and mortgage rate tools, which are some of the best in the industry.

This app also includes foreclosure properties from the national database, which makes its app the only app that includes a full list of MLS listings and foreclosure listings.

Download: Homes for Sale, Rent for iOS | Android (Free)

If you’ve searched for real estate before, you might be familiar with RE/MAX. It is one of the largest real estate companies in the United States. Its exclusive app also helps those searching to find a home find a great deal.

This app includes all MLS listings and also has a great syncing option. For those who find themselves switching between their phones and computers when searching for a property, or those who want to share details with a significant other, RE/MAX offers a streamlined way to do this. When you save a listing on your phone, it can save your preferences to your other devices.

This app also offers instant notifications of new properties, which is necessary for this fast-moving housing market.

Download: RE/MAX Real Estate Search for iOS | Android (Free)

7. Auction.com

You probably want to try to get an amazing deal on your next home. With constant bidding wars breaking out over new properties, it can seem impossible to get a deal that works for you. But if you aren’t in a rush to move, you might want to consider Auction.com.

Auction.com’s app makes it incredibly easy to not only search for property auctions but also to research the properties and place a bid. While the auction market tends to move quickly, you can keep up to date on all properties by getting notifications when new properties are available.

Download: Auction.com for iOS | Android (Free)

Finding Your Dream Home

Finding your dream home shouldn’t be complicated. Although the housing market is difficult to navigate, using these apps can help make the home buying process easier. Whether you want to purchase a home on the MLS, by owner, or at auction, downloading one (or more) of these apps can give you a competitive edge and get your offer accepted.