Real Estate Data Sources: Free & Paid, Compared
There are a lot of ways to get property data, and they are not interchangeable. Here's the honest landscape — what each source gives you, and what it costs.
The landscape at a glance
| Source | Format | Coverage | Cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RealEstateDataset | Bulk files — Parquet & CSV | ~146M U.S. properties | Free · CC0 | Downloading & analyzing whole states, counties or ZIPs offline |
| Straply API | REST API + real-time feed | Same ~146M, always current | Free tier + self-serve paid | Apps & tools that need live data or per-property lookups |
| Open market datasets | Aggregated CSVs | Region-by-period trends | Free | Market-trend charts — not individual property records |
| Self-serve property APIs | REST API | Nationwide | Free tier + self-serve paid | Developers who want per-call data with a credit card, not a sales call |
| Enterprise data providers | Bulk + API | Nationwide, deep history | Sales-gated / custom quote | Large institutions with procurement budgets |
| MLS / RESO feeds | Licensed API feeds | Local / regional | Gated to licensed brokerages | Licensed real-estate professionals only |
| Public county records | Per-county portals | One county each | Free but fragmented | Looking up a single parcel in one jurisdiction |
Pricing shown as categories, not quotes — paid providers set their own rates.
Free bulk datasets
If you want the actual property records — every home in an area, with address, characteristics, sale and tax history — a bulk dataset is the most direct route. RealEstateDataset is the free option here: ~146M U.S. properties, downloadable by state, county or ZIP, under CC0. You host the file, you own the data, there's no per-request meter.
Self-serve APIs
When you need data inside an app — current, queried one property at a time — an API is the right shape. Several offer a free tier and self-serve paid plans you can start with a credit card. Straply is the API built from this same dataset: the free bulk file is the snapshot, the API is the live version, with per-property lookups and a real-time feed.
Enterprise providers
The large incumbents sell deep, nationwide data with long histories — but access is typically sales-gated behind a demo and a custom quote, and priced for institutions. Powerful if you have the budget and the procurement patience; overkill for most builders.
MLS & RESO feeds
MLS data (via the RESO standard) is the source agents use, but it is gated to licensed brokerages — you generally need to be a licensed real-estate professional, or work directly with one, to access it. It is not available to the public, and it is not something a general dataset can resell.
Public county records
Every county publishes assessor and recorder records, and they are free — but they are fragmented across thousands of separate systems, in inconsistent formats. Great for looking up one parcel in one place; impractical if you need a whole region standardized. Stitching them together is exactly what a compiled dataset does for you.
Frequently asked
What are the best sources for real estate data?
Where can I get real estate data for free?
Can I get property data without an API?
Is MLS data available to the public?