Judge the Website Before the Listing: A 10-Minute Test for Any Real Estate Platform
Buyers take the offer for granted and believe the website. They look at the price, look at the photos, and that's all. However, the same apartment can seem just as reliable on a well-done website and poorly made one. The question is how much you can confirm.
Here is another way to do it. Instead of wasting an entire evening on the offer on the listing website, start by spending ten minutes checking the website itself. It takes seven simple checks to get an idea of how much importance you should attach to its claims. No additional equipment required, just your smartphone and some time.
Why test the site first
It all comes down to the process used to generate the list. If the website allows everyone to post everything without any seller identification, without any dates, and without a way to complain, then even the genuine list on such a website becomes less trustworthy. If the website is transparent concerning who is posting and what is being checked, one can use their information with much more confidence.
Compare it with going to a store before buying something. There can be good products in bad stores.
Test 1: The "About" page test
Click on the About page and look for facts rather than slogans. A trustworthy website lists its company name, office address and an active way to contact them. Some even disclose who has written their purchasing guides.
Pass: You will know the company behind the website and how to contact them.
Fail: Vague statements like "India's favorite property website" without mentioning any company name.
Test 2: The "who is selling" test
Check any three ads. Do they indicate if the seller is an owner, a developer, or an agent? Is there a person mentioned as a contact?
In India, real estate agents trading in registered projects have to register themselves with the RERA in the state according to the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016. A decent website should be able to tell you the registration number of the agent or make it easy for you to get the information.
PASS: seller type identified in all ads you checked.
FAIL: just a "Contact Seller" button without any other information.
Test 3: The badge test
When the site displays labels like "verified" or "trusted," clicking on them or looking for them in the help section will help. What was checked? The phone number? Photo? Document?
It is helpful to have a badge that speaks for itself. If it does not, it is simply an ornament. Even when a badge is understandable, it does not grant any clearance legally.
Pass: The site tells what these labels mean.
Fail: Unexplained labels on the site.
Test 4: The "how do you earn" test
Each listings directory must make money in some way, usually from listings fees, premium placement, subscriptions, and advertising. This is fine. The important thing is whether the paid placement is clearly labeled.
Watch out for words like "featured," "sponsored," or "premium." Does the website explain this? If all the first search results are tagged as paid placements, keep in mind that ranking doesn't necessarily mean high quality.
Pass: Paid or featured listings are labeled.
Fail: Listings which appear to be recommendations, but look like advertisements.
Test 5: The report-button test
Scroll to the bottom of a listing. Is there a way to report a wrong, outdated or suspicious listing? A site that makes reporting easy is telling you it expects mistakes and wants to fix them.
Pass: a visible report option and a stated way to reach support.
Fail: no option at all, or only a generic contact form hidden in the footer.
Test 6: The freshness test
Take any five listings and see the dates. Do you see the dates on which each listing was put up or last edited? Old listings either get deleted or flagged.
This is one of the most common problems people face while looking for homes online. The house might be sold already but the listing will be up. If there is a date shown, then you can make a decision.
Pass: Date of listing is clearly visible, and most of the listings are new.
Fail: There is no date shown, or there are lots of old listings.
Test 7: The cross-check test
Select one listing and find the same property listing on another website. Compare their prices, areas, and images. In case you are researching Delhi NCR, then comparing real estate websites in Gurgaon is a very fast way to understand how the same property is being listed on various other websites.
This is the hint. Most often, the one which gives you more details, mentions whether carpet or super built-up area and is dated recently is closer to the truth.
PASS – All details are correct.
FAIL – There is a huge difference between the price and area with no explanation.
Score the site
A total of 11 or more out of 14 suggests a site that gives you a solid base. A total below 7 means you should treat its listings as leads only and verify everything yourself.
What passing does not mean
A high score does not prove a listing is safe. It only tells you the site is more open about its information. You still have to:
Verify the registration number of the project from the government regulatory website.
Ask for the Carpet Area as well as total expenditure in writing.
Take the tour of the house physically.
Make sure that a professional verifies the legal documents.
Sites like Prooperty try to arrange everything in an organized way and give buyers buying tips and guidelines, making the initial research process easier. Whichever site you choose, visit the house physically and confirm the documents before buying any property.
One last thing
Conduct this test once only on the two or three sites that you intend to use and remember the marks awarded. You will be in a position to know how to interpret listings on each of them. In addition, your evenings will be spent searching for homes that deserve them.
Full explanation of the information required in a listing site to have credibility, trust scorecard, example and FAQ, read our guide on what information makes a real estate platform trustworthy.
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