Redfin adds childcare data to listings

Redfin has launched a new feature that displays data from 250,000 licensed early care and education programs on every for-sale property listing. The integration, available on desktop and mobile platforms, shows potential buyers up to five nearby providers along with the ages they serve and their distance from the home. The tool became available on the Redfin mobile application for iOS and Android at the end of September.

Daryl Fairweather, chief economist at Redfin, noted that housing and childcare represent the two largest expenses for many families. He stated that searching for a home often coincides with having a child. "If you're trying to do the calculation on how much house you can afford, it's helpful to know what your childcare options are before committing to that mortgage," Fairweather said. The new feature sits alongside the K-12 school ratings from GreatSchools, which has been on the platform for over a decade.

The data comes from Winnie, a national online childcare marketplace. Sara Mauskopf, CEO and co-founder of Winnie, explained that the company pulls information from public state licensing databases to build provider profiles. Providers can then update their pages with details such as hours of operation, financial assistance options, and language support. Mauskopf noted that about a quarter of the provider pages on Winnie have been claimed by the operators. Active providers frequently update their pages to reflect changes in open spaces, which can shift daily.

Isabelle Novak, a spokesperson for Redfin, said the childcare feature will only display providers within a 10-mile radius of the property address. If no programs are found within that distance, a message will appear indicating that no options are available nearby. This specific radius allows families to determine if care is within walking distance or requires a drive. The feature is available on both the mobile and desktop versions of the Redfin website.

Mauskopf, a mother of three, recalled that when she and her husband searched for a home, they focused on price rather than care options. They ended up scrambling to secure childcare after moving, considering whether one parent might need to step away from work. She emphasized that childcare is a necessity for young families, not a nice-to-have. "I think it's really critical for families to be thinking about childcare upfront and not as an afterthought," she said.

Mauskopf pointed out that some areas, often called childcare deserts, may have affordable housing but few licensed programs. The new tool helps families see these gaps before buying. Regarding costs, Mauskopf said that a majority of programs still require parents to tour the space before sharing prices. However, she observed a shift where providers are increasingly willing to list tuition online. She attributed this change partly to families using AI tools to ask about rates, noting that providers are realizing AI will provide an answer regardless. She hopes this trend will allow the Redfin integration to include cost data in the future.

The partnership aims to give families a clearer picture of their total cost of living before making a move. By integrating childcare data directly into the real estate search process, Redfin and Winnie seek to address a key concern for prospective buyers starting or growing their families. The feature is currently live on all for-sale listings on Redfin's digital platforms.