If you typed “Redfin house giveaway” into Google, you probably heard a rumor that a company was handing out a free house. It sounds like a scam. This time, it wasn’t. But the details matter, and there are plenty of fake versions floating around.
The real contest
Redfin’s contest was called The Great American Home Search. It was a scavenger hunt for a $1 million home, played inside the Redfin app. It started at 8 p.m. ET on Super Bowl Sunday, February 8, right after Rocket and Redfin’s commercial aired.
The first player to solve six clues and name the house won it. Redfin brought in geography creator Trevor Rainbolt to write the clues. The prize home was valued at $1,049,000, and Redfin added $700,000 to help cover income taxes. That tax money is a detail most people miss. A free house is not free if the IRS sends you a huge bill.
Who won
The winner was Kiel Murphy of El Mirage, Arizona. Kiel, Meghan, and their baby girl are now Denver homeowners.
. More than a quarter million people entered.
The part I like most is how fast he picked the house. He chose it in nineteen seconds because it was green, his wife’s favorite color. People spent two days studying filters and maps, and the deciding factor was a paint color.
How the game worked
You couldn’t just sign up with an email and wait for a lucky draw. This was a skill contest, not a lottery. Players had to use the app’s search filters to narrow down a map of houses and match details from the Super Bowl ad. The clues were things like naming a store, circling the four corner states of the Southwest on a map, and setting the filters to four bedrooms and four bathrooms.
That is why it was clever marketing too. Every clue pushed people deeper into the app’s tools. You learn the product while you play.
Is there a Redfin house giveaway right now?
I found no sign of one running at the moment. The official page says the search ended on February 10 at 8 p.m. ET. Nothing I found says a second round is planned. If one does appear, the announcement will come from Redfin or its parent company, Rocket Companies, through official channels, not from a random message.
Spotting a fake
Whenever a big brand runs a giveaway, copycats show up within hours. A few simple checks:
- Official source only. Look for the offer on Redfin’s own website and verified social accounts.
- No payment, ever. The real contest said no purchase was necessary. Anyone asking for a “processing fee” is not Redfin.
- Be suspicious of private messages. Real winners are announced publicly, not through a surprise DM.
- Never share sensitive details. A contest does not need your bank login or Social Security number just to enter.
- Read the rules. Real contests publish official rules. Fake ones usually don’t.
If something promises a free house with almost no effort, treat it as bait.
What you can learn from it
Even if you never win a house, the contest shows how Redfin wants you to shop. The search filters from the game are the same ones you can use on any normal day. Bedrooms, bathrooms, price, location, square footage: used well, they narrow thousands of listings down to a handful.
Turn on listing alerts so the good ones don’t slip past you. That is a better plan than waiting for a prize.
Should you enter next time?
If Redfin ever runs another one, I’d say yes, with caution. Go through the official app only, read the rules first, and understand the tax side before you celebrate. A prize that adds a six-figure tax bill is less of a gift unless the company helps cover it, as this one did.
And treat it as a fun game, not a plan. Odds against a quarter million players are tiny. Keep saving for a real down payment alongside it.
Final word
The Redfin house giveaway was real, and it is over. A family from Arizona got a Denver home, and the rest of us got a lesson in how a marketing stunt can also be a useful tutorial. If you see a new “Redfin giveaway” tomorrow, check the official site before you click anything. Visit giveawaylookwhatmomfound for more details.
