Searching on Craigslist

[YuccaFlatsRanch]

Does anyone know how to either search an entire state or even nationally on Craigslist?? City by city is really slow.

[Minelson]

I agree..even by state is hard. Is there any way to search for items nationally?

[Callieslamb]

I just got to craigslist.com and click on "Michigan" then search by general area in Michigan. I didn't know I could search by city!

[calliemoonbeam]

That's funny Callie! I'd like to just search the whole state of Oklahoma, but it always wants me to select a specific area, lol. It lists five areas, so if I want to do the whole state I have to go through it five times. I just don't use Craigslist very often beacuse it's such a pain in the patootie! I'd be happy to just know how to search by state, and nationally would be good too. Funny how we're all having different experiences, huh?

[Harry Chickpea]

Craigslist discourages such searches and blacklists sites that allow them. However, there are ways around it. Using Google's advanced search is fairly straghtforward if you understand basic search concepts.

Say I want to search for bush hogs in two locations - typing into google's address line, I put:
bush hog site: huntsville.craigslist.org OR nashville.craigslist.org
The entire site would be:
site:craigslist.org
If I want to limit the search to the farm and garden section in the two places, the search would be:
bush hog site: huntsville.craigslist.org\grd OR nashville.craigslist.org\grd

The downsides: Google isn't updated instantly. You may be too late to get an item that is popular. The search strings can be long, so you may want to keep a list of them in a notepad file and cut-n-paste them into the search engine.

[plowjockey]

This is the best way.

http://www.searchtempest.com/

[cathleenc]

www.craigslisthelper.com

[clovis]

In the past, if looking for an Allis Chalmers tractor, have searched using Google

'Allis Chalmers craigslist.org' in the search box

Not the best way, but one that will work.

[PKBoo]

plowjockey and cathleen have it right - (craigshelper became searchtempest). You just put your zip code in, and the distance you want from your area, and it will search both craigslist and ebay (you can filter out ebay if you want).

It works best if you're looking for a specific item and can list that in the "search" box. I've never used it for general searching though.

[DAVID In Wisconsin]

Thanks for the tips! It sure will make Craigslist searches a lot easier for me!

[Minelson]

Originally Posted by DAVID In Wisconsin

Thanks for the tips! It sure will make Craigslist searches a lot easier for me!

Me too! Thanks!

[calliemoonbeam]

Yes, thank you so much! Thanks Yucca for asking, lol.

[Wags]

Search Tempest is awesome! Makes searches so quick and easy.

[fantasymaker]

Thanks for the info ! It really seems as if craigs list has gone way out of its way to make this stuff difficult.
I suppose when you live in a HUGE city like San Francisco it would never occur to you to leave town to get something but when your from a town of 500 ( or even a few miles from that!) you just expect to cover some distance!

[GoldenCityMuse]

Very helpful reference site, I added it to my bookmarks.

[YuccaFlatsRanch]

Super helpful - in fact I located a FOLDCAT boat 50 miles from me instead of having to ship one from Tennessee. If anyone is interested in one there is a really nice one with all the bells and whistles available in Knoxville, TN. Price new was over $2K and he wants $850 for it. I can provide phone number if desired.

The one I am getting has less bells and whistles, but is only $700 and no shipping.

[farmerjon]

I use www.searchallcraigs.com