A method for motion estimation is provided that includes determining a first motion vector for a first child coding unit (CU) of a parent CU and a second motion vector for a second child CU of the parent CU, wherein the first child CU, the second child CU, and the parent CU are in a CU hierarchy, wherein the first and second child CUs are smallest size CUs in the CU hierarchy, and wherein a first motion search type is used to determine the first motion vector and the second motion vector, selecting the first and second motion vectors as candidate predictors for the parent CU, selecting a predictor for a prediction unit (PU) of the first parent CU from the candidate predictors, and refining the predictor using a second motion search type to determine a motion vector for the PU.