January 3, 2019

Top Tips for Online House Hunting

Hunting for a new home online is a great place to start your search, but it should not be your end all be all.  Here are some top tips for online house hunting.   Good listing agents are excellent at highlighting the best features of the home, but keep in mind there may be more than meets the eye. To make the most of your time and efforts and gather a well-rounded picture of home listings online, keep the following three things in mind.

1.  Stay up to date. When you start your search, make sure you find a site that pulls up-to-date listings directly from the multiple listing service (MLS) where real estate agents actively post their most current homes for sale. Many online resources update less often or fail to remove listings that are off the market, making it more difficult to sort through the clutter.  Your real estate agent can also set you up on a targeted search based upon your desired home size, location, school district, amenities, and price.

I recommend Searching From My Website or the Homesnap App

2.  Pictures can be deceiving. Real estate photographers are experts at showing a home in the best possible light. Many use tools and strategies to boost appeal, such as a fisheye lens to make areas look larger and creative editing to make colors and textures really pop. But, often listings will not contain photos of unappealing parts of the home, like small closets or outdated bathrooms.

3.  See it to believe it. Once you find what appears to be your dream home online, call up your real estate agent and schedule a showing. You want to take the opportunity to vet the home in person and explore every part of it before beginning the offer process. Your real estate agent will help you cover all your bases and will ask questions you may not have thought of.

 

It is highly recommended that you use a real estate agent to assist you in your search.  Often they have insights into particular homes that can help you make an informed decision.  Happy Hunting!

Eventbrite - Homebuyer Workshop