Search houses on the Internet

Looking at houses on the Internet is heaven for those who love to go window shopping.

The elegantly decorated rooms, the sculpted gardens, the colorful entrance doors that open as if to say “come here”. Watch out for that siren song, though: Those ads can be seductive, but they may not tell the whole story.

That perfect two-story ranch? It could be too close to a busy and noisy street
for the traffic. That beautiful colonial house with photos full of light? It could be hiding some super nasty plumbing issues. That condo at an attractive price? Maybe it's not really for sale. Imagine your despair when, after driving across town to see your dream home, you realize that it has already been sold.

So let's practice some self-care, shall we? And let's set our expectations appropriately.

You are updated. Internet sites should be too!

Search for the latest listings from realtor.com®, which pulls information every 15 minutes from the MLS's regional databases of properties for sale. That is, the realtor ad listings. com® are more accurate than others, such as Zillow and Trulia, which may update less frequently. You don't want your heart to race over a house that is already off the market.

By the way, there are also other sites with property listings, such as Redfin, which is a real estate broker and therefore also relies on broker relationships and other MLS networks to post properties for sale.

The properties that look best are not always the best

A picture, they say, is worth a thousand words. But it can also hide thousands of cracks in hardwood floors, broken furnaces, and cracked pipes. So while it makes sense to focus on photos when browsing the internet, be sure to also consider the property's description and other key features.

Every listing on realtor.com®, for example, has a section called “property details,” where you can enter important information such as the year the home was built, the price per square foot, and how many days it has been in existence. the property is on the market.

Also, don't forget that you can ask your real estate agent for help in interpreting the data. The best agents know the local market very well, even with details and histories of some properties. If a post seems too good to be true, your agent probably knows why.

Treat your agent like your best friend.

Ultimately, property listing sites are akin to those student summaries that populate the web: They give you a snapshot of active listings, sold properties, home prices, and sales histories. It is all useful data, but it will not be exhaustive information.

To evaluate all that information and collect the data of the houses you look at, for example, how far is the nearest elementary school or where is the gym, talk to your real estate agent. You will have the advantage of having the advice of someone who knows the neighborhood inside out.

An agent who can go above and beyond and advise you on the properties that fit what you want is a true friend: they can guide you away from homes with hidden problems and help you not waste time searching for houses at random (and use that time to go to the park to play with your best canine friend).

Do you want to deepen your search? You can check out these sites and resources:
• School Ratings: GreatSchools.org, National Center for Education Statistics (https://nces.ed.gov), and the website of the school district or parents with children in the school district.
• Crime rates and statistics: CrimeReports.com, NeighborhoodScout.com, SpotCrime.com, and local police station
• Pedestrian accessibility and public transport: WalkScore.com and APTA.com
• Hospital Ratings: LeapfrogGroup.org and rankings published by the U.S. News and World Report

Just remember: You probably won't find that “perfect home” you're looking for by looking at ads on your smartphone. It's best to think of the online shopping experience as an appetizer: a good way to try out the different types of homes available, to get a general idea of ​​what's out there.

Estee Soto

Estee Soto is a real estate agent with eXp Realty, a certified mentor and eXp Latino ambassador, and the CEO and founder of TagCrush LLC, an all-in-one digital marketing platform for real estate agents. She leads the TAGHOMES team, specializing in luxury properties, new developments, and international buyers across Florida.

More information about Estee Soto HERE