A Word About Internet Home Searches

Home buyers are turning more and more to online searches when looking for a home to buy. Seemingly gone are the days of scouring newspapers adds or walking into real estate offices. Websites such as Zillow, Trulia, and Redfin give buyers a new and simple way to search for homes. The reality is that online searches offer a lot of information in an easy-to-access way.

First and foremost, online searches allow buyers to access important information about any property on the market. When selling a home, a listing agent will enter information on a Multiple Listing Service. The websites that consumers use take this MLS information and format into their own programs. All online websites have access to the same information, they just display it all slightly differently. Online users will have access to lots of public information, such as square footage of the house, number of bathrooms, the last sale price, and the exact location on a map. Even more importantly to the search process, these websites include photographs of the properties.

Online searches are also easy to customize. It is relatively simple to narrow a home search to certain community, a price range, a certain number of bedrooms, and so on. Home buyers can access this information without leaving their house or office. 

All of this does not mean that buyers should rely solely on the internet to find their new homes. It is essential to actually get into a home to see the layout. Online photos can be very deceiving too, especially when it comes the size of the rooms. More importantly than the rooms with photos are the ones without photos. Is there an unfinished room? Was there an obvious ceiling leak that was intentionally left out? Buyers will also want to walk or drive around the neighborhood to see what it is like and to explore local amenities. Sites like Google Maps can allow a user to navigate up and down streets virtually. However, those are just moments in time and do not tell the entire story of a street or a community. Nothing beats getting out there and seeing a home or a neighborhood for yourself!

This also does not mean that Realtors are obsolete either. First of all, home buyers generally do not need to pay for their services as their commission is paid by the listing brokerage. They also provide expertise in the community and can provide useful information about a house. Realtors also act on the behalf of buyers, from researching the actual value of a property (remember, an asking price is just the starting point) to negotiating the best deal. They ensure buyers are protected should something go wrong and can offer lots of information about the quality of a property, from the age of the boiler to the condition of the roof.  Most Realtors have adapted to life with internet home searches, and they are still very useful. 

A new home is usually the biggest investment a buyer will make in their life, until they purchase another new home of course. Realtors can still protect that investment. If you have any real estate- related questions, feel free to contact me at ryan.guilmartin@gmail.com or 617-852-0040. Happy house hunting!