Moving From Dreaming Online to Shopping In Person
With today’s technology, finding the perfect home can be great fun. It can be a bit frustrating as well. There is so much information available on your smart phone and desktop that it can be overwhelming.
Every Home Listed With a Realtor Online Comes From the Same Source
All of the major real estate sites like Realtor.com and Zillow get their listings and information from the same source. The local Realtor association’s Multiple Listing Service or MLS for short. It is unlikely that you will find a listing on one that is not on the other. So, pick the site you like and stick with it so you don’t make yourself crazy.
A Process of Elimination
It may not sound ‘fun’, but buying a home is a process of elimination. It is about first sorting all of the information on the web to only include the available homes that make sense for you. Then, it is about making the decisions and comprises necessary to choose the home that’s right for you, your family, and your unique situation.
This Is Not Your Grandfather’s Technology
I know I am dating myself but when I got my real estate license almost 19 years ago, the online information we take for granted today did not exist. There were curb shots of the houses in the local newspaper and you had to call the listing agents to get in to see them That meant physically looking at a lot of houses to find the one you wanted. There was no easy way to compare one house with another.
100 to ‘The One’
Today, almost every listing has at least a couple of dozen of photos if not a video or virtual tour of the property. Even if there are 100 available listings in your price range to choose from, it’s pretty easy to flag the homes you like, and delete the ones you don’t. On average, the buyers I work with eliminate 70% to 80% of the houses for sale based on the online information without leaving the couch. That is amazing when you think about it.
Take a Fact Finding Field Trip
Once this ‘sort’ is complete I ask my buyers to get in the car and take a drive by every house that made the cut. I want them to check out how each house is situated in its neighborhood. If a listing survives the drive by, then it’s time to schedule an appointment and take a look inside.
Don’t Be Surprised If The First House You See Is ‘The One’
Don’t be surprised if the first house you see turns out to be the one you want. It happens more often than you think. It makes sense though when you think about all the work you’ll do online before even scheduling your first appointment.
The Home Buying Jedi Master Scorecard
Want to learn more about being a successful home buyer in today’s market? Take 10 minutes to complete the ROOST Home Buying Jedi Master Scorecard at www.HomeBuyingScorecard.com. We will send you a free E-book once we get your results.
Ready to Buy Now?
Want to schedule an appointment today? Visit us at www.BuyWithROOST.com and contact one of our real estate professionals today. You’ll be glad you did.
