The internet has totally transformed the real estate industry. Long ago buying a property that wasn’t local meant physically going around the country and visiting realtors for prices, or buying newspapers and real estate magazines. Now, you can view properties all around the globe from your home using a web. With so many options now easily accessible online, finding your dream home has never been easier. Here are a few tips for using the net to your advantage.
Specialist realtors
It’s much easier now to specialise your search for the type of home you’re looking for. When looking for luxury homes for sale, you’ll find many realtors across the world that are now able to market themselves to a greater audience thanks to the web. Other agencies may specialise in specific types of property taken from all over the world, such as city apartments or eco-friendly properties. Whilst generic real estate listing sites may be able to offer a greater choice, you may be able to better focus your search by looking at these specialist realtor sites.
Social media
It’s now much easier to find properties from independent sellers too – many are advertising on social media. Try searching on Twitter for properties in a certain area (for example, ‘home for sale new york’) and see what comes up. By ditching agencies, you may be able to save money.
Video tours
Some realtors are now using services such as Youtube that can allow for thorough guided tours without actually visiting the property. Drones are also now able to provide aerial shots giving you a taste of the area. Even more recent are VR tours that give you a 180 degree scope.
Mortgage hunting
You can also use the web to find a better mortgage rate. Whilst previously finding a good lender meant walking into banks and ringing up providers, you can now get an idea of quotes using online broker sites that may compare multiple mortgage rates with the click of a mouse. There are also mortgage calculators that can allow you to better get an idea of how much you will be spending.
Local research
The web is also great for doing a bit of local research. Sites such as Neighbourhood Scout allow you to look into stats such as crime rate, public school results and other demographics. Map tools can allow you to see what’s in the area in terms of shops and schools and public transport. You can really get an idea of a new area before buying a property there.
Before you buy
Whilst the web has made looking for a dream home a hundred times easier, it’s never a good idea to go ahead and buy a property without seeing it for yourself in person first. Even with the best virtual tour and pages worth of specs, you want to make sure everything is above board first. Use the web to narrow down your search, but wait until you’ve seen the property in the flesh before sealing the deal.
0 comments:
Post a Comment