7 Online Home Search Tools to Help Buyers and Sellers
Over 89% of homebuyers now use the internet when looking for a home. With so many online home search tools available, it’s easy to see why. However, with all this data available, it’s tough to know which of these tools is helpful and which just adds more confusion. Finding your perfect home isn’t easy, so which tools will really help you do it?
7 Must-Have Online Home Search Tools for Buyers and Sellers
1. Home Finder Pro
With Home Finder Pro you can search like a realtor. Home Finder Pro pulls data from the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), a system realtors have relied on for over 100 years, so you can see the most current listings in your area. With updates every 30 minutes and the option to schedule alerts on the homes you’re looking for, you can be the first to find your dream home in a competitive market.
2. Mortgage Calculator
Most homebuyers start out with a price in mind, but a lot of factors can cause it to change. If you find the perfect home, but it’s more than you thought it would be, it’s hard to pass up. This makes a mortgage calculator an especially useful online home search tool.
What if the home you want is less expensive, but farther away from your workplace? You can calculate how much you’ll save on the mortgage to justify the longer commute. What if the home is more expensive, but has lower taxes? You can see how much lower they would have to be to stay within your budget.
3. Demographic Data
Walking around a neighborhood can give you some idea of the level of hospitality, but many homebuyers want to dig a bit deeper before making a decision. Demographic data such as income, population information, age, the distribution of families vs singles, crime statistics and other information can help you decide if the community is a good fit or not. City-data.com can provide a number of statistics to help you make your decision.
4. Polygon Map Search
If you want to be close to family members, close to your workplace, or you want to find a home in a particular neighborhood, you may want to look at just one section of a map. If this includes more than one neighborhood, that can be difficult on a lot of apps. The polygon map search is one online home search tool that will let you select the exact location you want. Simply click the polygon tool at the top of the map, then click anywhere on the map to outline your ideal neighborhoods.
5. Schools District Information
If you’re planning to start a family or you’ve already started one, school district information is an essential consideration. Buying a great home only to discover that the public schools are far below par is disappointing to say the least. We link our listings to GreatSchools.org, so parents or prospective parents can make sure that their dream home also includes great schools.
6. Home Value Estimator
Finding the right price is one of the biggest and most stressful challenges when you’re selling your home. Our home value estimator makes selling easier by giving you an accurate and reliable home sale price. Whether you’re ready to put your home on the market or you’re just wondering what your home is worth, you can see what price you could get in the market today, and who your ideal buyers are.
7. Online Open House Calendars
If you’re looking at a number of houses, it’s easy to get open houses mixed up or forget to mark down a date. With an open house calendar, you can quickly see open houses that are coming up, without navigating through the home search again.
Buying or selling your home are big decisions, and it’s important to get the best and most relevant data you can. Use these home search tools to find an accurate price, narrow down your list of possible homes, or refine your selection criteria. With data in hand, you can buy or sell your home with confidence.