How Google Maps Can Help You Research Potential Homes
When researching potential properties, there are a ton of resources online that allow you to gather information from the comfort of your own home. Aside from the general listing photos and information, you can also gather some additional information using Google Maps. Google Maps has advanced over the years and it now includes different views that give you a better understanding of the area of the home you’re interested in.
Here are 3 Ways You Can Use Google Maps to Research Potential Homes:
1. Look at street view
When first analyzing a potential property you can use the Google Maps street view to view the home from a neighborhood and street angle. Many times homes are photographed in the best way possible when posted in listings, so using street view you can view the home in it’s natural setting. This will allow you to see potential factors, like the neighbor's proximity, that you couldn’t see in the photos. Keep in mind, however that the images that are taken could have been taken years prior, so it may not be a good indication of the current condition of the home.
2. View neighborhood streets
Another area to look at in Google Maps is the neighborhood streets. Using the street view you can see where the house you’re interested in is located within the neighborhood. The lot that your home is on, and it’s proximity to other houses, is an important selling factor to some buyers so this view can give you a better idea. The neighborhood streets can also give you an idea of the surrounding main roads around the neighborhood and where the house is within the neighborhood. For some they may have a preference to live closer to the main roads to more easily access amenities in the area, whereas others may be more interested in being tucked away in the back of the neighborhood.
3. Find proximity to work, school and other frequented locations
A final, and extremely useful way to use Google Maps is to see the proximity between the potential house and your frequented locations in the area. Figuring out how far your commute would be to work is often an important factor in one’s house search. You can also see how close the potential home is to the local school, grocery stores and other frequented places using Google Maps.
There are plenty of resources online that aide you in the home buying process. Google Maps, however, may be an overlooked resource. Using the different views in Google Maps you can gather a ton of information about a potential property without needing to drive by the home. This will allow you to narrow down your search even further and create a more prioritized list of homes you’d like to tour.
