According
to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), 84% of buyers used the
internet when searching for a new home. You are likely on my website
because you are looking for a home or property. This is the page you
want to be on!
Most buyers start researching a full 6 months to a
year before they actually purchase and are not ready to speak with a
real estate professional until they become comfortable with their
situation. I have personal experience where buyers searched the
internet a full 2 years before contacting me in person for help.
Perhaps the EASIEST aspect of real estate is finding a search engine
which lists homes for sale in an area you may want to live. One of the
key aspects of making an informed decision about a home is having
access to the information, in a TIMELY manner and the information is
readily available and perhaps, overwhelming. Nonetheless, part of our
jobs as realtors is not to hide information and keep it close to the
vest but to disseminate the info and help buyers and sellers. With
that thought in mind, below is a list of links to national and local
search engines with my commentary.
As an FYI, for my clients, I utilize a system which
ties directly into my MLS which can email properties within minutes of
them hitting the market. As an active realtor, I am also aware of
listings before they hit the market.
My Public Property Portal
Browse properties and see information on property
listings. Listings are updated continuously throughout the day. My site lists all the properties listed in the CT Statewide MLS
(CTMLS). You can and should sign up for free home updates which will
email you homes daily, weekly or monthly.
Realtor.com
This site is sponsored by NAR and is the 900 pound
gorrilla of real estate sites. There are literally millions of
properties available for sale. This is a great site if you are
relocating out of the area. I personally subscribe to the site as a
realtor so I can participate and "enhance" my own listings to make them
attractive to home buyers.
RE/MAX International
You can search millions of properties across the
States and internationally. The international exposure is what makes
this site stand out. RE/MAX is also the only national real estate
company to list millions of properties for sale.
Zillow.com
Of all the public
portals available (last I heard there were about 20 national sites),
the one I find packed with the most information is Zillow. If you own
a home, you should verify the acuracy of the information on their site.
My home was wrong by one bedroom and about 400 sq. ft. That said, their
"Zestimate" was still very high. If I could find someone to pay that
amount I'd hand them the keys. Zillow recommends using their service
in addition to using a realtor to do a reality check. Zillow readily
admits they are just crunching numbers and don't know nuances of
neighborhoods or your particular home or area. DO NOT take their info
for gospel, please. But do take their info and inseminate it into your
own process. You can view my profile on Zillow by going here.
Trulia.com
Another
personal favorite, this site is unbiased and free. The number of
listings in the Hartford area is increasing. Other than the listings,
there is a lot of good advice. It is definitely a "Web 2.0" type of
site.
Access to Listings DIRECTLY from MLS
This access
is only available to clients I am currently working with. We will meet,
develop a working relationship so I can gain an understanding of your
needs, wants, like-to-have, etc and I craft very detailed searches
within my MLS to find the properties that may work for you. I look at
every property that comes up as an option and we decide together
whether to pursue it as a possibility. Contact me to set up an appointment.