Buyer's Tips
The Internet – Step One to Moving
Whether your moving across the country or simply moving across town, the best place to begin your real estate search is online. The Internet allows you to test the market's waters before diving headfirst into a house hunt. More and more buyers today are starting their search from the comfort of home by perusing property listings on the Internet.
Both easy and convenient, the web allows you to log on anytime and click your way to world of online real estate. Here are just a few of the ways the web can help you find your next home:
- Simple search tools. Real estate web sites like ColdwellBankerOnline.com have advanced search mechanisms that make it easy to sift through property listings. You can set, as an example, parameters for price, number of bedrooms and baths, the type of home (single-family, condo, duplex, etc.) and if you're interested in new construction.
- My Home Search. As you narrow your web search, ColdwellBankerOnline.com makes it easy to maintain a personal portfolio of the listings that you like. With the site's “My Home Search” feature, buyers can save customized search criteria and individual listings. Each property can be nicknamed too, like “Yellow 3-bedroom,” as a helpful reminder. ColdwellBankerOnline.com also sends email alerts of new listings based on the saved search criteria, so you only receive information on the kinds of homes you're hunting for.
- Virtual tours. If you want to peek inside without a formal showing, try looking at a virtual home tour. You can pivot the view 360 degrees in all directions around select rooms.
- Community Information. On many real estate web sites you can find detailed data such as neighborhood demographics, school reports and local services. The in-depth information allows potential home buyers to quickly compare school districts and entertainment options with a click of the mouse.
- More Services. The online home buying experience can go beyond the search for listings. You can also apply for a mortgage, calculate your monthly payment, check out homeowner's insurance, and much more on select real estate web sites.
- 24-hour accessibility. Pounding the pavement between properties can be difficult if you're already juggling a hectic schedule or cannot travel to your new community often. Online home searches can be done anytime, anywhere.
- Open house Tours. Most real estate company web sites give visitors the tools to create maps for finding each home. ColdwellBankerOnline.com takes this feature a step further and routes an entire tour of multiple properties within a matter of seconds. Thus, you can view and select properties you want to visit and then the web site creates a customized tour, complete with an overall visual map and driving directions between each listing. This is a wonderful tool for all home buyers, but is essential when you are new to an area.
- Relocation Information. On select web sites you can find specific relocation information. Every year, the Coldwell Banker Relocation Services Division assists thousands of corporate clients and transferees moving into and out of the Midwest, and at ColdwellBankerOnline.com you can request a free relocation package that will be sent directly to you.
