It used to be that the only way to find a home to buy or rent was to go through a pricey realtor who showed you only the properties they wanted you to see. Now you can use the internet to not only find the house you’d like to buy but also to get the mortgage you need. Many times you can go through the entire process of buying a home without ever talking to a realtor and that can really save you money. Here are some of the best sites to find real estate and real estate services.
Realtor.com
This is one of the most widely used real estate sites on the web. This website is connected to virtually every MLS system and and you can search for homes by specific features ranging from hardwood floors to a pool to the house being on a corner lot. They also provide a handy calculator that will help you figure out your monthly payment including interest. You can manipulate your payment based on how much down payment you can afford, your interest rate, and the term of your mortgage. One downside to this website is that not all the listings have multiple pictures and not all of the listings have map information. The map that realtor.com does use does not provide information about what shopping malls, schools, or universities are near by.
Craigslist.org
This is a great website for finding roommates. It’s particularly great if you need housing for a short period of time. Most likely you’ll be able to find someone who needs to sublet an apartment and it will fit your time period. This is also great for finding housing deals that aren’t listed on your local MLS system. One bad thing about this site is that you have to be very wary of scammers. I’ve also run across some legit realtors with some questionable requirements such as you must use a specific lender or you cannot obtain the price advertised or if you already have a realtor they will refuse to work with you.
Ziprealty.com
This website, in my opinion, is the best one out there. Most of their listings have multiple photos so you are able to get a sense of what the house really looks like and the provide neighborhood information such as local schools, shopping centers, the cost of utilities, and the local crime rate. The information I just listed is only a portion of the neighborhood and demographic information they provide. They also offer cash back when you make a purchase through one of their realtors. They also provide a quality map location for everyone of their listings. You can see what shopping centers, schools, universities, and major highways are near the listed house. Let’s not forget that they provide school data and driving directions. The one negative with this site is that you have to register before you can see the details of your home search. They also don’t cover as big an area as say, Realtor.com. Otherwise, it’s an excellent site.
Bankrate.com
The site is less about real estate than about the financing surrounding your purchase. Using this website you can find the best deals on a mortgage in your area. The one bad thing about it is that it can be a little cluttered and real estate is not the only financial issue it attends to so you can get a little lost.
Zillow.com
This is just a fun website. You can look at homes that are for sale in your neighborhood, homes that have recently sold, and also homes that have a “make me move” price. The make me move price is for home owners who aren’t currently selling their home but who might if offered the right price. You can even look up your current residence, post photos, and get an estimate on it’s current worth. You can even create your own “make me move” price. The one negative is that it doesn’t provide quite as much information about the houses as ziprealty or even realtor.com.
Forsalebyowner.com
If you’re a home owner who’s selling their home or a buyer who wants to avoid costly realtor commissions. This is the site for you. This site helps sellers and owners connect without the hassle and expense of going through a realtor. This website provides buying and selling guides, city profiles, and links to helpful services such as homeowner’s insurance companies, lawyers, home builders, moving companies, and even title search services. They also offer convenient Google maps. The one negative about this site is that because it is the homeowners who are selling their home, many times they overprice and can be stubborn when negotiating on something they are emotionally attached to.
Now that you know the pros and cons of these websites, you can really advance your search for a home.
