Shopping for a new home is difficult and time-consuming. With all of the homes listed for sale, it’s tempting to want to visit all of them. However, if you’re juggling house-hunting with your work and personal life, then you likely won’t have time to set aside many hours to visit several homes.
This is where you can use technology to your advantage. With free, modern tools online you can find out plenty about a house and the neighborhood it’s in without ever having to go and visit it. Better yet, you can do so in just a few minutes right from home.
In this article, we’re going to teach you how to become a real estate investigator from the comfort of your own couch, helping you save time while hunting for the perfect home for you.
While it’s okay to browse homes for pleasure, when it comes to getting serious about buying a home you’ll want to keep your search as specific as possible. Think about what you or your family need in a house and neighborhood, rather than focusing on idealized versions of those things.
A good way to do this is to sit down and make a list of your budget and the five most important things you’re looking for in a home. These could be things like distance to work, being in a certain school district, or having a certain number of bedrooms. Once you have these details in mind you can begin your search.
There are a number of search tools for locating homes near you. The key to searching, however, isn’t the tool you use but how you search. Refer to your list for things like room numbers, square footage, and location.
If you don’t come up with as many hits as you’d like, try setting up email or text alerts so you can be made aware of the new results for your area.
Once you have a list of about ten properties, you’re ready to start researching them further to see which sellers you want to contact to view the home.
Many people are surprised at the number of things you can learn about a home just from a Google search. However, Google will be an indispensable tool in your search for the perfect home.
Let’s start our search on Google Maps. Type in the address for the house you’re researching and see if there are any photos of the home that aren’t on the listing page. Next, enter the satellite view of the home to get an idea of the layout of the home and property.
While you’re in Google Maps, it’s a good idea to browse the local area for businesses, hospitals, schools, parks, and other services that might affect your decision. Then, set a driving route between the house and your place of work to find out how long it would take you to get to work if you moved there.
Once you’re done in Google Maps, head back to the Google search page and browse the results for the address. This could show you information on previous owners, prices, and crime statistics. All of this will be useful information in your search.
Repeat this search method for the rest of your homes on your list and you’ll be narrowing down potential homes to visit in no time.
Welcome to Long Island Living at its best! The South Shore of Suffolk County is a suburban area that runs along the shoreline of the Atlantic Ocean. Homes in this area consist of primarily residential properties. This area tends to be diverse in culture and income as it varies by hamlet, village or town. Residents along the South Shore have access to many beaches, parks and recreational activities. I pride myself on my honesty, integrity, hard work and personal service. My first career was in education, starting as a teacher then finishing as a guidance counselor and achieving my Master’s and two PD's. In 1986, I began my real estate career. In a sense, I am still an educator and offering guidance; this time I am outside of the classroom educating my clients on the selling and purchasing processes; which have become so complicated recently and guiding them safely through the confusing and ever-changing real estate market. It is very satisfying to me to help people with not only the greatest financial asset in their lives but their greatest emotional asset; where they celebrate holidays, raise their families and live their lives. I take the needs of my clients very seriously and as a result, I am proud to say, over 90% of my sales are the result of referrals and recommendations. Primarily, my areas of service are the Townships of Babylon and Islip on Long Island’s beautiful South Shore, near pristine beaches and wonderful boating, yet only 55 minutes from Manhattan; truly the best of both worlds. I'm a graduate of the Real Estate Institute and am certified as a Senior Real Estate Specialist. I also hold a license as a Notary Public. Please feel free to call or visit so I can help you fulfill your real estate dreams. I am a Full Service Licensed Real Estate Associate Broker and provide the following: Free appraisal Rental Mortgages International relocation services Sales Home warranty New homes Free school report Water front specialist Notary public Please feel free to call or visit so I can help you fulfill your real estate dreams.
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