How Do I Search for Properties Online?

So, you’re finally ready to buy a home. The question now is, are you sure you know where and how to look?

If you already have a property in mind, then good for you. Maybe it’s a house for sale you chanced upon while driving around. Maybe a friend of yours is looking to sell their condominium unit. If that’s the case, then all you have to do after making sure the place suits your needs and lifestyle is to seal the deal.

But if you don’t have any options yet, or want a few more, the easiest and simplest way is to look for properties online.

Thanks to the digital age we are now living in, doing any kind of search are as easy as typing a few words into a search bar and hitting “go.” Real estate is no exemption to this--when looking for a home, it’s likely that the first thing you would do is to “Google it,” and let the search engine take you to a myriad of choices.

It may seem that easy, but remember that there’s still so much to filter through--if you’re not careful, you could land in some deep property information overload. If you want to locate a potential home, and maybe even secure a good deal for it, there are ways to do it smartly. Here are a few to help you utilize the Internet, and its several platforms, for your property search:

Take advantage of real estate portals

You can count on real estate portals to give you up-to-date, accurate, and diverse information on properties all around the country to help you begin your search. 

Firstly, you’ll be able to filter your search more easily--you can search listings by category, area, size, etc. Portals cover the basics, but they are also equipped with several resources that will come in handy to your decision-making--market summaries, demographic information, location maps. Some portals have chat functions to respond to your queries in real time. And some portals are even available as apps, which allows a hassle-free, mobile search experience.

Always check websites

Perhaps the most direct way to get to know a certain property is through their website. Aside from the need-to-know’s, you can check property websites to determine what features they highlight, which might help you compare them better with other properties. You should also take note which features are not included in the website, so you’ll know what to inquire about and look for in other sources.

Refer to blogs

If you’re looking to rely on firsthand experience to weigh your options, then it would be useful to look for blogs or blog posts about a certain developer, property, or area. While sponsored blog posts can provide some practical information, personal reviews will give you better insight.

Find properties on social media

Most brands believe that being on social media helps them to be more accessible, and you can take advantage of this initiative. By scrutinizing property developers’ social media accounts, you’ll get an indication of what it’s like to work with them-

-after all, buying a property is always a partnership. You’ll also be able to go through their links, and even engage with them. Send them a tweet or a private message for your inquiries. Also, make sure to be on the lookout for deals that may sometimes pop up in social media accounts.

Don’t underestimate the power of groups

Facebook groups and even Reddit threads are unlikely but useful resources for looking for properties an easy, no-fuss option--all you have to do is scroll down posts from the community until you find something with potential. You can inquire directly from the original poster, but often you can also just sift through the comments on the post. Be careful, though, and make sure that you only engage with legitimate accounts.

Crowdsource

Use the potential of your connections- -crowd source your inquiries and concerns and let the trusted opinions and experiences of your friends and acquaintances ease your mind. There are many possible venues for crowd-sourcing. 

You can use your own social media accounts or even join forums on related topics. These days, you can pretty much crowd source for anything--which places are flood-prone, what kind of furniture to buy, etc. Do people tend to help each other out on such practical matters--who says it won’t lead you to find your new home?

The next time you are in the market for a new property, give online portals a chance. It just might save you time and keep you off the risk of finding your dream property.