What is the best Real Estate Website to use to search for real estate?
Finding the best real estate website is more involved than a google search. In 1981, 22% of home buyers read newspaper ads to find a home and eight percent used friends as an information source. 44% looked for properties online first in 2018. In 2020, 84% of home buyers used the internet to search for homes. This is due to a number of reasons. Home buyers are younger and more tech savvy and the Covid-19 pandemic kept buyers from doing anything BUT look for homes online. One important fact to understand is that not every home search site is created alike. There are specific strengths and weaknesses to the sites that people use to search for homes. And these differences are more than cosmetic.
Who is the customer??
One thing to understand when using websites is you have to understand who the customer is and who the product is when using the site. On popular sites such as Zillow and Trulia, you, the potential buyer, are actually the product. You are sold to agents as a lead to the highest bidder. Because of this, there is less priority to accuracy and speed and more on an addicting browsing experience. Any person who has looked for homes can attest how addicting it can be to go to one of these sites and browse for homes! The way that these sites work is that they take from the local MLS and update the information on a regular basis. The big different is how quickly the websites are update with information. Some sites are updated daily, while other are updated hourly or even every few minutes. This may not seem like a huge deal – but in a market like the one we are in now this could definitely mean the different between an accepted offer and a lost chance.
Local insight, faster results.
The best and most accurate real estate website to get the most up to date information on homes is the source. That is to say, the MLS and the information that real estate agents provide. This is a real advantage as you have more time to see a property. Having additional time to ask questions or do research is essential to making an informed offer. Another reason to use a local real estate agents website to search for homes is for the additional information you may need to make this decision. Many buyers are buying sight unseen and you may be in this situation as well.
With this in mind you’ll need all the help and advice you can get, much of which should be on a local agents website. This is all information that an agent and their website can provide. Agents can also set up an email notification to be when a home that fits your parameters comes onto the market. This will beat notifications from Zillow or other sites. It will also have more accurate information are you are the customer in this situation, not the commodity. The design of the site is meant to give you information, not sell you as a lead to an agent.
Stu is your guy.
All in all, it’s critical to have a qualified professional if you are looking to buy a home. Not only will you get insight and negotiating skills, you’ll have the best information quickly to make the best decision. The internet is an incredible tool to help make the best decision. But without key local information and a trusted guide to help secure the home, you’ll be at a disadvantage. Stu Van Anderson is your trusted guide to the Breckenridge market, give him a call to start your journey today!