When you are on the hunt to buy a new home, it can take up a lot of time and energy. The first thing you will probably do is look online at what is already listed to get an idea of the local market. This can render few relevant results if you aren’t focused. Here are 5 ways to level up your online home search.
Set a Price Limit for Your Online Home Search
No matter what your budget is, there are always going to be houses for sale that are out of your price range. While it can be fun to browse extravagant mansions on Zillow, it isn’t conducive to finding a home to buy.
Determine your budget for a home by getting pre-approved with a bank and considering your other expenses. Enter in your upper price limit to the website you are searching on to eliminate houses that you can’t afford. You may also want to enter a minimum price limit to filter out homes that are not at the value you want to invest.
Type of Property
You probably have a clear idea of whether you want to buy a single-family home, a condo, or a plot of land to build on. It’s easy to filter out property types that you aren’t interested in and it will make your online home search more efficient. Check off all the types of properties you want to see in your search results.
Location
Real estate professionals insist that location is one of the most important factors in a home purchase. If you have narrowed down the neighborhoods and areas you would prefer to live in, enter them before searching. You can specify places by town, neighborhood, zip code, county, or even draw a custom border around the area.
Size
For most families, size is a determining factor for the home they buy. If you want each person to have their own room, the amount of bedrooms is non-negotiable. You may know that you need a certain amount of bathrooms, too. Enter your minimum size requirements for the number of bedrooms, bathrooms, and even square footage so that you’ll only be shown matching results.
Required Features
Are there unique features that you’ve decided you must have in your new home? You may be moving because you want a house with its own swimming pool or you have always wanted a waterfront property. Define specific qualities and amenities that you are looking for within your home search.
Level Up Your Online Home Search with 3D Tours
If you are searching for property in another city or state, online 3D tours will be your best friend. 3D tours are a virtual walkthrough of the house with 360-degree photos of each room. You’ll get a good sense of how the house looks and feels without being there in person.
Set your search filter to only show homes that have a 3D tour and set up email notifications for when a new home with a 3D tour goes on the market. When you’re unable to visit homes in person, you’ll find the 3D tour feature to be a great tool.
Dave Holt Home Inspections provides home inspection services to New Orleans and the surrounding areas. Contact us to schedule an appointment.