How to find your next home fast

Technology is moving at a rapid pace and real estate is right there with it. Digital and mobile outlets now allow real estate agents to communicate with clients more efficiently, and consumers are able to find homes faster. Here are just a few tips to help you find your next home fast!

Take advantage of Web 2.0 features—Home listing sites don’t always offer consumers a personalized experience—one that’s tailored to a consumer’s needs and preferences. However, My Real Living (Web 2.0) does! This site allows consumers to customize and save searches, receive up-to-date listings, communicate with their agent, schedule showings and much more. With 4,000 new registrants each month, Real Living’s Web 2.0 features are clearly an effective tool for consumers.

Benefit from 360⁰ Marketing—With the use of Real Living 360⁰ marketing integration, agents are now featuring homes for sale in a number of new locations, including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, blogs and more. Skimming the Sunday paper for new listings won’t get you very far anymore. Modern day buyers are multi-dimensional, and to meet the needs of these buyers, Real Living agents use a combination of traditional (signs, radio, print), mobile (texting, click-to-talk, etc.) and digital (web, blogs, video) marketing techniques. You never know where you could find your next home! Have you connected with your agent on Facebook?

Connect with agents on social media sites—Realtors® are business savvy. They know to go where the consumer is. And the people are on social media sites, including Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. Real Living agents are now using these sites to showcase properties for sale. By using Facebook applications like Note, My blogs, Fan Pages and sharing links, agents are posting details regarding current listings. Agents are also posting videos and photos of the interior and exterior of homes as well as the community. Connecting with agents on these sites will help you find your home faster and build a stronger relationship with your Realtor®.

Read real estate blogs—Realtors® are always blogging. Find a couple real estate blogs, including your agent’s, and read them regularly to help stay on top of local and national real estate trends and tips. You’ll learn what to look for and when to buy. The experts are talking, so listen and learn from them. Become a part of the discussion as you search for your home.

Use Google Maps “street view”—Enter the address of a potential home into Google Maps, click “street view”, and you’re able to explore a neighborhood, community and even evaluate the exterior of a home all from the comfort of your computer. This saves you valuable time, money and gas!

Good luck and have fun searching for your next home! If you have any questions or want to know more, contact a local agent today.