Best Online tool to search for Properties!
The age of technology has produced a barrage of online services that deal exclusively with real estate listings and forever changed the way in which Americans search for homes. Gone are the days when engaging a real estate agent and scouting neighborhoods like Stone Mountain, GA was the only way to find houses for sale. In today’s society you need only turn on the computer to find home prices, search for houses in a particular neighborhood, or take virtual tours of those that spark your interest. All of the main services offer mobile apps and some apps even offer suggestions based on homes that you’ve looked at in the past. Most of these services receive their data from any number of sources, including real estate agents, public record, tax assessors, and homeowners.
Zillow
Zillow is perhaps one of the most popular online real estate services. They gained fame with their Zestimates, which are estimates of home value that derive from their formula that includes public records of home sales. Over time, Zillow has gotten more data and their estimates have become more accurate, although it should be noted that they are still only estimates.
You can also view information from old listings on Zillow, which is a plus if there are no photos included in a listing. There is also data available for homes that aren’t on the market and you can view properties near those that interest you to view old listing data, sales history, as well as satellite maps that allow you to see what amenities are nearby. For example, if you want to buy a home in Stone Mountain, GA, but want to know what hospitals are in the area, all you need to do is look at the satellite map.
Trulia
Trulia is another popular portal that gets information from various sources. It has all the perks of the other services, with the addition of its unique “heat maps.” These allow you to easily check out crime, commute times, schools, and other amenities such as grocery stores and banks in your neighborhood of choice. You can even view the probability of natural disasters like earthquakes or tornados. Some of these stats are available with other services, but not in Trulia’s unique formatting.
Trulia also allows you to make a map of the vicinity in which you want to search in addition to searching for houses by city or ZIP code. It also suggests houses based on individual search history and sends alerts for new listings as well as homes that you’ve followed.
These are just two of the many search tools that can be used when searching for homes online. One thing that they all have in common however is that they lack that personal attention that your real estate agent can give you. There are a myriad of small search sites such as http://cliffj2007.listingbook.com that offer a more one on one approach to your search. Local sites such as these, along with localized real estate sites, such as wwww.stonemountaingeorgiahomes.com , can help you get a more personalized search from an agent who is familiar with the area. While statistics and satellite photos may give you an overall view of the area, speaking with someone who has first- hand knowledge of the neighborhoods, people, and amenities is something that you can’t find with the larger online services.
Wednesday, June 24, 2015
Saturday, June 6, 2015
Buy a Home this Summer!
Buy a Home this Summer!
Real estate can be a tricky market and knowing when to buy can ensure that you get the home that you want at the lowest possible price. There are many factors that come into play when buying a home and the help of a real estate agent can be invaluable. Whether you are searching websites, such as www.stonemountaingeorgiahomes.com or simply looking through listings in the local paper, your real estate agent can offer sound advice with your best interest in mind. One of the things that you agent will most likely point out is that while spring has traditionally been seen as the best time of year to buy a home, buying during the summer months has some distinct advantages. Typically, people begin the process of buying a home in the spring. By the time summer arrives, the “house hunting” mindset has eased off and results in a quiet period in real estate. Here are a few of the advantages of buying a home during the summer months:
Curb-Appeal is at its Best
As spring marches on and summer looms, homes are shown in their best light. Hedges take on their summer foliage, grass turns green and lush, and what was a slushy, barren landscape becomes a cheerful and welcoming property. This is true of not only Stone Mountain, Georgia homes, but those around the country. By viewing a home when it is at its best, you can assess the property’s potential as well as getting a better idea of what improvements are needed and whether or not they are within your means. During fall and winter, sellers can excuse any unfinished repairs on weather, but during the summer months, those needed repairs can give your real estate agent valuable leverage for price negotiations.
Summer often means Better Prices
Homes are generally put on the market at the start of the new year. Spring months tend to be the busiest for real estate agents, with both buyers and sellers flooding the market. At a certain point, when most of the reasonably priced homes have been purchased, the activity reaches its peak and begins a steady decline.
Summer however, is often the cusp at which the sellers of homes that were overpriced begin to rethink their options. Houses that were priced too high and didn’t move, begin to drop in price. Homeowners who are desperate to sell their home begin to be more open minded toward negotiation and bargaining. This is the perfect opportunity for buyers to make their move and perhaps get a great house that would previously been beyond their price range. Websites like www.stonemountaingeorgiahomes are a great place to begin searching out these incredible bargains.
Less Competition
One of the best things about summertime house shopping is that the competition is much less fierce. With a fairly open market, buyers have more time to make decisions without the worry that their dream house will be sold out from under them.
The fact that the life of a real estate agent is quite hectic in spring means that it becomes more relaxed during the summertime. By this time, most buyers are concentrating more on summer vacations and plans for July 4th than they are on buying a home. Barbecues, family reunions, and weekend getaways are occupying the thoughts of most people in the summer and rushing to place an offer on the table takes less precedence.
Sellers, on the other hand, are more willing to negotiate than ever. The thoughts of upcoming vacations and holidays tend to create a sense of urgency in sellers who want to finish up the stressful business of selling their home. This often results in buyers getting a better deal than they thought possible.
There are many other reasons to continue your search for a home into the summer months. Among other things, you’ll have a better chance of meeting your potential neighbors. Summer is a beautiful time of year in Stone Mountain, Georgia. Homes are surrounded by flowers and residents are outside enjoying the weather. Getting to meet those people who may become your neighbors is often an important factor in whether or not you buy a particular home. While that may not seem like an important factor, more homeowners are dissatisfied with their neighbors than their actual home.
Whether you are a first time buyer or experienced in the ups and downs of real estate, knowing when to shop is at least as important as knowing where. Buying during the summer slump can save you money as well as relieving some of the stress involved. Stone Mountain, Georgia homes, as well as homes around the country, are often at their lowest prices of the year during the summer months.
Websites like www.stonemountaingeorgiahomes.com are a great way to get an idea of what is available in your chosen area. While summer is the time for fun, postponing that day at the beach to look at houses may be worth it if you find the home of your dreams at a price you never would have imagined.
Real estate can be a tricky market and knowing when to buy can ensure that you get the home that you want at the lowest possible price. There are many factors that come into play when buying a home and the help of a real estate agent can be invaluable. Whether you are searching websites, such as www.stonemountaingeorgiahomes.com or simply looking through listings in the local paper, your real estate agent can offer sound advice with your best interest in mind. One of the things that you agent will most likely point out is that while spring has traditionally been seen as the best time of year to buy a home, buying during the summer months has some distinct advantages. Typically, people begin the process of buying a home in the spring. By the time summer arrives, the “house hunting” mindset has eased off and results in a quiet period in real estate. Here are a few of the advantages of buying a home during the summer months:
Curb-Appeal is at its Best
As spring marches on and summer looms, homes are shown in their best light. Hedges take on their summer foliage, grass turns green and lush, and what was a slushy, barren landscape becomes a cheerful and welcoming property. This is true of not only Stone Mountain, Georgia homes, but those around the country. By viewing a home when it is at its best, you can assess the property’s potential as well as getting a better idea of what improvements are needed and whether or not they are within your means. During fall and winter, sellers can excuse any unfinished repairs on weather, but during the summer months, those needed repairs can give your real estate agent valuable leverage for price negotiations.
Summer often means Better Prices
Homes are generally put on the market at the start of the new year. Spring months tend to be the busiest for real estate agents, with both buyers and sellers flooding the market. At a certain point, when most of the reasonably priced homes have been purchased, the activity reaches its peak and begins a steady decline.
Summer however, is often the cusp at which the sellers of homes that were overpriced begin to rethink their options. Houses that were priced too high and didn’t move, begin to drop in price. Homeowners who are desperate to sell their home begin to be more open minded toward negotiation and bargaining. This is the perfect opportunity for buyers to make their move and perhaps get a great house that would previously been beyond their price range. Websites like www.stonemountaingeorgiahomes are a great place to begin searching out these incredible bargains.
Less Competition
One of the best things about summertime house shopping is that the competition is much less fierce. With a fairly open market, buyers have more time to make decisions without the worry that their dream house will be sold out from under them.
The fact that the life of a real estate agent is quite hectic in spring means that it becomes more relaxed during the summertime. By this time, most buyers are concentrating more on summer vacations and plans for July 4th than they are on buying a home. Barbecues, family reunions, and weekend getaways are occupying the thoughts of most people in the summer and rushing to place an offer on the table takes less precedence.
Sellers, on the other hand, are more willing to negotiate than ever. The thoughts of upcoming vacations and holidays tend to create a sense of urgency in sellers who want to finish up the stressful business of selling their home. This often results in buyers getting a better deal than they thought possible.
There are many other reasons to continue your search for a home into the summer months. Among other things, you’ll have a better chance of meeting your potential neighbors. Summer is a beautiful time of year in Stone Mountain, Georgia. Homes are surrounded by flowers and residents are outside enjoying the weather. Getting to meet those people who may become your neighbors is often an important factor in whether or not you buy a particular home. While that may not seem like an important factor, more homeowners are dissatisfied with their neighbors than their actual home.
Whether you are a first time buyer or experienced in the ups and downs of real estate, knowing when to shop is at least as important as knowing where. Buying during the summer slump can save you money as well as relieving some of the stress involved. Stone Mountain, Georgia homes, as well as homes around the country, are often at their lowest prices of the year during the summer months.
Websites like www.stonemountaingeorgiahomes.com are a great way to get an idea of what is available in your chosen area. While summer is the time for fun, postponing that day at the beach to look at houses may be worth it if you find the home of your dreams at a price you never would have imagined.
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