Navigating real estate websites can be overwhelming because there are so many listings posted. If you don’t narrow down the search, you will become discouraged by sifting through homes that aren’t what you are looking for. Use the tools that these websites offer to make your online home search easier. Here are 5 tips for looking at homes for sale online.
Be Specific About Location
The location of your new house is one of the most important factors in making a good investment. Identify the areas that you want to live in. You can specify zip codes, towns, neighborhoods, or even use a pen tool to draw a border. Look at the values of the other homes in the neighborhood and compare them to the home for sale to gain some insight on if it is priced fairly. If it is the most expensive home in the neighborhood, it may be overpriced for what it is worth.
Set a Price Range for Your Online Home Search
Before looking at homes, figure out your budget and get pre-approved for a mortgage. This will help you determine what you can afford. A financial institution may approve you for more than you feel comfortable spending, based on your other expenses. Keep this in mind and only take what you can afford to pay back with interest. Enter your price limit on the real estate site you are searching. You may also put in a low threshold to filter out homes that aren’t up to your standards.
Type of Residence
Real estate websites list all types of properties, like single-family homes, townhouses, condos, apartments, and empty lots. Don’t waste time looking at the types of properties that you don’t want to buy. You can also specify the type of view you want the property to have if this is important to you, like waterfront or mountain view.
Size of Home
You probably have a preference about the approximate size of your new home, whether it is in a number of rooms or square footage. You have the opportunity to set a minimum and maximum for both qualifications.
Enter Certain Features and Keywords in Your Online Home Search
Besides the basic factors like size, price, and type of property, you might have specific requirements for your new home like a garage, basement, or fireplace. There are checkboxes for some features that will only show homes with the features that you select. You can also use the keyword function, where you can type in a feature and the search results will only contain listings that include that word.
Carolina HomePro Inspections offers home inspection services in Charlotte, NC and in the Rock Hill area of South Carolina. If you’re buying a home, contact us to request an appointment.