Where On The Internet Can You Find Homes That Are For Sale?

Last time I wrote, I spoke about where buyers come from. Today, I would like to talk about how you can go about finding homes that are for sale. As I stated in my last blog, 90% of all home searches start on the internet. For those of you just starting, you may not know where to even begin on the internet to find homes. Let me start by saying, there are many websites out there that can provide you with the information that you are looking for in your home search, my advice would be to find one that you like and stick with it. Once you do find a site that gives you the information that you want, contact a REALTOR� to verify the information that you're looking at. The status of a home can change quickly: so, you could be looking at something that may no longer still be available.

The first place I would recommend, would of course be my own site. If you go to this link: http://www.joedelbuono4realestate.com/search/index.htm, you'll be able to put in the search criteria that you are looking for in a home. You can also narrow down your search by area, square foot of home and land, as well as number of bedrooms and bathrooms. The other nice feature about my site is the ability to have listings sent directly to you. Just go to this link: http://www.joedelbuono4realestate.com/search/home_alert.htm and click on the "have listings sent to me" link.

Another site would be www.zillow.com. While this site will show you homes in a general area, you won't really know if these homes are still active or contingent (already in contract). The one nice feature about Zillow, is the fact that it will give you an estimate (zestimate) of a homes value. The thing to remember, this is just an estimate, don't make real decisions based on these. This is where you want to talk to a REALTOR� to get his or her opinion. The other downfall is, they tell you if a home is in foreclosure but they won't reveal the address. Another reason to call a REALTOR�. The other thing about Zillow, is they may not have all the listings that are available for the area that you are looking in. Not all real estate brokers will share their information with Zillow; therefore, it won't be on their site.

One of the better sites is actually www.realtor.com. This site gives you lots of great pictures (if available) along with the listing agent and office. Not that you have to call that particular agent. Any agent can give you the information that you are looking for concerning that piece of property. It will also give you the status of the property, whether it's active or contingent.

The last one I'll tell you about is www.redifin.com. This is a very interactive site and give you lots of information. You can get school information, along with current sale information. They also give you a nice map layout of the property along with the listing changes that have occurred during the course of the listing.

The one thing in common with all these sites is the fact that you won't know if the property is a short-sale. This is a home that is being sold for less than is owed to the lender. This is again, where you'll need to get a hold of your REALTOR� to get this information. While you can get some good deal on a short-sale, it may not always be the easiest.

Let me know your favorite place to look for homes and I'll add it to my list.