5 Tips For Successful Online House Hunting

By Corrie Forcet, Realtor® of The Forcet Group | KW Suburban Tampa

97% of potential homebuyers search for homes online. According to a survey conducted by NAR, more than 18% of homebuyers consult their Realtor first before beginning their online search.

Freddie Mac published 5 tips for successful online house hunting in a recent article and we agree entirely. Online shopping has definitely become a house-hunting trend.

We wanted to provide expert tips for online success!

Find an App

Freddie Mac’s number one tip - find an app. They recommend finding an app that allows you to review listings, calculate your mortgage, get preapproval, even communicate with an agent. My KW app includes all this and more. Be sure to download my app if you haven’t already.

Don't Over Filter

The article continues on, suggesting not to overdo your filters within your home search app. It could keep you from finding the right home. Try expanding your search to include counties that surround your preferred location and setting the filters to broader ranges. This way, while you’re looking for your two-bedroom, two-bath condo with a view, you don’t skip over that three-bedroom renovated bungalow listed at a great price that is a few blocks outside your target neighborhood.

Stay Up-To-Date With Notifications

The article goes on to add: “Databases are constantly updated to add new homes, reflect price adjustments and remove sold homes.

Most real estate apps allow you to set alerts for changes to individual property listings and specific locations. Activate those notifications for the listings and areas you’re interested in so that you’re the first to know if the price drops or new homes come on the market.”

Talk To Your Agent

Naturally, the article continues by encouraging you to reach out to your agent. If you find a home you’re interested in, have your Realtor® review the listing and schedule a viewing.

Go See The Home

The fifth and final suggestion is to check it out! “Sometimes photos of homes can appear too good to be true. If you think you’ve found the one, work with your agent to schedule an in-person tour so that you can assess the true state of the home and neighborhood.”

Online house hunting can be extremely successful when you implement the right steps. Feel free to reach out to me if you have any additional questions or would like to see a home in the Tampa / Valrico area today!