9 Must Have Real Estate Tools Before You Buy.
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
It's a tough market. I wouldn't want to be a buyer or seller. For those of you thinking of upgrading, or for those first time home buyers, doing your homework will save a lot of time and money. Who doesn't like to save money?
1. Zillow-
This is a no brainer. Realtors use Zillow and so should you. Here's the Zillow Wiki for more informaiton. Or, just go to Zillow.
2. Trulia-
Similar to Zillow, but a must if you're looking for comps, need to see maps of neighborhoods, and search homes for sale. Trulia
3. HousingMaps-
This is a 'mashup' of Google Maps and Craigslist. Select City, then price, and then view the Craigslist listings on the map. Pretty cool.
4. PlanetHazard-
If you care about you and your family's health, you need to check out how your City/State stacks up in regards to pollution. Who wants to live in a city that pumps out toxic waste? Or poisons the groundwater you drink? PlanetHazard "...uses information from the EPA to map over 86,000 companies throughout the United States that emit hazardous air pollutants."
5. RealEstateABC-
Similar to Zillow, but with more tools for home buyers.
6. RealtyBaron-
Another search tool. RealtyBaron has a great simple-to-use interface. Quick and easy.
7. Fool-
The home center at the Motley Fool is great for studying up on home buying information such as: Financing, Refinancing, Finding a home, Making a Deal, and Checking Rates.
8. Bankrate-
The Mortgage calculator at Bankrate is great for finding out how much house you CAN'T afford. There are other Mortgage calculators such as the Fixed vs. Adjustable Rate Mortgage Calculator.
9. RealEstateJournal-
The Wall Street Journal's online Real Estate Guide. Tons of good info. There are even pod casts of Real Estate news information.
posted by author @ 8:10 PM,
1 Comments:
-
At 7:10 PM,
sfTravel said...
-
Great list. I've used a number of these tools, but really convenient to see the best ones all in one place. In today's crappy market - you need to arm yourself with all the data you can.
