The Internet MakesIt Easier To Rent, Research, Buy Or Sell A Home (NAPSA)—Baby on the way and you need a bigger house? Landlord won’t replace your 20year-old carpet? Moving crosscountry and need to research your new hometown? While buying, selling or searching for a home— either in town or across the country—can be considered a highstress task, the arrival of the Internet has helped to make the process mucheasier. With a host of information and services, the Internet is fast becoming an indispensable real estate tool. Whether you’re a novice or experienced user searching for comparable homesales in your area, demographics for a neighborhood in anotherstate, or looking for an agent with experience in a given region, the Internet can point you in just about any direction—while saving you valuable time and money. Andit’s catching on—according to data compiled by Jupiter Research, 80 percent of home buyers and renters will use the Internet as a research tool by 2005! A good place to start is one of the major real estate sites like Yahoo! Real Estate (http://real estate.yahoo.com), which provides free educational resources, easy-touse tools (like “rent vs. buy” calculators), nationwide rental listings and comprehensive MLS data in select markets to help you make informed real estate decisions. “The Internet is a great tool to have, whether you're buying,selling or renting,” says real estate agent Tim Roslansky. “It’s critical to be well-informed when you begin the process, and to educate yourself to avoid the pitfalls and unwanted surprises.” Additionally, consumers can use the Internetto: Find tips and guidelines for renters and landlords. Search information from state andlocal agencies about tenants’ rights, important legislative changes, and leasing guidelines. Also, a potential tenant can view and print a current credit report by visiting the site of a credit reporting agency (for example, http://www. experian.com). Research and apply for a loan. Pre-approval for a homeloan is widely considered the first— Need a change of address? The Internet can help. and most crucial step—in the home buying process. Lenders like Quicken (http://quickenloans. quicken.com) offer convenient online forms, and most provide online notification within minutes of submitting an application. Find an agent in your desired area. Many agents market their specialized services via personalized sites on the Internet. Check portal sites like Yahoo! Real Estate (http://realestate.yahoo.com) or the National Association of Realtors (http://www.realtor.org) to locate an agent with knowledge of a particular neighborhood or market area. Get assistance for short or long-distance moves. Whether you’re moving across town or across the country, you'll probably enlist the help of a moving service. Services like National Moving Network (http://www.national moving.com) can provide contact information for local movers or coordinate a long-distance move andprovide estimates for services. To simplify your research, these links and many more can be found on major real estate sites like Yahoo! Real Estate. The decision to buy, sell or even rent a home is a major one—more than ever before, it’s essential for home seekers and sellers to educate themselves with the resources that can help them make the smartest housing decisions. With the help of the Internet, free resources are available at your fingertips so you can spend less time scouring the classified ads and more time focused on finding your dream home.
