Doing Homework Online Can Save Time And Energy (NAPSA)—If yow’re shopping for a new home, beginning the process can be overwhelming. Where to start can be daunting, but just rememberthat the first address to visit should start with “www.” That’s the advice from Realtors who say that between online resources like innovative Web sites, virtual open houses, and social networking sites, homebuyers can do a lot of legwork before leaving the house. The experts at Century 21 Real Estate LLC offer these tips that can help define perspective and parameters for your new home search as well as provide important information about the marketplace. Go To The Source You should try checking the national real estate Web sites like www.Century21.com. With innovative tools like the interactive map, searching for a new home can be easier, more specific and realistic than ever before. Instead of immediately jumping into the car with a map, use this tool to experience what you would on the road from the comfort of your own home. Other search categories include neighborhood, price range, type of home or the desired number of bedrooms or bathrooms. Listings generally provide room measurements, amenities and pictures. There are also features that enable you to learn about neighborhoods, calculate affordability metrics or potential mortgage pay- ments and find an agent in the area. Additionally, the CENTURY 21 Website offers educational tips on buying a home whether you are a first time buyer or have been through the process before. There is an option to have new listings in a specific area sent straight to your inbox. The company even hasits own channel on YouTube (www.you tube.com/century21) where homeowners can post their own videos so that shoppers can view virtual open houses. Go Local If yow’re considering moving The Web has a number of re- sources that can make shopping for a house easier. neighborhoods, check out community Web sites for localized information like Zillow, Trulia, Yahoo! and Google to see what people think of the area. You can usually search the sites by ZIP code, so type in a ZIP and contact a few members who you comeacross. You might also search the Web for neighborhood groups in the area and attend a meeting or look for online community bulletin boards where you can post a few questions. Manylocal papers have Web sites with community blogs as well. They can be a great place to get a feel for what residents think of area schools, social life, services and more. Work With An Agent While the Web can make searching for a home less taxing, experts say it’s still important to work with a well-qualified real estate professional. The right agent can help you in all phases of your home search. They understand the local area and can help negotiate an optimal price. Especially in changing market conditions, turning to a real estate agent will give the expert support and advice necessary throughout the entire process and will answer the questions you don’t know to ask. Doing research online will provide the background knowledge to help define your search, but there is no substitute for expert advice.
