Five House Hunting Procedures You Can Accomplish Online

The Internet allows a great deal of things to happen – you can read restaurant reviews online, get maps to places, connect with old school buddies and more.

But did you know you can conduct most house hunting (and refinancing, selling, etc.) activities online as well?

Realtor Finding

Most realtors these days have websites in cards. This allows interested parties to find a realtor with the touch of a button – which can come in handy. Many websites offer reviews, in addition to standard business ratings and opinions so you can get an idea of your realtor’s performance… before signing a contract.

House Hunting

The actual homebuying process is now easily accomplished thanks to organized, state-based MLS listings. Websites that categorize these MLS’ into easily readable formats are available to help interested buyers scan listings for properties in their price point or targeted area. The website Listingbook, for example, shows when prices have been changed or modified, when a home has sold and what it sold for – empowering buyers to arm themselves with accurate market data.

Mortgage Shopping

It’s easy to look for a mortgage these days – simply Google (News - Alert) mortgage and sees what comes up. Local brokerages and national banks often let you complete your mortgage application online. Another benefit of shopping online is that it is easy to research interest rates and mortgage types, enabling you to enter into any initial transaction prepared. (Note: Look for state- or first time homebuyer-specific options!)

Long-Term Maintenance

Once a mortgage is established, the Internet has a hastle and paper-free way to make your life easier: you can track and make payments online. It’s fairly commonplace these days for banks and mortgage companies to offer these online payment options – and occasionally they will offer discounts if customers sign up for this service. And another facet of maintenance is paying attention to changing mortgage rates – it can be beneficial to refinance as appropriate.

Resale

Homeownership is a full circle track. When it comes time to upgrade or move on, it’s just as easy to get involved in the sales process over the Internet. Find a realtor, research comps in your area, come to a price point that you’re comfortable with and list your house… online.