5 Great Technology Tools for Home Buyers

Modern technology, especially blogs and mobile apps, has made the home-buying process much easier than it used to be. Websites such as the one for Era Wilder Realty allow buyers to sort homes by number of bedrooms, number of bathrooms, or even minimum or maximum price.

This empowers people who are looking for a new home to sort through thousands of potential choices on the market to find the one that fits their needs. Many of these websites include images along with their listings, which allow you the opportunity to get a feel for the home without having to travel to a showing.

But did you know there are other tech tools that can smooth your way to a new home? Consider the following five.

1. Google Maps

This is a great tool for potential home buyers because it pinpoints the exact location of a home on the market and allows you to explore the neighborhood around the house. The option is perfect for home buyers who will be making a big move across the country.

Image Source: Pixabay

In addition, Google Street View can show you the neighbors, so you won’t waste your time going to a showing of a beautiful house that’s next to a landfill.

2. Redfin

Looking for an agent? Look no further than Redfin’s Real Estate Agent Database. This website enables you to pinpoint the market you’re hoping to buy into, and renders a list of agents with starred reviews from satisfied (or not-so-satisfied) customers.

The only downside is a lot of agents in the area aren’t included on this website, so you should use it more as a starting point than a definitive source.

3. Zillow

Much like Era Wilder Realty, Zillow is a website devoted to home listings. The two sites share much of the same information as far as listings go, but in addition, Zillow offers advice from recent homebuyers in its forums.

You can ask questions that range from finance to remodeling, and the helpful homebuyers of Zillow will provide you with answers as best they can. In addition, a new feature of the site shows user-uploaded pictures of recent remodels, which is great if you’re buying an older home and looking for ideas.

And best of all, Zillow has an app.

4. International Association of Certified Home Inspectors

This website makes finding a home inspector incredibly easy. You can search by city or zip code, and the site gives contact information for home inspectors in your area, as well as links to their company’s websites so you can check them out further.

5. Public Records Free Directory

This website is a concise database of websites that can determine the property taxes for any location. You simply put in the city or zip code of the house you’re looking to buy, and the website finds places on the web where you can get access to the property tax information for that home at no charge.

It’s even more beneficial if you’re looking to move into an area that you don’t know much about. It’ll save you from an unexpected shock if the property taxes are astronomical.