Decoding Online Property Listings – Three Insider Tips to Maximize Results

Online tools have made searching for a home easier than ever.  What best practices can ensure you are both efficient and effective in your search?

Takeaways:

• Online listings have fundamentally changed home searches

• Discerning which properties are worth an in-person look is as much an art as science

• Several key best practices can help you make the most of your time

 

When does cozy and historic really mean tiny and dilapidated?

When included in the listing description of an online property of course.  

Don’t get me wrong, virtual property listings are an incredible tool to aid in a home search. The value of one centralized database of listings with detailed property information available at the click of a button is immense.  It has revolutionized residential real estate by greatly reducing the amount of time needed to search through thousands of listings, and led to great increases in responsiveness.  

But with all of that convenience, comes a learning curve and some clear best practices.    

Here are three.

1. Beware of Euphemisms

 Online listings are in many ways like social media.  People are highly incented to put the best face on their “updates” and gloss over the less flattering.  This means highlighting the positive and frequently re-casting the negative, not with an outright lie, but with a little marketing polish.  Consider the following guide to what they say versus what they mean

 While these examples are extreme, you get the point.  Keeping your eyes wide open is often about reading between the lines and questioning if something is legitimate, or marketing spin.  If your eyebrow raises at a descriptor, trust your gut.

2. Search Your Lifestyle

Most searchers begin pretty broadly with search parameters as cities, list price, number of bedrooms, square footage and other considerations.  All very important, but a few less obvious things can be just as important 

School District- Would it surprise you to know that the city of Minnetonka actually includes Minnetonka, Wayzata and Hopkins school districts?  That a home in Maple Grove may be Wayzata or Osseo School District and which it is can dramatically affect its price? All are factors and all matter.  Considering a school district or map-based search are solutions to really help refine search results and get you the most pertinent listings.

Home Style-  Were you born a Rambler Man?  Are you averse to split level living?  Open to a townhouse?  Can you really live with a detached garage in Minnesota?  Every home style has benefits and drawbacks.  Separating your universe into preferences and deal killers can also help you sort through the noise.  Unsure what you are after?  A good agent can show you several and discuss the pros and cons of each.

Layout-  Do you need an open floor plan for entertaining?  Is it important that all bedrooms are on the same level?  Got a sneaky teenager problem?  New baby coming?   The reality is that all 3500 square foot homes are not the same.  It is about usability and how it fits for your family.  The online listings have great basic info, but also many “next level” data points can be searched to really dial in layout preferences. 

3. Engage a Sherpa

Perhaps the best piece of advice in any home search is to engage a professional real estate agent.  A quick consultation can help get you laser focused on exactly what you are after.  Even if you prefer to search on your own, we can help you dial in search criteria to help you build a solid search that makes the most of your time.  

Like any professional, our biggest asset is experience.  We know the tips, tricks and red flags.  We can discern the pertinent info on a given property quickly, and if you need more information, we can contact a listing agent or handle an initial walkthrough on your behalf.  

That way when you ask us about that cozy, historic home with “loads of potential” we can do the research and clue you in to exactly how much TLC it really needs.

Ready for a quick consultation to help dial in your search?  A twenty minute, no obligating meeting can save you time and set you on the right path to find the home of your dreams.  Click Here to schedule a consultation with one of our Experienced and Professional Realtors.