Local real estate agents’ websites give you access to better listing information
These days, almost all prospective home buyers start their searches online. While using popular national real estate sites like Trulia and Zillow may be a convenient way to get an initial impression of what’s available, the moment you get serious about buying a home you need to switch to a local real estate website such as Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties. Here’s why.
You Won’t Miss New Listings
When a new home in your local area gets listed, it will appear on the local MLS in minutes. If you’re browsing on a local real estate website, you’ll be able to pounce on new listings. But if you’re browsing on a national site, you may have to wait up to 9 days for new listings to appear. This delay can result in you losing out to other buyers who may be able to see the property and make an offer before it even appears in your search results.
You Won’t Fall in Love with Sold Listings
Because national real estate websites are slow to update, homes often appear as available when in reality they are pending, sold, or otherwise off the market. If you depend on a national website, you risk wasting time and emotional energy considering homes that you can’t actually buy. Local real estate websites are updated from the local MLS within minutes so you don’t have to worry about this problem.
You’ll Get Accurate Home Value Information
Zillow in particular is known for its “Zestimate” feature, which uses algorithms to predict the value of a given listing. The idea is for buyers to compare the list price to the Zestimate to see if they are getting a good deal. If it sounds too good to be true, it’s because it is. There are many complicated factors that affect home value. Rather than relying on an automated tool that can be misleading, you should work with a local real estate agent who can find appropriate comps for the specific property you are considering.
You Can Work with a Local Expert
On websites like Trulia and Zillow, paid ads for real estate agents are placed prominently on listings in a way that makes it easy to mistake those advertisers for the listing agent. If you rely on these websites to find your real estate agent, you could easily end up working with someone who knows next to nothing about the specific property and neighborhood you are interested in. When you start your search on a local real estate website, on the other hand, you know that anyone you contact from that website will be a local expert who can provide you with the best insight into the cities and neighborhoods where you want to buy.
Ready to Get Started?
If you are ready to start shopping for your new home, feel free to download our mobile app. If you see something you like or you would like help, please contact one of our experienced local real estate agents today.