Google That Street Address! You Just Never Know What You May Find-- Uh-Oh?

Why Google that home address? 

I just read an article about why one should Google their home or a prospective clients address..... makes sense doesn't it?  And as a Realtor, just think about how easy it can be to pick up so much property information in one place.

Here are a few ideas on what you may find:

1. Crime reports for the address and neighborhood will pop right up.  Think your clients may want to know that?
2. A quick list of past listing activity will be there too.  What an easy way to see what's been happening with that property over the years
3. Property Records- the entries from the county of record come right up including tax information. Good info if your client asks about prices in the area.
4. Street View- What's that good for?  Do you think a prospective buyer may want to know that the neighbor next door has a [insert awful item or feature here] in their back yard?  What better way to help assess the good and bad features of a neighborhood.
5. Meghan's Law entries- just Google the address along with "Megan's Law"  and get that information fast and easy.
6. Information on many other aspects of the street including any news stories that mentioned that street name.
7. Neighboring businesses is a big one too.  To some, that may be important.
8. Detect scammers trying to rent or the sell the property you are now listing or showing.  We all know how prevalent that is now-a- days.
9. How about facts about the seller that your buyer may want to know? How about learning more about the home and its owner that you are about to list?

And who knows what else you will find?  Whether you Google for your own home or for your client, this information is very valuable and will allow you to better represent your buyer or seller and their transaction.  we all need to be better informed and we need to be able to advise our clients and act in their best interest at all times.