"The strong take from the weak, but the smart take from the strong."
from Coach Pete Carril's book, "The Smart Take From the Strong"
In today's digital world, these words have taken on special meaning. Those of us that have been involved in any type of physical competition can attest to the strong taking from the weak, the big beating up on the small. While bigger may not necessarily mean better, when to comes to physical prowess, it goes a long way. Who didn't grow up with a neighborhood bully?
But, with today's technology, what kind of online assistance exists for an effective and successful home search when shopping for your next home? Clearly, there are a number of very good online sources. Some of today's most popular web sites with national coverage include:
These "home" sites not only provide the consumer with home listings but also are meant to be a one-stop shopping location for home buyers by providing links to lenders, insurance providers, maps, agents, and other helpful resources.
Once you've done a "macro" look at what's out there, perhaps now it's time to turn to the area expert, or local real estate agent to help narrow your search and actually do that "boots on the ground" looking. Nothing takes the place of a local real estate agent's expertise. But, please remember, like any other profession, not all practitioners are the same. Some agents are better than others. So, please do your homework before enlisting the aid of an agent. For many of us, a referral from a trusted source is always a good place to start.
Many of our clients are inbound from overseas or deployed locations. Sometimes, the closest they've been to their next duty station or job is an ocean away, or, in some cases, they may be PCSing from the furthest reaches of the globe. So, reaching out to online sources may be their most effective and practical approach to home shopping before they actually move. The good thing is, much of the upfront work is best done via computer and phone, or e-mail.
While the web provides a wealth of real estate information for the purchaser, local expertise can answer questions for you that you probably won't find anywhere online. And, if the agent doesn't know the answer, they can certainly point you in the right direction. Remember, their duty is to you! But, more importantly, make sure your Realtor knows what you want. That may sound like the proverbial "no-brainer", but believe it or not, sometimes that simple fact is overlooked, or more often, minimized instead of emphasized.
The bottom line is: The resources to optimize your home search are at your finger tips. Use them to educate yourself on neighborhoods, schools, cultural and recreational activites, churches, traffic patterns, and anything else that might impact your choice of a home and/or location. Equipped with those resources in hand, and a professional agent to assist you, you'll have all the smarts necessary to find the home of your dreams.
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