google maps: How Many Houses Do You Need to See? - 03/01/18 09:34 AM
First time buyers are used to scrolling through hundreds of options on Zillow, Trulia and Realtor.com. Some think that they need to see every home on the market to make a decision. They form a wish list from houses online, and by visiting a few open houses. There is a better way.
Searching for homes has gotten easier, but still requires a little due diligence. In the late 1990s, buyers were sure that they knew everything about a house from a 1” square photo online. After seeing a few homes in person, they quickly discovered that one small photo didn’t tell them … (7 comments)

google maps: What I Love About Google Maps for Real Estate - 01/30/18 08:34 AM
It’s more than just finding the right address.
Did you ever find yourself standing outside of a house that you loved online, but.. the yard is tiny, or it backed up to an airport?  Or, it’s next to a gas station, bus stop, trailer park or swamp?
Google maps are usually current, and we can do a lot more than find an address.   Real estate listings describe the house, the photos show it’s best features.   The info isn’t always 100%.  Google maps fill in some of details that a listing feature sheet can’t cover.   It’s my number ONE tip for buyers searching homes online.  You … (4 comments)

google maps: 5 Tips to Search Homes Faster - 09/22/16 07:30 AM

It is always frustrating to find a home online, then get there to find that it isn’t at all what you expected. Worse, it isn’t even on the market because it was sold 3 years ago. The market is like the ocean, tides come and go, you want to ride the wave that gets you home.
 Use a reliable source. There are lots of options, Zillow is #1, Trulia #2, and Realtor.com #3. I can also set up an auto update where you can search on your own, save, and get auto updates. Public sites don’t always update a listing when it has … (2 comments)