According to the National Association of Realtors, 86% of Home Buyers started their shopping and research for their next home purchase online last year, up from 75% in 2007 and 65% in 2006.
Matthew Badyk of US News & World Report reports that there are other factors besides researching listings online that might cause the online buyer need to look for assistance from a Real Estate professional before culminating a deal after finding that “favorite” property on their online search.
- “Searching only online means shoppers can miss some of the best alternatives.Shoppers who limit themselves to only looking at real estate Web sites will overlook some very good properties, possibly one that is perfect for them, and they won’t get up-to-the minute information.”
- “Lookout for fake listings. People trying to collect page views so they can pump up their advertising returns can waste the time of real home shoppers. Using a professional to vet properties before spending a lot of time trying to track down these decoys will save time and ultimately money.”
- “Home value Web sites only go so far. Sites like Zillow.com and Cyberhomes.com put prices out there that may or may not be an accurate reflection of neighborhood or housing value. Working with a professional means the buyer gets the benefit of a broader range of knowledgeable resources.”
- “Understanding the process. Once they’ve found a property, working with a pro means they’ll follow the right path to close the deal. For anyone–but experienced investors–going it totally alone can be risky.”
If you are looking to purchase a home in the Greater Athens area, please feel free to use this link to Search the Athens MLS! While on the Georgia MLS you can search for homes, create a User account to save favorite property searches, email property searches to friends and family, or request more information!
