Top Real Estate Resources Available Free Online

The savvy buyer of real estate is one who will do the homework to save money and get what he or she pays for, no surprises. There are various on-line resources that will aid the buyer in locating property and the specific price range and amenities offered. This article addresses some of the public web sites that do not require you to sign with a broker. This step is preliminary to either hiring a broker or deciding if you want to do it on your own.

Most lawyers in every state may also act in the capacity as representing your interests in a real estate transaction. You can decide what fits your comfort zone and your price range. Real estate agents work on a commission. All lawyers will work on a hourly fee and will probably not get involved in locating the property for you. The real estate agent can seek out real estate properties and guide your through the entire process. The real estate agent is not paid for a sale unless the sale is completed.

Realtor.com:

This web site has some great features. The web site is user friendly and provides real estate listings for the entire United States. The click on feature on various states allows you to narrow searches to counties and cities. The public user can narrow the search to the type of property, price range, bathrooms, bedrooms, views and various factors. The site has features that allow you to search crime statistics in the area you are considering. It also contains demographics as to income and census information. The web site is complete with offering brokers assistance, moving assistance and information on mortgages.

The greatest feature is the map features wherein the public user may view properties within a 100 miles of a single zip code to find properties that match your specific needs. As far as an initial search of an area this web site is the most comprehensive and customize for the public user. Many of the homes for sales on the site do have a virtual tour of the property. Thus the public user can be there without being there. Other features include photographs, floor plans and information that is helpful like the taxes and estimates on costs. The site also has rental information if you are looking for a rental. Overall, this web site is four stars for public searches of the real estate market.

Yahoo Real Estate:

Yahoo offers a great service in the section entitled Yahoo Real Estate. The map feature is superior. The site also provides the same criteria as the Realtor.com site but not as comprehensive. It is a quick look at a particular geographic location. The site features the price per square foot for property and information about the area. Most of the listings belong to brokers in the area, but there is no limitation on the public viewing the information offered by the various brokers.

The map feature allows you to pin point where the listing are located and informs you how long the property has been listed. The price is listed and information on the basic features of the home. If you want to take a look inside you would need to set an appointment with the listing agent, but nothing prevents you from driving by the property and scoping out the area. Most of the listings do have photographs of the property.

Homegain.com

This web site provides one of the easiest searches of the entire United States on the Internet. The site offers a state search and then allows you to break it down into counties and cities. The best part of this site is the ease to set minimum and maximum price ranges and get everything that is on the market for the area you are considering. If you need to expand the search this site offers the ease of enlarging the parameters. The web site has information on brokers, mortgages and succinct information about the area.

The greatest feature is the current taxes on the property and allows you to check the current real estate agent commission rates in the area you are looking. As you may be aware you can negotiate the commission with the real estate agent. The site also allows you to get an on-line assessment of your property and the costs entailed in a move to the new location. You can sign up as a member and keep track of your searches or you do not need to sign up and still do a complete search of the site.

Local Newspapers:

The use of the local newspapers is somewhat helpful. If you have a small town on your mind the local newspapers gives you a sense of what is going on in the neighborhoods. It also has for sale by owner listings that may be absent from the Realtor sponsored sites. Many local papers have listings of public notices of foreclosure. You will need to follow up these foreclosure notices with a title search of the property to make sure there are no other liens or taxes due.

All of these resources are free of charge. If you elect to go further with your search real estate professionals, lawyers and title search companies do charge for their services. The real estate agent's fee is contingent on a sale. So, if you narrow the search your agent can then keep out an eye for real estate bargains. It is your decision how you want to proceed.