Real Estate Websites
It occured to me the other day, while looking online for reasonably priced condos in my area, that nearly every website that sells houses or rents apartments sucks. Apartment websites seem to suck less, because they often include more information and floorplans, but they still leave much to be desired.
What I mean by this is that it is almost impossible to get an accurate picture of a house, condo, or apartment from the information provided on the website. The pictures they post are often poor quality and way too zoomed in. Why not include a video tour? We have the technology...
Also, the descriptions provided are a joke. Four to five lines at most, and we're talking about a home for sale? Every salesperson knows that you need to provide information to sell something, so why not do that here?
It is almost as if they have made it difficult to look online expressly so that you need to go through a realtor, which is ridiculous because you will need one eventually to buy the house. This just ensures that the realtor has to waste the maximum amount of time with each buyer.
Does anyone else share my frustration on this point? What websites should I be using to look into houses and condos? Or should I go directly to a realtor?
Unfortunate that he is having trouble populating it. It already looks better than the sites I was looking at recently.
Most Realtors just don't seem to have "gotten" how to market online, or in general, have they?
Sure, they may, or may not, be Great Salespeople when they get you in person in their cars, but ...
Nowadays more and more people are researching what they may want to purchase online before going "shopping in person", so why would one expect that to be any different for Real Estate?
Further, when buying Real Estate you aren't just buying a house, apartment or condo, but a place for you, or someone to live. Therefore, the area in which the property is located and all of the amenities in the community and surrounding area become even more important to the buyer, right?
So, ...
Why don't Real Estate sites also give you more information regarding the location, e.g. a Google Map to it, amenities in the community and surrounding area, e.g. schools, shopping, recreation, hospitals, etc.
And Yes, I video tour would help save everyone, You and the Real Estate Agent, from wasting time looking at a property that is clearly not what you want!
I'm not sure how to "get through" to the existing Realtors that seem to be entrenched in doing things the way they always have done, but ... Perhaps someone really "getting it" and making money marketing Real Estate online more successfully make help them "get the picture" that things have changed and you either adapt/evolve or go extinct!
We would be happy to help any Realtors who "get it" evolve, Make Money and be Successful!
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We've recently been through the process. When we were renting we just looked online and found an apt that looked like it would suit us. Most apt complexes have details online with floor plans and a lot have reviews by ppl who actually have rented in the complex. Thats how we found the place we rented.
When we were buying it was another matter altogether, since it was a big investment.
Getting a realtor is a drag cos they definitely have their own agenda. However they may give you access to the full mlslisting.com although they aren't supposed to give you it - the definitive site if you are buying. A lot of sites, like trulia have bogus homes to get you to call them.
Different states have different rules and forms, so getting an agent may be necessary to help guide you through the process too.
Most realtors are quite lazy so you have to go shopping for one that suits you and is interested in finding a home that really suits your needs. Figure out what you are looking for is important. Ours guided us to a suburb we are very happy with.
In the end, you have to go see the property yourself to find out what its like and I'd say you would be very brave to buy sight unseen, although some people do when moving intercity. If you are moving to a new area, I'd keep my stuff in storage and rent til I found some place I like.
First find a realtor you like. Let the realtor know exactly what you are looking for and let them do the work for you. If a realtor keeps showing you things you are not interested in then go find another one.
They're pretty amazing. Accurate,too!
If you like it or want to offer feedback, let me know and I will make sure to pass it along.
I've tried to coach Realtor's to do a different approach but it seems like there is such a "fraternity" mindset, led by very old, out of touch brokers that it perpetuates ad nauseum.
I even have a friend that has developed a good platform to list houses, display community info, etc...and he spent a ton of money doing it and he's having a hard time marketing it (and re-couping his investments).
I would say the best place to go online for the most detail, pricing, pictures, etc is directly to the MLS or the Area Association of Realtors.