The best way to search for your new home is to get real-time information directly from your local MLS.
Most people search for homes by browsing through various real estate websites, which get their data from the local Multiple Listing Services (MLS). These sites package it to make it look different, but it is the same data. MLSs are the only place where homes can be listed. Go to the source. Get all the relevant information about every house you wish to consider and evaluate.
There are two ways to obtain this data. Your real estate broker can set up searches that get all the new listings right into your email inbox as soon as they come on the market. It gets even better.
Use the Homespotter App
The MLS in the Greater Seattle area serves 26 counties. Northwest Multiple Listing Service (NWMLS) has a fantastic App that gives consumers direct access to complete information on every listing on the market. It provides all the data you need to make an informed decision. This App is called Homespotter. It even has a built-in chat feature that makes it a breeze for clients to ask questions about any home that might interest them directly from within the App. It enables all family members to stay fully informed without needing a chain of emails going back and forth. Savvy homebuyers love it. You can check it out here. You can access the App through the real estate broker that you hire.
Hire a seasoned broker who will protect your interests
Having the right real estate broker in your corner is the best thing you can do when buying a home. This person must be capable of helping you find, research, and evaluate the home you select. They will also negotiate on your behalf, so you must assess their skills.
All real estate brokers belong to their local MLS. They have instant access to every single listing that comes on the market. They also have access to all the background information about every listing, including any disclosure and other supporting documents. Clients who use the Homespotter App also get access to the same information and feel they have more control over the process.
There is a significant difference between data and information. Data are primarily tiny bits and pieces of information, just facts or figures. When data are processed, interpreted, organized, and structured to make them meaningful to a level where they can provide context, it becomes information you can utilize.
Most seasoned brokers have systems and networks to harvest information about properties and neighborhoods. That is what a top-notch real estate broker can do for you. They can help you organize the data you have gathered from your primary research and combine it with the available information for homes on the market. You can then make informed decisions that best serve your needs and desires.
A seasoned broker may have access to off-market properties that still need to be listed on the market. They may even know about sellers getting ready to list their homes. This type of access has apparent benefits. If you are an adventurous homebuyer, your broker can get you a list of potential or current foreclosures, short sales, and auctions. The process of buying these homes is different, as are the financial requirements for that type of acquisition. Your broker can guide you through that.
