Today just about everyone makes use of search engines like Google, Bing and Yahoo whenever

They start shopping  weather it be for a place to go for dinner, by a car and yes buy or sell a home.

If for instance you were looking to buy a car you would  Google things like Ford, Chevy, Honda, Toyota, BMW, Volvo etc.  Comparing the differences in price, quality, safety and gas mileage.

You might read up on places to eat, checking reviews and looking at the menu online.  I am sure at this point your saying been there done that. These are everyday activities done multiple times but now lets talk about real estate because it is the largest investment most people make. There are many choices to be considered like Neighborhood, Price Range, Square feet, number of bedrooms and bathrooms. Is a pool a good idea or a liability. Midtown location or Oceanfront Luxury Home. Finding a home that fits your budget or even understanding what the neighborhood walk score is.

REAL ESTATE SHOPPING HAMPTON ROADS

Home Buyers

People buying a home need representation an agents job is to walk them through the process of getting qualified with a lender   so they know what price range to be looking in. Listening to the wants and needs of the buyer to properly help them find a suitable home. an example might be knowing that if a buyer wants or needs to be in a home in 30 to 45 days they should not be looking at short sales that normally take 90+ days and often sell for more then the list price, as the agent and seller may agree to let it go for one price putting it under contract only for the buyer to find out months later that the bank wants 30K more then the buyer qualifies for. This is upsetting to a buyer and often happens when a buyer walks into an open house and only works with a selling agent.

Home Sellers

People who have previously purchased a home at least have some knowledge of the process, However there is still a lot to know and selling a home is much different then buying one. Without the use of the 3rd party (your Realtor) It becomes difficult to find the buyer and even more difficult to do self negotiations. A good Realtor has the tools necessary to research proper pricing for your home, In addition the Online Target Marketing Skills need to find you a qualified buyer.

How to choose a Realtor

This is a process that is easy if you think about how you choose everything else. At the beginning of this article we talked about what you would do if you were looking for a car or a place to eat. Well so the same when choosing a Realtor put their name in Google or any other search engine. Choose an agent who has a strong online presence, Reason being is if an agent does not have a grip of Online Marketing he or she will not show well in a search. Someone who does not have the time or skills to market themselves is someone I would not choose to represent me.

By Don Maclary