| The real estate business and the Internet have made | | | | roof age, etc. Usually you can click to the agent's site |
| a terrific match. Realtors have taken almost | | | | from the page showing you the house. Some agents |
| universally to using the web for presentation of their | | | | in rural areas still have no websites, but they are a |
| listings. As a result, if you're looking for a home you | | | | minority. |
| can get a long way into your search right there at | | | | Some realtors such as Coldwell Banker and ERA will |
| your computer. By far the best resource for web | | | | send you to their national web site instead of the |
| house hunting is This site has become the principal | | | | local office website and you have to continue your |
| nationwide resource for home finding and home | | | | search through their centralized service. Coldwell |
| listing. It is not the MLS, or multiple listing service on | | | | Banker and Sotheby's (high-end) do this well. ERA and |
| which agents are required to list all of the properties | | | | ReMax provide no real additional information. But with |
| they have on the market, so you won't find every | | | | most realtors, you can get to a local web site and |
| listing here. | | | | good realtors make maximum use of them. |
| What you will find is the huge majority of them, | | | | Select a city, a price range, number of bedroom, etc. |
| nearly all with at least one photograph and with a | | | | and search the listings. If you don't find much, expand |
| description of the property that includes the | | | | the search area – the search engine will do |
| essentials: home size, number of rooms, age, size of | | | | that for you too. When you have zeroed in on some |
| lot, water and sewer systems, etc. Many will have | | | | appealing properties, it's time to contact a real estate |
| multiple photographs and some will have "virtual | | | | agent – not necessarily the listing agent on |
| tours" using video. | | | | the property you want, but someone local to the |
| If you want further information on the house often | | | | area that will work with you. They will know of any |
| you can go to the listing agent's site and often find | | | | additional listings in the area that meet your needs |
| additional photos and details on the home's interior, | | | | and aren't shown on the web. |