Whatshot
5 smart tips for finding your dream home online
5 smart tips for finding your dream home online
Date: 2017-06-23
With access to technology becoming increasingly more attainable, it has become easier than ever to start looking for a home online.
However, the volume of listings available on property search portals can be rather overwhelming.
Here are a few tips to help filter down search results and make it easier to streamline the list of homes you would like to see in person:
1. Price - Before looking at any homes online or otherwise, know what you can afford. It is best to start the home-buying journey by assessing your finances and getting pre-approval on home loan finance.
2. Check the map - Don't get caught up with the images of the property and forget to look at its location. A home might have been newly renovated and is picture perfect, but where it is located will determine its potential for appreciation in value over time - you can change a home, but not its location.
3. Narrow down your top neighbourhoods - Each neighbourhood or suburb within a city will have a different sub-culture and feel.
4. Remember to balance character with upkeep - An older home may fit your criteria regarding features, but it could come at the cost of updating or fixing certain elements of the home.
5. Photos and videos only focus on certain aspects - Even though technology has reached the point where one can take a virtual tour of a home, viewing a property in this way is still restrictive to a degree.