Over 80% of you start the process of finding a new city and new home by searching the Internet. It's an exciting endeavor. You choose a search engine and pick from thousands of sites offering photos and descriptions. You choose one, then another, and yet another.
We wonder Why? Why do you visit so many web sites to search for homes in a state, city or neighborhood? Is it because you think each site has unique homes - do you think you will find a stash of homes on one that you can't find on another? It may seem like it because so many Real Estate Web Sites are designed to feature the properties they sell or because the data is not updated often enough.
Fact: On the Internet, there are only three sources for homes for sale. Easily the largest source of homes is the MLS - the Multiple Listing Service. In the Charlotte area the Multiple Listing Service has over 25,000 homes in inventory. The second source of available homes is the new Home builders (Ryan, Ryland, Pulte, KB, Shea, St. Lawrence, DR Horton, Niblock etal.) Most of these homes have a 5-7 month build time and are available on the MLS. The third is what we refer to as FSBO's - For Sale By Owner. That's it...no secret stashes.
Everybody is re-packaging the same product. Some sites front load their property. Some sites lead with featured properties or most expensive properties. Let's face the truth; some are just difficult to navigate. Any of these factors drive you to click elsewhere, where you see a home that you did not see before...so you think there are multiple stashes of homes...thousands of sites but only one true source...it's merely packaged differently to sell homes.
Our clients tell us that they click and click and click...and often don't know where they have been or how they got there. Their second biggest complaint is out of date information. How often have you found a home on a web site only to learn that it is Sold or Under Contract? You are excited, looking for a new home, and the frustrating process is killing your buzz.
To improve the efficiency of your search, we recommend that you determine where you want to live first. For example, if you have narrowed your search to the Lake Norman area of North Carolina, the next most important step is to research neighborhoods. Once you have a handful of neighborhoods that feel right...then you are ready to look at homes.
Yeah, that's a lot of research; and you may not know where to find all that stuff. We believe you should get the help of a good Buyer Agent...BTW, we're good and we are Exclusive Buyer Agents :-)
It's a daunting task; don't be hesitant to accept help. Good Buyer Agents should not be in the business to sell you a house; they should help you find the right home...I know that's what we do and why we work with buyers exclusively. Also, Good Buyer Agents will also unearth any of those FSBO's that match your criteria and arrange for you to look at those homes as well. If a new construction home is your choice, it's still wiser to work with a Buyer Agent than to face those folks alone (see previous post)
If you want to search on your own, go to our web site. You can rummage through EVERY home available in the Charlotte area. Our information is current; it is updated every 24 hours. You cantake advantage of our systems that can make the whole process much more efficient and you won't miss a thing. If it's out there, we know about it.
Cya', when you are ready,
Wayne
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