It’s fun! It’s exciting! It’s important to take everything with a grain of salt!

Oh, let's face it, okay? The search for homes online is a virtual paradise of the buyer. The elegantly decorated rooms, the sculpted gardens, the colorful entrance doors that have just burst with those "come here" tones. However, be careful with the browser: these lists can be seductive, but they may not give you a complete idea. That perfect two-level ranch? It could be too close to a noisy street and clogged by traffic. That beautiful colonial with the photos full of light? It could be hiding some super icky plumbing problems. That condo at an attractive price? Might will not be for sale. Imagine your despair when, after driving through the city to see the house of your dreams, you realize that it was sold. So, let's practice a little personal care, we should do it, and set our expectations appropriately. Step one, complete the worksheet of the home buyer. The worksheet helps you understand what you are looking for. The second step, with that worksheet and knowledge in hand, start looking for houses. In doing so, keep in mind exactly what that tool can do and what it can not do. That is how.

You Keep Current. Your property site should also, Too

First, I would not read Vanity Fair last month to get the latest gossip from the cafeteria, right? Therefore, you should not search for property sites that show old listings. Get the latest listings from realtor®.com, which gets your information every 15 minutes from the Be first through the door Ask your agent to send you automatic emails from your MLS with new properties that meet your specifications. Multiple Listing Service (MLS), regional databases where real estate agents publish listings for sale. That means that Realtor.com® listings are more accurate than others, such as Zillow and Trulia, which can be updated less frequently. You will not want to cheer your heart for a house that is already out of the market. By the way, there are other properties listing sites too, including Redfin and Homesnap which are brokerage and, therefore, also depends on the relationships with brokers and MLS for listings.

The best properties are not always the best

An image, they say, is worth more than a thousand words. But they do not say that an image can also hide thousands of cracked boards, bursting boilers and leaking pipes. So, while it is natural to focus on photos while browsing, be sure to also consider the description of the property and other key features. Each MLS listing, for example, has a "property details" section that can specify important information, such as the year in which the house was built, the price per square foot and the number of days the property has been in the market. However, in the end, ask your real estate agent to help you interpret what you find. The best agents have a hyperlocal knowledge of the market and can even know details and stories of some properties. If a listing seems too good to be true, your agent will probably know why.

Treat Your Agent Like Your Bestie

At the end of the day, property sites are like CliffsNotes for a neighborhood: They show you active listings, sold properties, home prices, and sales histories. All that data will give you a working knowledge, but it won’t be exhaustive. To assess all of this information — and gather facts about any home you’re eyeing, like how far the local elementary school is from the house or where the closest Soul Cycle is — talk to your real estate agent. An agent who can paint a picture of the neighborhood is an asset. An agent who can go beyond that and deliver the dish on specific properties is a true friend indeed, more likely to guide you away from homes with hidden problems, and more likely to save you the time of visiting a random listing (when you could otherwise be in the park playing with your canine bestie). Just remember: You’re probably not going to find that “perfect home” while browsing listings on your smartphone. Instead, consider the online shopping experience to be an amuse bouche to the home-buying entree — a good way for you to get a taste of the different available homes and a general idea of what else is out there.

There's never been a more important time to have resources you can count on when it comes to buying and selling a home. The real estate market and industry change at a rapid rate. It is my pleasure to make sure that you always have the current information you need to make the best decisions for you and your family.