Real Estate Matters

from Valley Business FRONT, Issue 163, April 2022

FRONT’n About

Getting technology advanced

I remember in 2nd grade when we had the first remote control for our TV. I was so excited to not have to get off the couch and turn the channels. It was shortly after that my stepfather had his own cell phone in his car bolted to the floor and I thought it was amazing. Then I remember when I got my first 6-disc cd changer to replace my cassette tape playing boom box and was blown away.

Technology continues to change in real estate too. Before the internet, you had to see a home in person, there was no FaceTime, and more than likely you sat down with a realtor face to face to go through a book of home listings. Most of the time when I send a client a home, they will tell me they already have it on their phone! Zillow, Realtor.com, Trulia, and MLS search campaigns provide properties at your fingertips. Some have even hopped on Google Maps or The National Sex Offender Registry to make sure the neighborhood is a good fit.

Clients from out of town will tell realtors “FaceTime us from the home, give us a tour” and then make the decision to purchase the house sight unseen! Lenders will send you an app to fill out your application without even seeing you face to face. It’s wild how times have changed. The real estate digital age brings homes closer to the buyer’s with virtual video tours, floor plans, drone pictures, marketing, and property tax web sites.

But let’s get real. I know you’d rather see the home in person. My photographer can make small rooms look bigger and colors brighter. Walking through and around a home lets you grab the full view of what the home has to offer. You don’t have to be a pro to smell weird smells, see an old worn-down HVAC unit, water spots in the basement, and appreciate beauty as well like a new deck, dazzling granite, or a fresh paint.

According to Investopedia here at The 7 Best Real Estate Apps of 2022: 1) Best Overall: Zillow 2) Best for Auctions: Xome Auctions 3) Best for Home Purchase: Redfin 4) Best for Home Values: Trulia 5) Best for Rentals: Realtor 6) Best for Renters: Apartments.com and 7) Best for Entrepreneurs: LoopNet.com which has a lot of commercial properties in The Valley not on the MLS!

96% of you are online looking for properties and with most homes receiving multiple offers, buyers today do not have the luxury to ‘think about it’ and need to make fast decisions fast. Today’s technology provides that.