So many home searches begin with people looking online to find their perfect home. I’m going to show you why that is a bad idea.
The truth is that most real estate websites like Zillow and many others are missing listings, out-of-date, or have other important errors that can stop your home search in its tracks.
Here are 4 things that real estate websites like Zillow and Trulia won’t tell you in your home search and why you should always search the MLS with the help of a local Realtor.
Out-of-Date Sold Information:
Often times home buyers become emotionally attached to a property they’ve found online for sale. It is never easy for me to break the news that the house was sold 30 or more days before.
With popular real estate websites, there is often a lag time from when a property is sold to when that information gets updated on public websites. However, the MLS database is updated within minutes when the status of a property is updated – providing for the most current information.
Mislabeled City:
Sometimes zip codes share multiple cities or towns. And other times a property is simply mis-listed on websites like Zillow and Trulia. The most accurate database of listed properties is the local MLS which you need a local Realtor to access for you.
Missing Pocket Listings:
Zillow is often missing most listings where the seller has chosen not to list their property on the Internet. This is known as a pocket listing.
Your local Realtor should have the pulse on these type of listings and some times you can find excellent deals on properties to be had. Don’t make the mistake of leaving great property options on the table by thinking that all homes are listed in the Internet. Many are, but certainly not all.
Mispriced Foreclosure:
Have you ever seen a house show up as “pre-foreclosure”, in the perfect neighborhood, listed for an unbelievable price? As the old adage says, “if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.” Most real estate agents have had a client ask about these.
The first problem with these type of listings is that the house is not yet for sale.
Second, the owner is usually not easily accessible and not happy as they are getting tons of calls and letters from collections and investors. Many end up working out a payment arrangement with the bank and never get listed in the first place.
Lastly, if the house does eventually go up for sale – 6 to 24 months later, it is typically auctioned off back to the bank that lent the money for the loan and then is re-sold through a real estate broker for much higher than Zillow led you to believe.
How to find ALL of the homes for sale in Tampa:
In order to see all of the homes for sale in the area, answer the questions below and I’d be happy to search the MLS and send you a full list of all of the properties in the neighborhoods you are considering completely free-of-charge – even the ones you might not find anywhere online!
