How to Shop for a House Online

If you want to save some time and money, or you'd rather not look for homes under the watchful eyes of a real estate agent, then the Internet is your answer to house hunting.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Internet Service Providers
• Computers
• Online Mortgage/finance Services

1. Determine your price range (see 'eHow to Determine How Big a Mortgage You Can Afford').
2. Decide on a location, which can be as specific as an address or as broad as your state of choice. A Web site may also ask you to search by ZIP code, region, city or neighborhood.
3. Decide on the property type and age of the home. For instance, do you want to live in a condominium, a co-op, or a single-family or multifamily home? Would you like to live in a home of a certain vintage, such as one built less than 5 years ago or more than 10 years ago?
4. Decide on a property size by number of rooms and bathrooms, as well as area in square feet.
5. Determine other features you want in your dream home, such as a swimming pool, fireplaces, a second story or a waterfront view.
6. Surf the Internet for sites that offer listings, such as Realtor.com - the site of the National Association of Realtors - and specific brokerages and agents in the area where you are hunting.
7. Enter the information from steps 1 through 5 as requested by the site.
8. Look at the expanded information and photographs for the properties that come up in your search results.
9. Contact the agent listed if you see a home that fits your criteria. Ask for further information, such as more photographs and the home's history.
10. Set up an appointment to meet with the agent if you are still interested.

Tips & Warnings

• Request e-mail updates on available homes and additional information about the community you're considering.
• You can also find property listings at 'For Sale By Owner' sites, such as the International Real Estate Digest (IRED), and local newspaper electronic classifieds.