Why the Web isn't the Best Place to Start Your Home Search

There are many great Louisville area homes for sale. Click here to perform a full home search, or if you're thinking of selling your home, click here for a FREE Home Value Report so you know what buyers will pay for your home in today's market. You may also call me at (502) 458-2722 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions.

Online home search websites, such as Trulia and Zillow, are the starting point for the majority of people who are looking to buy a home. While convenient, these large sites are often full of misinformation. We've put together this short list to let you know about the limitations of online home search tools:

1. They are often out-of-date: Because they don't update as fast as the Multiple Listings Service (MLS), there are often homes listed that are sold, pending, or no longer available. This can be frustrating if you thought you found a home that was priced right and had the amenities you were looking for, only to find it's not even an option. 
2. They sell your information: Sites like Trulia and Zillow make money by selling the information of their users. Your email address and contact information will be sold to a third party when using these sites, something you don't have to worry about when working with a Realtor.
3. Their pricing is typically inaccurate: Big home search websites do their market analysis using the averages and medians of local home sales data. It's an algorithm that doesn't take into account the subtleties of the local market. Working with a Realtor is an advantage because he or she can come to your home and price it out according to the particular market.

Fundamentally, we feel there is nothing wrong with these big websites - they're actually quite helpful in many ways. But at the end of the day, your best option is to hire a professional expert Realtor in your local market. They will direct your search with the MLS to give you the most up-to-date and accurate real estate information, all while giving you the personal service a computer can't. As always, if you're interested in buying or selling property in the Louisville area, give us a call or send us an email. We would love to hear from you!