Buying your retirement home might be a lot easier than any house you ever purchased before, thanks to an ever-expanding list of internet tools. Not only do new websites keep cropping up in familiar areas, but they are arriving with new services as well. This article will provide a quick roundup of the online services that can make purchasing your active adult or 55+ community a lot easier.
Mortgages
Type in “mortgages” into your search bar and you will find companies eager to offer you a mortgage. Given the recent publicity about mortgage predators, you should tread carefully. Get more than one opinion, shop locally, and get the opinion of your legal adviser before you act.
Credit rating services
There are a number of places on the internet where you can find out your credit rating, a number that is very important when you go mortgage shopping (the lower your rating, the more your mortgage might cost. If it is not high enough you might not qualify). You can a free report from annualcreditreport.com , a combined service of the 3 major credit reporters.
Home Prices
The days are over when homeowners went to these sites to see how much their home values have increased. But these websites can be very useful for both buyers and sellers in getting a sense of current values. Zillow.com , city-data.com , realestate.yahoo.com/ are just some of them. The most reliable data is available for the largest cities - and that data is available from the National Association of Realtors and Case-Shiller .
Appraisals and Inspections
There are a number of online places to search for appraisals and inspections of real estate you might be interested in buying. One that offers a free checklist is Housemasters
Real Estate Agents
A talented local real estate agent is always going to be the best tool for finding a home in any community - there local knowledge is very valuable. There are a number of online directories that can help; if you search on the internet for “real estate agents” you will find them. One of the most reputable sources is from the National Association of Realtors . Their directory is available at http://www.realtor.org/rofindrealtor.nsf/pages/FS_FREALTOR?OpenDocument
Online Bidding
Perhaps the newest service available for homebuyers is the online auction. The grandaddy of all auction sites in ebay . They have a full inventory of homes, lots, commercial property, time shares, and vacation homes. The recent explosion of foreclosed and distressed properties is producing a mini-explosion of new online auction sites. Realtybid had 16 properties available in North Carolina on a recent visit, including 2 nice looking properties in Rocky Mountain. One 3BR/ 2BA sold for $79,000 and another had a top bid of $50,000 on the last day of bidding. The site had 116 properties listed in Florida, of which 25 were still in the bidding process. Prices look low!
Another start up that looks very interesting is bidonthecity.com ...
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