Over the years, my business has evolved thanks to the internet. I am now able to do many parts of my business without leaving my chair. I can often figure out if a house is worth buying just by a quick trip to the internet. So I thought why not share some of my favorite websites with you so that you can do your own research. Some of these sites are for fun but others can give you very important information as well as good information about your own house.
Site #1: Zillow.com
Zillow is a site that allows you to pick almost any house in America and see what it may be worth. Zillow is not 100% accurate but it gives you its best estimate of the house’s value and it gives you other tools like looking at an area and seeing what other houses have sold for. It is very good and easy to use.
Site #2: Google Maps (maps.Google.com)
Google maps allow you to see any area or house by satellite picture in America. They also go one-step further and they have a thing called street level view that actually lets you see houses and an area as if you were driving down the street. I can look at someone’s house and area without leaving my seat. Very cool!
Site #3: Zilpy.com
Zilpy is kind of like Zillow only it allows you to see average rents or what a house should charge for rent. All you need is the property address and Zilpy will search the area for other rentals of similar size and tell you what they are charging. Again, this is not a perfect system but it is good for getting a ballpark price of rents in the area.
Site #4: Your county assessor website
Your county assessor’s office has TONS of information about your house, your neighborhood, and your property taxes. The larger your county the more information they are likely to have online. Check it out to find out how to appeal (lower) your taxes and other great information.
Site #5: Your county recorder of deeds
(Just search your county and recorder of deeds)
This is again a great resource for anyone looking for information on a house or about his or her own house. From many of these sites you are able to find out about liens or mortgages on a property. It is very easy to use this site to find out what is owed on a property. These sites will give you a look into most financial aspects of a property as long as they are public record.
So, I hope you enjoy these sites and learn to use them. They are great resources and can help you when looking to buy or sell a home. If you have some sites to suggest, please drop me a note by email at [email protected]
Arthur V. Veal IV is the owner of We Buy Houses Home Services, a real estate investment company. They specialize in buying houses on terms. Buying on terms allows them to purchase houses and pay very near retail prices while still selling the house for a profit. His company boast a 73% success rate when helping sellers sell their property quickly and getting them a price they feel is fair. Find out more about there programs by visiting their site at http://www.sellonterms.com
