House Hunting On-line: Pros and Cons

How satisfying is looking for a house to buy or rent on-line?  It's everyone's first step; I understand that.  But come on.  I just did a search for a home south of us.  I put in the criteria at the site I clicked on from a google search to find the search parameters limiting to say the least.

If you are like me, you have a pretty good idea of the important features in the house you are considering purchasing.  In my case, I want a one story, two to four bedrooms, at least two baths and we would love to have a view.  I am concerned with location, but I don't really know the area that well either.

I click through the 200+ houses that come up with my general parameters selected.  There was no style option, no view option, no "number of stories" option etc, etc.

It would be nice to read a narrative about the area you are considering.  It would be lovely to know if there is a library and coffee shop within walking distance.  I want to find out if there is a view or if there is an ugly building to stare at.

On-line shopping for anything has it drawbacks.  It is a great place to start before you contact an agent in the area you are considering as home.  At that point you can verbalize your wants and needs to a person.  They know the area, they know the view possibilities and they should be able to be very helpful in singling out listings to send you.

Shop on-line and then contact a real estate agent working full time in the area of interest. Call them, chat a bit and discover how you feel after the conversation.  Did the person have time to listen, were they taking notes, did they ask for your feature list, and do you feel comfortable with the visit.  Personalities vary!  Interview to ferret out the person with great qualifications and the right communication skills for you individually.  You won't be sorry.