Google comes handy once more. For those that are searching for homes, Googling the address might help future homeowners as they search and buy their new home.  Here are some of the reasons why googling the address is helpful in choosing homes.

The first reason why googling the address is helpful is seeing the location in a different perspective. According to a recent report by trulia.com, "Most real estate websites pull in Google Maps images of a home when listing photos aren't available." The Google Maps street view provides an idea of how a home is situated, and the surrounding properties before setting up an appointment with a listing agent or real estate dealer.

Another reason why googling the address is helpful is to determine if the Megan's Law is implemented. According to a previous report by dailyfinance.com, "Megan's law requires law-enforcement authorities to make information available to the public regarding registered sex offenders in their neighborhoods." All state that has a Megan's law-type sex offender registry has an online system that serves up the names, addresses, sex-offense history, and images of those convicted sex offenders and their addresses as well.

Why is there a need to Google the address of the future home? One reason is to avoid health problems. For those that are house hunting, it is crucial to determine whether a home is located in a safe area or a hazardous area.  According to a recent report by trulia.com, "The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration maintains a database of homes that have been identified as drug labs, and some of these properties require intensive, expensive cleanup before they can be healthfully inhabited."

Another reason why there is a need to Google the address is to prevent being scammed. According to a recent report by dailyfinance.com, "Internet scammers have taken to ripping off home information and putting together fake listings offering other people's homes for rent or, often, lease-to-own."