If you think that home viewing is the only way to gain insight when searching for a new home, think again. With just a few clicks on the internet and a little curiosity (just like when you're stalking your ex's Facebook profile, only that doing so can actually do you good this time), you can find out more about your prospected home. Turns out, real estate and Google work very well together.
Here are some of the reasons it is good to Google your address in real estate according to Trulia:
Suss out the "streetview" situation
One way that real estate and Google can be the perfect combo for your home searching is for you to get a sense of how a home is situated on its lot as well as how the neighbor's property looks like in relation to the one you are planning to buy without you having to go and see it in person.
Avoid health concerns
Real estate and Google work well together as it's how you would find out if your potential new dream home is located in a safe area. You wouldn't want to close the deal and realize that you just bought a former meth lab, right? The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration maintains a database of homes that have been identified as drug labs and some properties require extensive, expensive cleanup before they can healthfully inhabited.
Google Maps can show whether the location is under a busy flight path to and from the airport. Although there is no chemical concern, living within a noisy zone like airports may impact one's quality of sleep which poses a health hazard.
Get details on the HOA situation
Your seller and the HOA association could give you disclosure on the community budget, rules, and board meeting minutes, but if we talk about troubling info about the HOA, don't expect them to hand you the info. One way for you to get a heads up on potential issues is doing a quick Google search. Yelp is one website where you can find HOA reviews (of course, including rants and raves) about the subdivision, the complex, managers, neighbors, and amenities on that platform.
Googling your new HOA can even show info about neighbors decrying the fact that high dues delinquencies are making it impossible for them to refinance to unit owners, and how association rules are imposed, or not.
Scope out potential nuisances
A quick Google search can give you an overview of the prospected community plans for expansion around your new property; for instance, you can learn that Chipotle and Whole Foods are coming to the neighborhood in 2016. From being 50% sold on the property, gaining that insight can instantly make you sold on the property 100% this time. But more importantly, reading online permit applications with a quick Google search can help you understand the landscape of community development as well as the existing issues if there is any so you can make a more informed decision.
