Google has been our long-time and ever reliable pal when we want to know or find out about something. Such curiosity will also work to your advantage, especially when you are in search of a new home. Tara-Nicolle Nelson, a real estate broker, attorney and columnist, posted in the Business Insider the reasons why you should be more exploratory when it comes to your home--whether you are selling, buying, or still living in it without any plan of moving out.
1. Get an idea of the "street view" situation
As many real estate websites use Google Maps images of a home when photos for the listing are not available, the "street view" application can give you an idea of how the house is situated on its lot, and what kind of properties surround it.
2. Avoid health issues
Any person who hunts for a potential new home would naturally avoid a house near a former meth lab or one that is in a flight path to and from the airport. Aside from the discomfort, a big concern here is that residences can be health hazards, too.
Make sure that the house you are looking for is in a safe area. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration has a database of homes that have been drug labs, and these properties need intensive and expensive clean up before they can be occupied.
Radon, industrial, and airport zones are also detectable using Google search, or in some cases, through the disclosures that most sellers provide.
3. Get details on the HOA status
Buying a house which is a part of a homeowners' association (HOA) will give you a substantial package of disclosures directly from the seller and association, such as the rules, board meeting and community budget.
A quick search in Google can give you a hint on potential issues. Yelp, a web-based urban guide, has reviewed quite a number of HOAs, including rants and raves about neighbors, subdivisions, amenities and managers on the platform.
Through your HOA search results, it can also reveal high dues delinquencies, maintenance issues, enforcement or non-enforcement of association rules, and many more.
4. Source out potential niceties and nuisances
Google can also show permit applications or community plans for expansion around your prospective or current property. You can also know in advance if the school across the street has a plan to accommodate 100 more cars at pick up time, or if Chipotle and Whole Foods are coming to the neighborhood by next year. You may also be able to discover that the residents fought for the preservation of walking trails from being developed, and that the authorities preserved such areas.
All these, thanks to Google.
