There has never been a more accessible time for informing your house hunting plans than today. The internet has opened up an entirely new set of opportunities for the home buying/selling process. This has led to various new apps and websites looking to streamline your ability to search for new properties and gather real estate information. Trends like virtual home touring, access to home histories, and e-listings have made house hunting easier than ever before. These developments, along with the current state of the housing market, will make 2021 a solid year for house hunting.
Online House Hunting
Gone are the days of requiring a realtors license to get access to MLS data. With just the swipe of a finger, you can look at the complete history of a home’s sale and tax history. Redfin is generally considered one of the premiere real estate websites that provides all pertinent information with each property, which includes puling data directly from MLS. Other ones to also consider are Zillow and Realtor.com. These sites provide listings for any area you are interested in and have many options for filtering price points to your liking. Each listing includes a thorough run down of interior/exterior features, HOA information, and location details. The ability to find this information with ease has made the house hunting process much more accessible to buyers, whether they are experienced or a novice
Open Houses
Another aspect of house hunting in today’s world is the advent of virtual tours. With the pandemic limiting the amount of in person open houses, virtual tours have been more popular than ever. Now photographs and videos can be taken of the house’s interior that bring a more in depth look at a property without having to physically visit it. This can be a great way to narrow down your favorite houses online and make for much more productive in-person visits.
Are Real Estate Agents Still Worth It?
With the sheer amount of information available at your fingertips, some may question the need for an agent if they can research everything themselves. While it is possible to purchase a home on your own, being a lone wolf while searching the market will put you at a disadvantage if you are interested in a property with multiple bids. Most realtors and buyers would prefer to avoid potential amateur headaches and prioritize their offers towards someone who has an experienced agent by their side. The number one thing listing agents emphasize to sellers is to not only look at a buyer’s price, but also their financial situation and overall motivation/ability to close the deal. If a deal breaks down, the process to relist is a major headache that sellers prefer not to repeat all over again.
Nonetheless, possession of readily available information online has turned the realtor relationship into a partnership, rather than a client based dynamic. This has proven to make the house buying/selling process much more fruitful and efficient, now that people are better equipped to communicate their needs.
Trends to Keep in Mind for 2021
Despite how tumultuous the previous year was, the real estate market has been more active than ever, with many people looking to move into the suburbs. Interest rates are projected to continue being historically low and will help keep the market active with prospective buyers. There is hope that the economy will start its trend upwards as the COVID-19 vaccine continues to roll out to the general public. 2021 is the year where a large cohort of millennials will be turning 30 years old (prime first time homeowner age) and as a result, “2021 home sales activity is expected to remain strong and outpace 2020 levels” (Forbes). These trends will be important to remember as you continue your online research and dive into virtual tours.
East Bay Realty
We here at East Bay Realty understand the home buying/selling and construction management process down to a science, while also taking pride in our honesty and willingness to answer any of your questions. Our agents possess very thorough knowledge of the East Bay real estate market and use our 50 years of combined experience to get the most for our clients. We have found that today's house hunting process has made the agent-to-client relationship much more productive. Our clients have cited that our local knowledge, experience and communication / reliability are their top reasons for recommending us to their friends and family. Give us a call for a free consultation and we can show you how we can help!
510-344-6368