I want to mouse a house…where is the data current?
Cara: I have started looking online for homes for sale in Northern Virginia. I must say that I am sorely disappointed with the old data I have come across on the main public home search programs.4 of the 5 homes that I wanted more info. on turned out to have been sold or put under contract days (sometimes weeks) ago. What do you recommend I do?
Steve: Cara, the reason the big public home search programs are so out of date and such time wasters is that they have to pull info from hundreds of separate Multiple Listing Services from all over the country. It is a huge data transfer problem. We have 3 programs we use to help friends and clients search online. Right now this is the most popular: Search Like an Agent. If you click on that link it will take you to a search set up page. The data on the search site is normally updated no later than every 30 minutes, so it is the closest you can get to the Realtor’s Multiple Listing Service (MLS). You often see a home listed on a place like Realtor.com only to find that it went under contract 3 days ago…that should not happen here. Search live or set up an automated search that will email listings that meet your criteria. Just fill out the little form and accept the confirming email and your password will be sent right back to you and off you go. It’s free and easy. No one will bother you.
Cara: Is this some semi transparent attempt at blatant self promotion on your part?
Steve: If you have wandered around our blog much, you have probably noticed that we try very hard not to self promote. Hopefully you can tell from the tone of the writing that we are not annoying, painful people. We provide information. If you feel like contacting us, that’s great. If not, please have fun on our blog and search site.
Cara: What areas does the search cover?
Steve: The entire DC metro area. Virginia, DC and Maryland. It is linked straight to the local Realtors MLS and only acquires data from there. That is one reason the data is fresh…it only has to pull from one local source of data…not hundreds from all over the US.
Cara: Ok I’ll give it a whirl. Just click HERE. Is that correct?
Steve: That will do it. Please let us know if you have any questions, problems or want to go see a property. Just drop us an email at Steve@HomesByBachman.com. No one will hassle or annoy you.