I often find that reading through the property lift out of a newspaper can be quite an enjoyable way to look at what properties are available for sale. The beautifully laid out advertisements take on an almost picture-book like feel and in combination with my morning coffee make a great way to start the day!
However there is no doubt that my slow browsing is not the preferred method of the majority of home-hunters in the market. The advent of the internet has seen online real estate search sites take off, with people able to isolate the exact properties that fit their criteria in a number of seconds with a few clicks of the mouse.
But even the way real estate agents are using the internet to market their properties is changing. And it most certainly pays to keep up with these shifting methods to ensure that you find out about your dream property the moment it is placed on the market.
It is becoming increasingly common for agencies, as well as individual agents themselves, to operate Facebook pages. Through this avenue they may disseminate information via status updates and posted links regarding new properties that have been listed with them. Facebook's photo sharing function also allows agencies to post images of individual properties, enabling viewers to get a better idea of the house or unit than they would have had from the two or three photos available in the paper or from online advertising.
In synchronicity with Facebook, we are also seeing agencies creating Twitter profiles. 'Tweets' are used to publicise new properties with links provided to either the online listing, or back to a Facebook page or other online photo album containing further information.
To make sure that you take full advantage of the Facebook and Twitter updates given by different agencies, it could be a wise move to make a list of all the real estate agencies that operate in the locations in which you are interested. Armed with this list you can visit their individual websites, Facebook pages, Twitter pages and the like, subscribing or 'becoming friends', to make sure that you start to receive a continuous flow of current information relating to possible buying opportunities in the areas you like.
With knowledge of individual agencies, you can also ask to sign up to their database. This will ensure that you receive all electronic communication sent out by the office which again will keep you updated about their property offerings.
It is also worth noting the various internal innovations that real estate companies provide as search tools. Century 21 Australia, for instance, offers Smart Book, a unique search function that creates an online magazine filled with all the properties that fit your search criteria. This tool uses dynamic data, so as soon as any information regarding a property is changed, or a new listing that fits your criteria is added to our system, your Smart Book will update itself instantaneously – meaning that you will always have the most current information and set of property options at your fingertips, without having to search again.
With the property shortage that Australia is predicted to see in future years, it will certainly pay to develop novel ways to search for property purchase opportunities. I have no doubt that the internet will continue to offer many unique avenues and I will strive to keep you informed about these developments.