House Buying Online

In addition to the traditional driving and searching routine for home buying, you also have, via the Internet, a number of tools to help you find a home. Sites like Realtor.com or HomeGain.com offer a lot of information as well as "sneak previews" for homes that might fit the bill. These sites seem to be particularly helpful if you are moving to an area with which you are not familiar, because they offer neighborhood information, school information, crime rates, cultural activities and other types of information to help you narrow down your search. They can even help match you up with a realtor, find a lender and sell your existing home.

In addition to having searchable databases of homes for sale in your area, these sites have "virtual tours" of many homes. These tours give you a panoramic view of several rooms in the home. This can give you an idea of the layout and condition of the home without having to take the time to make an appointment and actually visit the house. This is especially helpful if you're traveling to a different city to look at several homes and have limited time. View a sample virtual home tour at Homestore.com.

Even if you don't use the search features or realtor matching services, these sites provide a wealth of information about the home buying/selling process, great financial calculators to help you determine your price range, and tips to help you along each step of the way. Most also offer e-mail services that will notify you when a home that meets your specifications comes on the market in your area. Read on to learn about regional real estate sites.