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Helpful Apps for Homebuyers

Homebuying 4 min read
Hand pointing at iPad with home buying app on screen

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There are few industries as fast paced as home buying, so it’s no surprise these days that purchasing property has gone mobile. As you might expect, there are all kinds of tools and apps for your tablet or Smartphone that you can use to get ahead of the competition.

In fact, there are so many real estate apps that it can almost be overwhelming. And for such an important purchase, you’ll want a trusted source of information. Let’s take a look at some of the best mobile apps out there that you can use on the fly to help you through the home buying process.

Listing or MLS apps

Most major listing apps allow you to instantly search local “multiple listing services” (MLS) that real estate agents and sellers use to give consumers a mostly comprehensive list of properties for sale in an area.

These apps allow you to search homes within multiple criteria and will be your go-to tools for finding houses or homes in the locales you choose.

Real Estate by Trulia is one of the most downloaded and consistently highly rated apps in the home buying industry. Using a built-in instant search GPS feature that can find local houses on the fly, Trulia adds components like “Local Info” that display interactive maps with crime statistics and schools in a specific area. And of course, the app has more sortable criteria than you can imagine and millions of home listing nationwide.

Zillow Real Estate joins Trulia as the 2 leaders in home buying apps in terms of downloads and ratings. Zillow puts 100 million searchable properties at your fingertips and even allows you to set notifications for your favorite properties. The app also estimates prices in certain locations of your choice based on market trends in the area.

Realtor.com’s Real Estate app is known as being the favorite of real estate agents because it tends to have the most up-to-date information, sourcing more than 800 MLSs nationwide. The majority of listings update every 15 minutes, and the app will let you search accurate price estimates with the “Area Scout” feature.

Redfin Real Estate has a smaller scope than other comprehensive apps but is well-known for covering urban and metropolitan areas. One of the unique features of Redfin are exclusive “Agent Insights” notes on individual properties, and the app developers boast that you’ll find 20% more homes for sale on this app than the competition.

Tools for homebuyers

Of course prospective homebuyers need to find homes for sale, but what about after you’ve found them?

Whether you need to take notes or find out more information on a property, the following apps are fantastic tools that every home hunter needs to add to their Smartphone.

HomeSnap is one of the more unique and must-have apps available to home shoppers. If you’re checking out a property and want to know more, just take a photo of the home and upload it to the app. If available, the HomeSnap will display interior photos, historic selling prices, and sale history from local MLS listings.

AroundMe fulfills the first rule of real estate: location, location, location. This app uses GPS to find your exact location and then shows restaurants, shops, and other businesses to give you a feel for the surrounding neighborhood. One neat feature is an instant showing of the nearest bank, bar, gas station, hospital, hotel, movie theater, restaurant, supermarket, theater, and taxi service for a certain address.

Trulia Mortgage Calculator delivers exactly what it promises in a simple, easy-to-use design. This app can help prospective buyers determine their spending limits by calculating your monthly mortgage payment. You can also see side-by-side specialized loan quotes from different lenders, compare lender ratings and reviews, and even be put directly in touch with agents. A refinancing calculator, payment trends, and an affordability calculator are all included.

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