Helpful Apps for Homebuyers

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.

Share:

Sign up for our newsletter and be the first to know about new tips, insights, and products from First Bank.

First Bank may use this email address to contact you about products, services, and promotions.

You may be interested in...

a young couple and their dog on the couch.

[First Bank Webinar] Homebuyer Happy Hour March 2025 Event Details: Date: Thursday, March 13, 2025 Time: 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm Location: Zoom Webinar (link provided upon registration) What to Expect: Our First Bank mortgage experts will share information about understanding budgeting and credit to help you on your journey to homeownership. Topics covered include: Budgeting basics: how to set your budget, unexpected expenses to look out for Credit expectations: what mortgage lenders look for Building credit: credit factors, tips to improve your credit score Meet our First Bank Experts: Jarrod Burcham | Mortgage Loan Originator | Greensboro, NC Jarrod pledges professional service and personal attention while finding the right mortgage that fits your needs. Whether you are looking to purchase your first home, build your next, refinance your current home, buy an investment property or purchase a vacation rental, Jarrod will guide you through the home loan process. Monica Moses | Community Mortgage Officer | Apex, NC As Community Mortgage Officer, Monica serves as a liaison for the mortgage loan originators regarding community outreach in underserved markets. One of her focuses is educating potential homeowners by participating in homebuyer workshops in low to moderate income areas. Monica’s role allows First Bank to build connections with minority realtors and builders while enhancing the visibility of our organization. Register for Homebuyer Happy Hour: Our knowledgeable panel shared their experiences and provided actionable insights during our Homebuyer Happy Hour to help you make informed decisions about homebuying. We will be posting the Q&As from the session to view on our website soon so you won’t miss any valuable expert insights. Keep an eye on our website for updates, and feel free to reach out to one of our loan officers if you have any mortgage questions. 2 min read

What is PITI? [INFOGRAPHIC] The infographic below helps to illustrate how each component is different. We have also provided examples of the average home cost and the associated PITI for the states that First Bank serves. We hope it helps! 1 min read

How to Avoid Paying Too Much for a House Imagine you just crossed the threshold of your dream home. There’s only one problem: price. It seems a bit on the high side, even for a home this perfect—but is it? 4 min read

What Are 30-Year FHA Mortgage Rates? If you are considering applying for an FHA loan to purchase a home, you may be wondering, “What are 30-year FHA mortgage rates?” If you want to find out what the current average 30-year FHA mortgage rates are, the most accurate way to find out is to visit your local First Bank and ask about our FHA mortgage loans. Determining 30-Year FHA Mortgage Rates Securing a good 30-year FHA mortgage rate depends on a few different factors, including: How much you can put forth as a down payment Whether the loan is fixed or adjustable-rate If the loan is adjustable-rate, your margin Your credit history and current finances What is an FHA Mortgage Loan? The recession experienced in the last decade caused a dip in the housing market. This downward trend of the housing market has led to an increasing popularity of FHA mortgage loans. But before you shop around for what all the current 30-year FHA mortgage rates are, it’s important to know exactly what FHA loans are. An FHA loan is a mortgage that is insured by a government agency called the Federal Housing Administration. By purchasing mortgage insurance, borrowers are often able to secure low interest rates under more flexible qualification requirements. A few key facts about FHA mortgages include: Down payments for an FHA loan can be as low as 3.5%. This is well below the traditional down payment of up to 20%. FHA loans allow for sellers, lenders or builders to contribute to the closing costs on the buyer’s behalf. The lender must be FHA-approved. First Bank is an example of an FHA-approved lender with 30-year FHA mortgage rates. Mortgage insurance is required. This protects the lender from loss as a result of a default and is what opens the door for low down payments and interest rates. Visit Your Local First Bank Today If you want to know what 30-year FHA mortgage rates are, contact your local First Bank representative. Use a loan officer finder to locate a First Bank loan specialist near you and set up a consultation. If there’s no First Bank loan officer near you, simply fill out our online application and a mortgage specialist will contact you to address your needs.* *Loans subject to credit approval. ——— 2 min read

Helpful Apps for Homebuyers

Ready to talk to an expert?

Listing or MLS apps

Tools for homebuyers

Ready to talk to an expert?

You may be interested in...