7 digital tools that will help make house hunting a breeze
Online tools and apps for the tech savvy house hunter
There is no way to sugar coat it. Buying a home can be a daunting task. With so much to take care of in terms of house hunting, purchasing, and then moving, things can get a little crazy. Luckily, there are plenty of useful digital tools that will help save today’s modern homebuyer time and stress.
Here are seven useful apps and online resources that will help make it easier to find and purchase your next home. This isn’t a comprehensive list, but it’s a great place to start.
Apps and resources that will help you find your next home
Google Maps.
As one of the most advanced mapping applications, Google maps is a fantastic free resource that will help you scope out potential neighbourhoods from your phone or home computer.
With satellite street views, homebuyers can get an accurate representation of property location in relation to parks, schools, hospital, gas, groceries, and other amenities like restaurants and coffee shops. It also allows you to calculate distance from potential homes to get an idea about traffic and travel times for work and play during different times of the day.
Realtor.ca
When it comes to searching for real estate, this is Canada’s most popular source. Available online and as a free app, Realtor.ca allows you to search active listings across the country (including properties for rent). Commercial properties are also included.
Home buyers can keep track of favourite properties, make notes, save searches, and connect with professional Realtors in their area—like me.
Canadian Mortgage App
This free app allows users to calculate payments, CMHC, taxes, and rebates, as well as amortization and the best rates. Ranked as the #1 mortgage app in Canada, it’s trusted by Canadian homebuyers and professionals.
ExactDeposit
Rather than dealing with certified or personal cheques, homebuyers can securely process a deposit online in minutes. This free Canadian service can be used anywhere from your smartphone, tablet, or computer.
AroundMe
This free iOS app lets you see what’s going on around potential homes that you’re viewing. If you need to know where the nearest coffee shop, movie theatre, hotel, and bank are, this functional app will quickly identify your location and displays a list of business in the category of your choice.
MagicPlan
This free app allows you to measure rooms and create floor plans with the camera on your device. It’s fast, easy, and fun! Designed for the iPhone and iPad, it’s also available as an Android app on Google Play.
Housecreep
This interesting resource will shed some light on the darker side of prospective homes. This crowdsourced collection of public and personal information can let you know about criminal histories, hauntings, and secrets for over 25,000 properties worldwide.
There are also great places online like Houzz, Home Designing, and Home & Design to get inspired with home design and decoration once you set your sights on your dream home.
I've been helping people find homes since 2001. When you're ready to contact an experienced Realtor, give me a call at 250-334-3124!
Feature Image: Ruthson Zimmerman