Where to Look For a Condominium

Now that you and your agent are armed with your wish list you can begin the search for your condominium. Following are several of the best resources to find properties for sale.

Using Your Broker: The best tools you have is your agent or broker. Communicate with them regularly. Let them do your leg work for you. They will search the marketplace, talk with other realtors and become your first line of offense in finding your perfect condo. Their knowledge of the real estate process and understanding of the marketplace is invaluable and will help you avoid many of the pitfalls and traps that are a part of the real estate game.

Internet: Beside your agent, the Internet is the single best resource for real estate information. It is an excellent vehicle to conduct your preliminary condo search. Following is some of the information you can access to help you through the buying process:

• Check the current property listings
• Shop for a loan or mortgage
• Get your credit report.
• Find a neighborhood map
• Research a school district
• Check neighborhood demographics (i.e. crime rate)
• Research your agent or broker

As useful as the Internet is to your search, it does fall short in some areas. This is why it’s so important for you to be working in lockstep with your agent. Your agent can fill in much of the missing information that is not available online.

Newspaper: Newspapers are an excellent source for property information. By looking in the Saturday or Sunday real estate section, you can quickly glean what is on the market and learn about property costs.

Walk around: A good way to narrow down your search before even viewing a unit is to check out the surrounding neighborhood. Simply walk around and get a gut feel for the environment. Have a cup of coffee in the nearest coffee shop. Try the neighborhood on for size, and see if it fits your lifestyle.