While the Owners' Network has limited listings, you just might find the perfect home that meets your needs. The site recently partnered with Prudential, a national real estate company, to give both buyers and sellers the option of working with an agent at a discount. The New York Times and Washington Post also use the service. The regional nature of real estate makes newspapers a natural for such a service. Along with the listings, editorial staffs offer objective editorial content with current information that could affect your transaction.
Newspapers tend to do a better job of reporting on the news than keeping listings current.
On most newspaper listings sites, you can browse all the listings, or customize your search by typing in your criteria, such as price range, location and number of bedrooms and baths. Some of the best sites also include useful information on mortgage rates, schools and other community resources, financial calculators, links to sales data on comparable houses, home inspection services, real estate agents and other information of interest to local buyers. To get the most out of your Internet home search, use it in conjunction with traditional home shopping techniques. Attend homebuying seminars and workshops and consider obtaining the assistance of an experienced, professional real estate agent or attorney. When it comes to deciphering all the information you'll encounter online and off, you need all the help you can get.