Let The Search Begin - Just don't make me get up

Starting a search for a new home can be an overwhelming process. There is tons of advice out there - get a broker, go to open houses, look in the NY Times, look for foreclosures, surf the web - the list goes on and on. All of these ideas are good ideas and all may lead to your dream home. However, it is my personal recommendation that you begin your search for a new home on-line and in the comfort of your own living room. Searching online first will give you the opportunity to get a feel for prices, amenities, style of the homes, etc. Try not to eliminate listings based on the posted price. In this market there is room to negotiate so if you see something you love it’s worth visiting in person and submitting an offer (make sure you visit with a financial advisor or mortgage broker first prior to offer submission to determine how much you can afford to buy).

Below is a list of websites that are good resources for real estate listings:

• http://www.trulia.com/. Trulia allows you to search for homes by location or price. It also has a running list on its home page showing price reductions, open houses, and new listings, which makes searching through their enormous database a little less daunting and gives you a snapshot of how the market is doing.


• http://www.streeteasy.com/. This website is primarily for Manhattan properties but has recently added listings in the Hamptons and North Jersey. Like Trulia, you can search by price range or price. Unlike Trulia, Streeteasy also posts rental listings. It also has a new development section where you can peruse all the brand new buildings around the city. While you are there check out the video for “Platinum NYC.” http://streeteasy.com/nyc/building/247-west-46-street-new_york


• http://www.craigslist.com/. Believe it or not Craig’s list has a lot of for sale listings on it. It’s nationwide too so if you feel like looking for a home in San Francisco you can find it here. As with everything on Craig’s list, be a little wary but there is also some great stuff on there - Spacious 2 Bed Condos w/ Great Amenities- Spa Hot Tub & Fitness Center anyone?http://newyork.craigslist.org/fct/reo/1491283210.html.


• http://www.oodle.com/ Like Craig’s list is more of a classified ad database but it does have real estate ads and listings.

On another note, I was at a meeting this week and everyone was talking about the Tiger Woods incident. No, they weren’t speculating about why Tiger’s wife was beating his car with a golf club, or what he was doing out at 2am, or even why his alleged mistress just retained a lawyer. Nope, they were wondering what on earth he was doing living in a home that cost a mere $2,400,000. Not to worry a quick google search has informed me that he also owns a $40 million 10 acre ocean front estate in Jupiter Florida that is still under construction. Phew – all is right in the world again.