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Home buying is no longer the opaque closed market that it once was. Instead of specialist estate agents being the only point of contact between buyers and sellers, the internet has opened up an entire new world of information sharing.

Websites such as Find A Home and Right Move allow home buyers and estate agents to list properties in a matter of minutes. Once online these properties can not only be viewed by the thousands of people who visit these sites ever day but listing details are also sent directly to potential customer’s inboxes.

This speed of service is incredible and estate agents can be hosting their first property viewings within a few hours of the listing going live. One estate agent who I spoke to last week said that one property that he listed in central London was sold within four hours of it going live – an astonishing turnaround time considering how some properties can sit on the market for years at a time with no sale.

Property listing websites are not the only online tools that are favoured by realtors and home buyers. Facebook has become one of the main ways in estate agents and real estate professionals can reach clients as well as building their online brand. A company specific Facebook page not only delivers new listings straight to a fan’s inbox but companies are now providing market updates and advisory services free of charge  in order to build trust with their clients.

It is estimated that 84% of real estate professionals use social media to engage clients in one way or another. Facebook and Twitter are popular platforms but increasingly professionals are making use of Youtube and other video sharing websites to provide rich media in the form of property viewing videos to clients. Home buyers can not only find the property of their dreams with a quick search, but they can also embark upon a virtual tour as well as sharing their experiences with their friends and relatives over Facebook, Twitter and other social media.

One final way in which the internet is enriching the home buying experience is with the help of price comparison websites. Sites such as Compare The Market and Money Saving Expert survey the market for the best deals on important home buying topics such as home insurance, buildings insurance, mortgage rates, broker fees and other matters of personal finance. The best deals are quickly found by thousands of people every day which means that home buyers no longer need to rely on their brokers to do the legwork for them.

Again social media plays an important role when it comes to matters of personal finance. News items regarding suspect companies or fraudulent deals can quickly surface on websites such as Twitter and Facebook. This empowers the home owner as they can quickly make informed decision thanks to the power of the internet and social media.

Thanks for reading this article on how social media and the internet is being used by real estate professionals and home buyers. If you are looking for advice regarding matters of personal finance such as  home insurance or mortgage advice then http://www.castlecover.co.uk/ was able to help me. Otherwise check out one of the price comparison or free personal finance websites such as Moeny Supermarket.

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