Jamie Henry
Other
Whether your aim is to bolster your property’s online profile or unearth the past secrets of a prospective purchase, search-engine sleuthing is worth the effort – after all, you wouldn’t start a new job or go on a blind date without a little Google search beforehand.
The same logic should apply when considering investing in a new property. “I do a general Google search and sometimes get interesting information, like if the property has been put up for sale before and then I would follow up with a Realtor to do some more digging,” said Quentin D’Souza, chief education officer at Durham Real Estate Investors.
Google image or map views can also help potential investors understand how a house is situated on a lot and what the neighbourhood looks like.
D’Souza would use a general Google search to discover whether any interesting events have occurred in the neighbourhood or the street.
He added: “I would also use online resource sites like HouseCreep and The Bed Bug Registry to dive a little deeper and look at some more specific problems that a property might have.”
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