Proceed With Caution
June 29, 2011The Internet has become a powerful tool for homebuyers. Type in “[your city & state] homes for sale” in Google, and the list of website resources verges on the infinite.
This information overload can become quite confusing to a buyer.
With tons of real estate websites out there, how do you winnow them down? Proceed with caution because many of these sites contain hidden agendas.
If you go to a random site, begin searching for homes and find one you like, you may be required to click on a button to “get more info.” After you
register with your name and email, expecting to see an address or more pictures of the home, wham, a screen appears with a cryptic message, “Thank you for your interest. A real estate professional will contact you shortly.”
What just happened? Well, you took the bait, and your name and email address are now being disseminated on the Internet superhighway. What’s next? Your inbox will be filled with message from real estate agents, mortgage
lenders and a variety of other individuals who purchased your contact information as a lead.
Many of these websites provide nothing more than a marketing portal to collect and sell consumers’ records to a lot more people than just real estate agents.
Using the Internet for research can help buyers compare prices and determine availability; however, a real estate agent offers much more. Real estate agents use a secure service called MLS for a complete profile of homes for sale within
any given region. This service protects your contact information from distribution on the open market.
If you do decide to take matters into your own hands, proceed with caution and keep your contact information confidential. Take notes on attractive properties and share the information with a real estate agent who will provide you with a more complete picture.
Have more questions?
Call me!
Guaranteed Home Mortgage is a Direct Lender licensed by the PA Dept. of Banking
Dan Ranck
Guaranteed Home Mortgage Company, Inc.
5513 Main Street
East Petersburg, PA 17520
Telephone 717-271-2400
Toll-Free 1-888-566-1795
Fax 1-888-275-8495
NMLS # 140989
