10 Homebuying Apps and Tools For Today’s Market

Thanks to modern technology, the homebuying journey is immensely easier than it was 10 years ago.

With just a laptop, tablet, or smartphone, you can now browse listings, tour homes, apply for a mortgage, and even sign off on closing documents with just a few clicks and a matter of seconds. It’s pretty game-changing, to say the least.

Are you preparing to buy a home in the near future? Make sure these 10 handy apps are on your radar. They can make the process much easier (and more enjoyable)!

Homesnap – Driving around, looking for on-the-market properties? Forget hopping out and digging around for outdated flyers or searching the web for the right listing. Just download Homesnap, take a picture of the home and upload it to the app. You’ll have the price, number of bedrooms/bathrooms, tax info, local school ratings and more in seconds. If there’s a listing out there, you can also view interior photos or use the app to contact the agent and schedule a tour.

AroundMe – Think you’ve found a winner? Use AroundMe to get a complete list of all the restaurants, stores and businesses near the property. You can look for banks, bars, hospitals, movie theaters and even grocery stores, and make sure you choose a home that has everything you need all in one place.

Mortgage Calculators – Not sure how much you can afford to spend on a home? Use a mortgage calculator to do the job. Trulia and Zillow both offer calculators, and Guardian Mortgage Company has several just primed for potential homebuyers.

Dwellr – Not all neighborhoods are created equally, so if you’re considering a property, use the Dwellr app to get the full scoop on your surroundings. It will show you data on current residents, home values, crime rates and more — all stuff you should consider before buying.

GreatSchools – Have kiddos in the house? The GreatSchools app lets you learn all you need to know about local school districts and campuses. You can get information on extracurricular activities, academics, and athletics, and there are even ratings for each school—one by GreatSchools and one by community members and parents.

Safe Neighborhood – Another must-have if you have kids, Safe Neighborhood gives you safety stats for any neighborhood you request. It will also give you data on local sex offenders, as well as pictures of any offenders nearby.

WalkScore – Want to be able to walk to and from school or the local grocery store? Need easily accessible public transit or a good bike route to work? WalkScores can give you all this info and more for any property you want.

Doorsteps Swipe – Billed as the “Tinder” for real estate, Doorsteps lets you “swipe to like” on properties from across the country. It’s a great way to feel out what you do and don’t want in a home, which can make it easier when working with your agent.

Dictionary of Real Estate Terms – Getting confused by all the real estate lingo? This handy dictionary app spells it all out plain and simple. It offers definitions for more than 3,000 real estate terms all at your fingertips.

House Hunter – This app is great once you’ve toured a few homes. It lets you store notes, pictures and other data on properties you’ve visited, and it even assigns scores to each one. The app syncs across platforms, too, so you can use it on your phone, tablet or computer.

Though these apps can certainly make home buying easier, nothing can replace a good real estate agent and a knowledgeable loan officer. Want more guidance on your home buying journey? Contact a loan officer at Guardian Mortgage Company today.