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Tips on searching for properties online |
Some
years ago, the only approach for prospective homebuyers to find a suitable real estate property was to contact a
broker. However, thanks to the internet, many homebuyers prefer shortlisting
their options online. Of course, personal inspection of a property is still
necessary before the final purchase.
Today,
more and more people looking for flats begin their hunt online. Best real estate websites are replete
with information on newly constructed and under-construction projects across
cities. Property portals also provide information on options available in a
certain location, the unique aspects of the area and the India property pricing trends.
However,
relying solely on property marketing portals is a mistake. The information they
provide can be incomplete and sometimes even misleading, says Kishor Pate, CMD,
Amit Enterprises Housing Ltd.
For
instance, most home seekers scanning the internet are often looking for the
cost advantage of investing in an under-construction project. Naturally, the
primary search parameter tends to be the price. However, internet searches
based solely on price, city and location can generate insufficient and skewed
results.
Homebuyers
should be aware that while buyingproperty in an under-construction project by a reputed and well-funded
developer is safe, an incomplete project by an unknown builder does not offer
such assurance. Also, a well-known developer’s reputation is a safety stamp for
construction quality and good internal fittings.
Property
listings posted by individual brokers dealing in all sorts of projects usually
do not provide this vital information. After all, disclosing details such as
name of the project and its developer would kill their marketing advantage.
However, it is necessary to know these details before one can shortlist options
based on quality, investment, safety as well as price.
There
are, of course, exceptions to this information gap. For instance, many large real estate brokerages have exclusive
project marketing mandates with reputable real estate developers. Property
listings by such brokerages do tend to provide all the necessary details.
Real
estate marketing portal listings are usually the first search results to show
up during an online property search. This is because these platforms invest
heavily in search engine optimization to attract internet traffic. However, no
online search for an under-construction property is complete on the basis of
just these results. Aspiring buyers also need to visit the websites of reputed
developers.
