Looking For Homes Is Not What It Was Like For Our Parents!

A half-century ago, prospective homebuyers had very few options when it came to property searches and research. They were limited to a real-estate company's expertise and industry contacts. Currently, looking for homes is not what it was like for previous generations. Look at the key differences that define this age so that you can be successful in your house-hunting search.

1. Going Online First Crosses Generational Gaps

The Internet has certainly changed the real-estate world forever. Previous generations had to drive past homes or visit open houses as their only form of visual on a property. Going online today gives you photos, videos, and 360-degree views of properties across the globe. You have a chance to weed out any properties that don't work for your needs before making a commitment to an open house. Online searches provide neighborhood data too, which gives you another layer of how a community might improve your life.

2. Word-of-Mouth Tactics Gain Traction

Speaking to loved ones and contacts in the community used to be a tactic of the baby boomers and silent generation, but the millennials are seeing the value in this strategy. Twenty- and thirty-year-old people are asking for opinions, seeking first-hand knowledge, and coupling this information with online data to make a solid decision. In many cases, millennials are some of the most well-informed homebuyers in the marketplace today. By using a mixture of communication outlets, millennials find great deals in otherwise overlooked neighborhoods.

3. Turning to the Bank

Gen X focuses on the practical side of home buying when compared to the older generation. Forty-year-old buyers are turning to the bank as a way to secure financing before even seeing a home. The older generation usually finds a property, and then they figure out the money aspect. In this fast-paced industry, a home might be sold before the buyer can venture to the bank after an open house. Gen X sees that financial power can be a powerful tool as you visit several properties. A bid can be placed almost simultaneously with an open-house visit, for example.

4. Down-Payment Difficulties

A key reason why looking for homes is different now than in the past involves finances. Saving for a down payment is much harder for twenty- and thirty-year-old buyers compared to the older generations. Young people juggle student-loan debt and issues in the employment sector, including COVID-19 concerns.

Making saving difficult on another level is the amounts required by lenders today. Many banks ask for 20 percent down, which can equate to tens of thousands of dollars upfront. Older generations had less school debt or none at all in their youth, and this fact helped them along with affordable down payments at the time.

Homes for sale in Long Beach can list one day and sell the next. Contacting real-estate professionals is a clever way to get in on the proverbial ground floor. Finding and securing a home in the 21st century takes a mixture of technological savvy and old-fashioned connections.