Every year, more and more people are turning to the Internet to assist in the home buying process. Where else can you find so much information about buying and selling a home without having to talk to anyone, especially a salesperson? Studies suggest that anywhere from 40% to 75% of people will use the Internet at some point during the home buying process. The only problem is that there are so many real estate websites available that it can be overwhelming. Many people don't know where to start or what sites are considered "the best". 

Below are some of the websites I recommend to my clients to help them both in their search for a home and in their search for information.

Home Search and Real Estate Information
Realtor.com
By far, the most popular real estate website available. Realtor.com is the official website of the National Association of RealtorsÒ. Almost everything you would ever want to know about buying and selling a home is on this site. You can learn about neighborhoods, check comparable sales, search the Multiple Listing Service plus much more. The only negative (as with all real estate sites) is that the housing information tends to be a little behind. For instance, as an experiment, I searched Agoura for homes between $400,000 and $500,000 on both Realtor.com and the MLS. Realtor.com returned 26 properties while the MLS returned 30. Overall, it is the best real estate website available. Other good information sites: Homestore.com, Homeadvisor.com, Homes.com, Homegain.com, Move.com.

Mortgage and Finance
Mortgage101.com
With over 175 informative documents and interactive tools, Mortage101.com is probably the most complete source of information available regarding your mortgage and financing on the web. Practically any question you have is answered on this site including credit questions, downpayment options, government loans, mortgage calculators, today's interest rates, refinancing, second mortgages, plus much more. It's a great place to start for those who need a crash course on real estate financing. Other good mortgage and financing sites: Quickenmortgage.com, Troxler.com.

Moving 
MoveSource.com
Moving company's pricing and services can vary dramatically, especially when you are moving from state to state. MoveSource.com is a great site that works with moving companies the same way travel agents work with airlines. You can also get instant online estimates to give you a ballpark idea on what to budget for your move. The site is also full of various services, links, tips and more. Other good moving sites: Moving.com, Uhaul.com, Ryder.com.

Relocation
Homefair.com
Relocating to a new area can add to the stress and anxiety that goes along with moving. Homefair.com is a site specifically for people moving to a new community. You can check neighborhoods, school reports, crime statistics, cost of living comparison, plus much more. Other good relocation sites: Move.com, Homeadvisor.com.

Mail
ChangeAddress.com
For only $9.95, this site will do all the updating of your addresses for you. All you have to do is go through four easy steps and they do the rest. They update the post office, businesses, magazine subscriptions, credit card companies plus much more. Other good mail sites: USPS.com.

Home Improvement
Homestore.com
Where should you spend your remodel money? What fix-ups provide the highest return when you go to move? Go to Homestore.com and click on the home improvement tab to find out. You will find lots of tips and advice to help you decide where and how to improve your home. Other good home improvement sites: Hometips.com.

Using the Internet to help familiarize you with the real estate transaction can save you time, money, and frustration. From a Realtors standpoint, I find that the Internet educated client can be easier and more enjoyable to work with. However, as helpful as the Internet can be, most of the information is general in nature. There is still no substitute for one on one interaction and local knowledge. These websites will at least get you pointed in the right direction to finding and buying your next home.

Copyright Michael Rice