New Way to Search for Connecticut Home Listings

The process of looking for home listings has changed many times over the last 20 years or so – from the old hard-copy MLS book that the Realtors kept under lock and key to today’s ability to simply go online, put in your parameters and see listings.  With most of the online services you can see all the details of the listing and then, if you choose, contact your Realtor to find out more info or to schedule a showing.

Well  – technology has jumped again and theres’ a new wrinkle to the online search. It is available here in Connecticut – it’s called LISTINGBOOK.  What Listingbook does is give you direct access into our Greater Fairfield County Multiple Listing Service database so you can see everything that’s out there that meets y our criteria.  You will see things the minute they become live- including the most recent updates such as price changes.

There’s more to it than that. What you get is your own Listingbook Account that will enable you to put in your search parameters and receive a daily report right in your email inbox that shows you new or changed listings that fit.

When you look at the listings you can do a number of things – you can save them as favorites, reject them, write youself notes that will stay attached to the listing so when you share the info with your partner you won’t forget anything obvservations you wanted to make.  Your partner can also write notes, commenting on your notes.  If you see a listing that you want to share with someone else – someone who is NOT on Listingbook, you can email them the listing sheet with just a couple of clicks.

Here are some other features:

Payment Calculator -  this is not just  a generic mortgage rate calculator.  Each listing has a separate screen which has the pertinent tax data associated with it.  You can put in several “what-ifs” such as “If I can buy this house for XX and I get a conventional mortgage for XX years at XX percent”.  You’ll then be able to see your total costs for that property.  Compare this to other properties in different communities and you’ll be able to get a bigger picture.

Dialogue with your Realtor -  If you see a property that sound like it might be good but you need a little mor info – you don’t have call your Realtor or even leave the system and send an email. Just use the handy Messaging System to write a question – directly on the specific listing.  Your Realtor will receive notification that he has a new note.  He can then answer your question- directly on the note screen for that listing – where his answer will stay.  You can get all your questions answered quickly and efficiently and never worry about where you wrote down the answer.

Property Watch – If you’re in the early stages of shopping and y ou see something that you like, you can set up a property watch on a specific listing. This will send you an alert if something happens such as the price being changed or other new information being put into the MLS, such as perhaps the seller is now offering a home warranty or they’ve redone the driveway or put in new counters. So you can keep abreast of what’s going on – in real time – with the listings that interest you.

Live Chat with your Realtor.  If you and your Realtor are both on line at the same time, you can use the message function as an IM system to chat about specific properties. You can also have a conference call – you can be on the phone with your Realtor and maybe your partner. You can all be on the Listingbook system simultaneously planning your strategy for properties – together.

There’s much more – in fact there is a whole separate application to help home sellers – not just buyers – keeping track of competitive properties and values in your neighborhoods – a Cyber CMA to help set the right asking price for your house.  It will also let you know if any other consumers or Realtors have viewed your home in the Listingbook system – to keep track of the activity.

This service doesn’t cost you anything at all, BTW.  If you’re interested, you just have to CLICK HERE to set up your free account or just to find out more about it.  If you need any additional info, just give me a shout and I’ll be happy to help.

Once you sign up – you won’t need any other vehicle to search for homes. Listingbook will do it all for you.  This truly is one of those things that after you begin using it, you’ll look back at some point and wonder how anyone can look for a home without it.