if you've ever planned a move you know
exactly how tiring and time-consuming
searching for a new home can be
fortunately though whether you're
renting an apartment looking for a
roommate selling a house or buying a new
one there are a number of free resources
that can make the search for your next
home a little bit easier sites like
Zillow Trulia Craigslist or home finder
and others like them allow you to search
listings and look up property details
most sites also have apps available for
iOS and Android but whether you're
searching from your computer or phone in
order for sites like these to be most
effective you'll need to start by
entering some information about what
you're looking for first think about
where you'd like your new home to be
located you can search by city name zip
code or you can even get more specific
with map features next think about your
must-haves narrow down search results by
entering how many bedrooms and bathrooms
your new place will need as well as how
much money you'll be able to spend if
you're searching for a rental property
this is where you'll usually be able to
apply other filters as well for example
whether you'll need a washer and dryer
in the unit or if you need a place
that's pet friendly most sites provide a
pretty wide variety of filters to help
you find your perfect home just know
that if you narrow things down too much
you might not actually be able to find
any listings in your area so take the
time to really consider your needs
versus your wants once you submit your
search criteria you'll be able to begin
browsing listings when you select a
property you'll be able to read more
about it like details about the
neighborhood or what schools or
businesses are nearby this is also where
you'll be able to see additional
pictures of the interior and exterior
from here you'll also be able to find
contact information for the agent or
individual associated with the property
if you find a property you're interested
in contacting the person associated with
the listing and finding out if the
property is actually still available
should be the first thing you do most
sites will allow you to save searches so
you can easily check for updates and
even set up notifications if any new
properties that meet your specifications
have been
to the listings no matter which site you
use if you plan on renting you'll want
to make sure you know how to spot and
avoid rental scams make sure you've done
your research so you know what red flags
to look for most sites will offer advice
on how to safely search for rental
properties overall whether you're buying
or renting utilizing any of the home
search websites available should make
the process of finding your next home
easier and less stressful