5 essential apps for your home search

Homebuyers are increasingly relying on mobile applications to help with their property search.

A recent National Association of Realtors survey found that 68 percent of those searching for a home use mobile apps to help with that, and a quick look at our list of favorite apps helps us to understand why that’s the case:

1: Zillow

Zillow is the favorite starting place for a majority of home hunters, and it’s not difficult to see why with its hundreds of listings. The app can even use your phone’s GPS to text new listings to you in your area, as and when they appear.

2: Real Estate by Smarter Agent

This app is fantastic for getting to know a neighborhood with its 'points of interest' categories, providing information on everything from nearby restaurants to the proximity of an ATM machine.

3: Homesnap

Even for those who aren’t looking for a home, Homesnap can be fun. The app allows users to take a photo of any home using their smartphone camera. The app then identifies that home, tells you how much it was last sold for, and also provides other details such as how many rooms, square footage and more. It’s cool, even if it’s a little Orwellian.

4: Wikihood

One of the best applications for learning all about a potential new neighborhood. Wikihood culls Wikipedia articles involving a specific geographic location on your smartphone. Be careful though, there may be some things you don't want to know!

5: Mortgage Calculator Pro

Once you’ve found that ideal property amid a pleasant neighborhood you can just picture yourself enjoying, you’ll need to take the next step. Mortgage Calculator Pro allows users to calculate the likely monthly payment they’ll need to stump up to buy their home, including all of the property taxes and associated fees. It also lets users compare different loans from multiple providers.