It used to be that your first stop to buying a home was to the local real estate office. Technology has made shopping for a home more convenient. Everything that you need to know about the process is just a click away. Here are some of the ways that modern technology is changing the home buying experience.

Home Search Apps
There are apps and online home websites that can help you to narrow down your search. You’re able to refine your search based upon your needs and wants for your home. You can even get an alert sent to you when something that meets your criteria hits the market. This has opened up the number of possibilities when it comes to you being able to find the right home.

Interactive Home Tours
You used to have to wait for an open house or work with an agent to see inside a home. Many realtors are including an interactive guided tour of the homes that they’re listing. This allows you to get a peak at what the house has to offer without leaving the couch. You can decide which homes are really worth taking the time to visit in person.

Online Mortgage Approval Process
Shopping and comparing mortgage rates used to mean that you’d have to sit down with every lender that you wanted to consider. You can now use the internet to find a lender that will offer you the best rate. Once you’ve selected your lender, you can complete the process online. No more waiting around to see if you’ll get preapproved for your home loan.

Yelp Reviews
Finding a real estate agent can be as easy as checking out their online profile. People who have worked with a particular agent in the past may have posted feedback about them online. You can access this information in order to find the right real estate agent services for your situation. This allows you to shop for a real estate agent the same way that you do for a home. All of the information that you need to know is available online so that you can make the most informed decision.

The internet has created more transparency in the home buying experience. You can instantly compare the value of the home that you want to purchase against other similar sales. This gives you more power when it comes to deciding on the fair market value when you’re considering making an offer.