When I start working with people, I direct them to this web site to search online for homes in Maryland and Northern Virginia. Some of those folks, if they are web-centric searchers, inevitably call or email me with something like this: “I looked on Zillow (or numerous other sites) and found homes that aren’t on your site.” When that happens, I always know what’s up. Zillow and the rest, are not in the “Accurate Information” business, they are in the “displaying content to keep people on their site” business. Even their “Zestimates” are known to be off as much as 35%. The last time someone asked me about the comparison and mentioned three houses in Northern Virginia specifically, I did what I always must. I looked up the homes online in the MLS and found out that indeed, they had gone to settlement weeks or months before even though Zillow (or other sites)had them displaying as active and available. For kicks I called a listing agent about one that I couldn’t even find in the MLS and she apologized and told me she had sold that home months before and she’s been on Zillow and manually deleted the home several times but it keeps showing up.

Most of the non-agent sites that are so popular are updated periodically, daily or monthly but some hardly ever. The true and accurate source for all active listings in Maryland and Nrthern Virginia is primarily the MLS and secondarily, any agent site that utilizes an IDX search function like this one. I never get mad when people ask me because I understand the wanting, the desire and the need to find that perfect home.

Trust that your agents site has completely accurate data and if you must look somewhere else, try craigslist and militarybyowner. Occasionally you’ll find a home that isn’t in the MLS but a word of warning, let your buyers agent (hopefully me) call on the ad for more information or to set up an appointment to see the home. The homeowners are happy to work with a buyers agent 99.9% of the time. They know that very few people would ever try to buy a home without professional guidance.

Most people buy a home every once in a great while but real estate agents entrench themselves in the process several times each month. We know the process inside and out. As buyer agents, we work in the best interests of the buyer but even the “for sale by owner” (FSBO) will benefit on a limited scale. We’re able to walk them through the process the correct way with all of the correct forms and proceedures which can keep them out of hot water.