Internet innovations have benefitted real estate investors enormously, saving cost, time and streamlining the business. Here are several internet tools that will make your business more effective and efficient. 

Listing service websites serve a basic industry purpose – to compile all the listings of property currently for sale, as well as provide information on property sale prices, time on the market, canceled listings, recent sold property and more.  A major change brought by the internet to real estate investors is broad access to property information that used to be hidden from all but licensed agents and brokers.

• The grand old lady of real estate listing services is the MLS (Multiple Listing Service,) the well-known compilation of most of the listings of homes on the market today, along with records of sales, under contract, cancellations and more. In my opinion the MLS is the ONLY place that is competent in providing accurate valuations for residential property investing.The MLS remains THE key player among the listings sources, but it does require a realtor’s license for full access. So, as stated in many of my other writings, get a good realtor on your team…you cannot afford to not have access to the MLS!

• Zillow and similar sites such as Trulia, Realtor.com and others are great resources for property listings and for viewing an area, including satellite views, finding public records such as square footage and last sales value, and other such data.  Zillow also provides useful statistical data on neighborhoods and communities.The sites are usually free and available to anyone.I do advise my readers of one caveat – at times the data has not always been completely accurate.  If you are serious about something you find on Zillow or similar sites, do more research to verify the data you want to rely on.

• ForeclosureRadar.com is a site I use regularly.  Focusing on the western states, it delivers a massive amount of foreclosure-related statistical information, as well as foreclosure listings.  Also included is when properties are scheduled for auction, an invaluable bit of information.  Similar sites focusing on other regions of the country can easily be found on the web.

• Don’t overlook your county recording offices and other online sources of government records on deeds, property transfers, zoning actions and more.

Google Maps can save you an enormous amount of time and mileage.  Get a look at the property and the surrounding area without ever leaving home!

SignNow is an awesome online app for your mobile device or tablet that anyone in the real estate world should consider. SignNow allows you to sign any document with your own signature (not an e-stamp,) as well as put text inside of any document. Always in motion? Imagine being able to sign contracts with a screen touch, from wherever you happen to be, without having to print, sign, scan and email back. The best part: the app is free!

Many real estate services are exploding across the internet today.  These are a few of the sites that have been useful to me, making my task of finding and closing the deal more streamlined and efficient.All are free or low cost, easy to use and are accessible anywhere I happen to be. Use these innovative websites to help you make money for yourself and your partners!

What are some of your favorite strategies … ?

If you are new to real estate investing and exploring this process, I suggest starting with my free ebook guide to finding undervalued properties.