We're all so connected these days. It's easy for home buyers to assume that they're going to find the perfect home online (by doing a search on CariMcGee.com, for example), or for home sellers to assume that your Realtor's amazing online marketing campaign is what's going to get the home sold.
Both of those things happen -- no doubt about it. But there's more than one way to buy or sell a home.
Don't overlook word-of-mouth with your personal network of friends, family, co-workers, etc.
I like to say that buying or selling a house is like when you're pregnant after the first trimester. You're going to want to tell everyone. And you should!
Here's why: When you're selling your home, you never know who else you know might know someone else who is looking for a home! It happens often, in fact. Someone at work mentions they're selling their house and boom! You discover the new person in the accounting department is looking for a place. Or, a key employee from the admin team is planning to downsize and needs a smaller home.
Alternatively, when you tell people you're looking to buy, everyone at work suggests options for you. They'll tell you about a house they passed on the way to the work that's for sale, or maybe a conversation with their neighbors who recently said they're thinking about selling ... all sorts of things.
Even with a Realtor helping, and even with instant access to the MLS database via the internet, word-of-mouth can outperform those methods. The word about the buyer or seller you need may just come bubbling up through your personal social network.