Pro tip: Always Google an address of a home before you go to an open house or view it in-person! Believe it or not, Google can help you find out all kinds of interesting things about a home before you even have a proper look at it. For most buyers, this is a great thing: because it can help you discover perks and issues before you fall in love with how it looks or the layout, creating an awful conflict of interests.
News About the Address
A Google search, if you look at the first two pages, will likely uncover a lot of listing pages on websites like Google, Trulia, and others. But if you make sure to look a few pages deep (or click on Google’s news tab), you can see if there’s ever been any coverage of the address in the news. This could be good (like heartwarming local news or charity stories), or bad (such as coverage of deaths or criminal activity). In either case, learning the news about an address can make you feel one way or another… and it’s better to be informed before ever stepping foot inside, so you can ask the listing agent important questions.
Google Maps
Looking at a Google map of the address can inform you of all kinds of nearby items. For example, if the house is close to the river, you might be worried about flooding. Alternately, you might find that it’s by a detention center, schools, local shops, a park, or the quarry! In all cases, what you learn (even if it’s just that it’s nearby a busy road) will be of some use, so there’s no reason not to take a look!
