When it comes to searching for homes for sale in Virginia Beach there are many different options to use.  When you type the search in Google you will sale page after page of different sites you can search for houses on.  How do you know which one is the best?

Best Place To Search For Virginia Beach Homes That Are For Sale

All of the different options that show up in Google for "homes for sale in virginia beach" have a good side and a bad side.  Probably the most popular site to use to search for houses for sale is going to be Zillow but there are quite a few more:

and many more options...

The big thing to understand is how all of these sites are getting their data.  They are getting their data by local Realtors putting their house listing into their Multiple Listing Service (MLS) providers system.  They then select a box that tells it to push the data out to these different sites.

So it may sound like they should all have the same information the, right?  Well, that is not necessarily the way it is.  You see if a Real Estate Agent doesn't actually select the option to show the house on these sites then they will never get it.  I know it seems like most agent would want to but it still happens all the time where a listing wont show up on these sites but shows up on the MLS.

The next thing is even if the house is showing up on these sites it doesn't mean it will be updated every time there is a change in status.  For example, if someone makes an offer on a house and the seller accepts that offer then they enter into a contract and the seller is liable to sell the house to that person unless the buyer cancels.

These updates can, and very often do, not get updated for days or even weeks.  That can end up being very stressful if you are looking at houses to buy because no one wants to waste there time looking at a house that is no longer on the market.

That actually ends up being one of the most common things Real Estate Agents end up having to deal with.  They get a phone call about a house for sale that they want to go see.  The agent then looks it up on the MLS just to find it is already under contract.  Here's a short video explaining that from a Realtor in Virginia Beach (fast forward to 1:18):

Really, all of the sites listed above are the same way as Zillow.  They are reliant upon the Real Estate Agent to select the box and they don't get updated information very quickly.  The best option you have to is search the MLS.  So what is the MLS?

How To Use The MLS to Search Houses in Virginia Beach

The MLS is basically a data base of houses for sale that are listed by Real Estate Agents.  Each area has it's own MLS provider and none of the local MLS system communicate with each other.  So that means there is not big master database of a National MLS system like would look like Zillow or Realtor.

In order to have access to the MLS you must be a licenses Real Estate Agent in that state.  You then must pay their monthly fee to maintain access to their system.

The cool thing is a Real Estate Agent can allow you to view a publicly viewable portion of the MLS for free right from their website.  You wont be able to get access to all the data thats in the MLS from their public website but if you want more info the agent can look it up to get the extra details.  Typically the publicly viewable portion will be enough for you to make your decision to go look at the house or not.

Now when you go back to Google to search for "homes for sale in virginia beach" will you notice all the real estate agent's websites that allow you to search for homes.  They will all be about the same so it wont really matter which one you check because they all search the same database.  The functionality of the searching on the site however can make a big difference.

One of the big things that make a difference when looking at the different Real Estate Agent websites is do they allow you to have saved searches and favorites.  Also, do they allow you to easily sort down to only the houses that meet your specific criteria.  Most of them do but if you find one that doesn't you might want to keep looking.

The next best thing is to simply find a good real estate agent that specializes in your local area.  Give them a call and tell them the type of house you are looking to buy.  You might want to call at least 3 different agents so that you have something compare the agents to so you can pick the best one.

Once you find your Real Estate Agent they can setup filters within their MLS system that will send you updated listings right as they popup on the market so you don't have to keep searching yourself everyday.

An important thing to keep in mind as the buyer is the Real Estate Agent that you hire is 100% FREE to you.  They don't cost you anything but they 100% represent you and are looking out for your best interests.  The seller is responsible for paying for your agents fee.

One thing to be cautious of though is when you are working with Real Estate Agents is they only get paid when the house closes.  This means many agents might just want you to pick a house to buy so they can get paid and are not really interested in your best interests.  Be sure to take you time and find the right agent.

Conclusion

When searching for a house to buy in Virginia Beach be sure to understand they type of site you are on when you are searching for the houses.  If you are on one of the sites like Zillow then make sure you ask your agent if the house is under contract or not before wasting to much time on it.

It is in your best interest though to look for houses on one of the agent sites that searches through the actual MLS database so you know you are getting the most accurate information and your not missing anything.

The preferred option would be to explain to your Realtor the type of home you are looking for so you they can setup you up with an auto filter so when new homes popup on the market for sale that meet your criteria you will be immediately notified.