Best Real Estate Websites

In today's world, everything is automated and done through the Internet. Why should the housing market be any different? There are many wonderful Internet sites that give you so much information, It is almost like Realtors will be of little need in the future. The problem with anything on the Internet is security. Always go with a reputable sites, as to be sure who you are talking with about your finances and your future.

According to Business Week, these are the top 5 real estate sites with Realtor.com being the best. It is a site run by the Board of Real Estate and they have the biggest share of the traffic. They have 8.8 percent of the traffic compared to Realtytrac.com that has 3.7 percent of the traffic. This survey was done  comparing ten million users on the Internet.

1. Realtor.com - They have the best of all world. They have a huge list of homes, names of every agent in the state, all forms and how to use them and the ability to check on Realtor's status. The Board of Realtors, of course keeps track of all agents and if they have any criminal offenses against them, from ethics charges to manipulating funds. Their website is very precise and beautifully setup. It is the one place to find out every DRE (Department of Real Estate) regulation concerning finders fees, commissions and complaints. It is peace of mine in a small jar.

 2.Realtytrac.com - Is the second largest site. They offer a seven day free trial, which means after the one week period, you must pay to use their site. They do have a large inventory of foreclosures, which is what many are looking for. There are many good things on this site from education to financial assistance in applying for loans. You will notice their large appeal to the foreclosure market. This is both a marketing ploy and a money maker. People are convinced the best buys are in foreclosures and short sales. The down side to these type of properties is that, they are very time consuming and have to appraise like any other property. When a bank is considering offers, very rarely do they accept "low-ball" figures.

3. Homegain.com - Is the third largest site. Another really great site and one of the best features is "compare Realtors." This is something everyone should do. But, keep in mind the most productive agent does not always mean the best agent. What a fabulous site which is simple and right to the point. Great marketing tool to let you compare Realtors. How many times do you have the chance to compare one Realtor to the next, but what they fail to tell you is the real information. It is basically impossible to compare a Broker to a brand new agent. A Broker may be extremely busy and not give you the time a new agent might. Maybe the personalities don't match or maybe one agent knows a certain part of town better. When comparing agents first look to who makes you feel comfortable.

4. Rent.com - Is the fourth largest real estate site and it is all about rentals. From homes to town-homes, helping you locate the best area and the best price. A huge website to attract renters. One that is unique in its kind. Speaking to millions of renters and convincing them that now is not the time to buy but to rent instead.

5. Remax.com - Is the only franchise here. They are world known for their expert Realtors. All Realtors must pay to work there and they pay for desk space. They not only have a huge inventory of homes, but also financing. They are very organized, reliable and huge.

Remax Real Estate is in the top ten franchised corporations but they are number one in the amount of traffic they get off the Internet. The reason behind this is service and of course their site and marketing. They are very strong in the field of marketing in both the Internet and in local communities.

 Other top rated sites: The remaining top rated sites include:realestate.yahoo.com, zillow.com, apartments.com, ziprealty.com, move.com, century21.com, homes.com, servicemagic.com, forrent.com, hud.gov, housevalues.com, realestate.msn.com, coldwellbanker.com, apartmentguide.com and lastly is foreclosurestore.com.

Keep in mind that all agencies have the same inventory. It is all localized by the MLS. This is the multiple listing service. Unless the listing is exclusive to the agency, which is a very small percentage of the time, all agencies have the same list. Not all agencies are the same though. There are many Realtors who should not be in the business and some very small companies who have the best Realtors.

Do not judge a Realtor by how many listings they have, judge them by how much service they provide to you. When you ask for a list of properties, is it freely given or do you have to give them a contract.? Do you have to be prequalified before they help you or are they at your beckon call? To purchase a home is free and no company should be charging you. To sell a home, there is a commission to be paid and the commission is negotiable. Never list with the agent with the lowest commission. List with the one who can sell your home.

Which country is the best in Europe to live in?

I have traveled the world and have been to every country from America to Korea, I can tell you positively that the best country in Europe is Germany. I spent four wonderful years there and I have been to Bremerhaven up north on the sea to Frankfurt the capital and Oldenberg, the most beautiful place you can imagine.

The town of Weisenberg

I lived in Weisenberg for awhile and it is right out of the encyclopedia with its beauty. Weisenberg is the flower capital of Germany and I had fresh flowers all the time. They are so cheap and so beautiful. Imagine going to the florist and trying to choose from yellow roses, pink carnations, yellow tulips and purple daffodils. The color and the beauty are unimaginable. The lawns are all spewed with colors of the rainbows. Huge trees line the streets and the homes are immaculate.

I also learned how to decorate cakes there. I would decorate all kinds of cakes with many types of flowers on them. I taught myself in my free time, that is when I wasn't shopping. I sold all the cakes and I made macrame which I sold to the florist shops. The people were generous, giving and very sociable. We actually considered staying in Germany permanently as the weather, the community and the money were very good there.

The town of Bremerhaven

Taking a ride to Bremerhaven through the wonderful countryside is breathtaking and then when you arrive at the water ferry to go into Bremerhaven, it is dreamy. Many colors of rocks and cliffs line the passage and everyone goes to the edge to see the water splashing on the sides of the ferry. Just like the movies, as you board your car on the ferry and sail across the water to arrive in the beautiful city of Bremerhaven, you are greeted with many locals waving to you. Of course no trip would be complete without a nice big cup of tea.

Germans just love to drink and be hospitable. When you go to their homes, their buffets are lined with liquors of every kind. It is considered a huge insult if you do not have a drink with them. You must accept their gracious hospitality. They have a wonderful drink called Strawberry Rumtoff. This is 1/3 jar full of fresh strawberries, 1/3 jar of sugar and the rest of course is rum. You place the jar in a dark cabinet to set up for two weeks. Then you pour some of this drink in a glass along with one or two strawberries. It tastes like strawberry punch, until you bite into the strawberry. Then wow, the rum hits you full force. Those were the days that I remember there for sure.

The people are trusting, friendly and very helpful. They don't require any deposits or security, everything is done on trust. I remember once I did not have any money and I wanted to go shopping. A woman in the cafeteria handed me 100 dollars and said, "Enjoy your day." I was shocked at her generosity. There was no mention of pay me back tomorrow or anything. When you go to have anything repaired, they will not ask for a deposit. It is all done on trust.

The town of Oldenberg

I have to say some of my fondest memories are of Oldenberg. It has cobble stone lined streets, old fashioned store fronts and lots of pizza shops. It is the old world type of city with many shops selling figurines. From buying huge beer steins to very expensive Hummels, it is all there. I had a huge collection of Hummel figurines and they are quite expensive. I had Liadros from Italy also. There are so many shops with people riding bicycles everywhere.

I had a yellow VW and I drove that car to death. The neighbors swore I would blow the engine in the car and indeed I did. It was a fun time and it was wonderful. My son absolutely loved the breads and pastries and I loved the cheeses. The pastry is sweet, but not too sweet. The breads are huge and wonderful and the pizza is eaten with a fork. What's not to like about Germany?

The prices are good also on everything. On Halloween all the shops open up and they give out candy and treat to the many trick or treat children. I wish you could see the countryside and the mountains filled with flowers. I wish you could come with me and see the cobble stone streets and the windows filled with Delph Blue from Holland. I wished you could go shopping with me and pick out some stoneware that had just been hand painted and yes I wish you could have some strawberry Rumtoff also. But, if you are truly wondering where the best country in Europe is, wonder no more my friend?