Desktop Property Finders – The Pros and Cons of Buying One Today
If you are looking for a new home, a place to rent (even a storage shed), if you are looking for tenants for your rentals, or if you are a realtor looking to help or increase your client base, a desktop property finder can be of great assistance to you. As you can gather from the name, it is an application that you install on your computer. Its main purpose is to help you find properties that are listed for sale or for rent online. But what about that desktop format? What are the pros and cons of these types of applications?
The Pros
Fewer Searches: You need to perform a search with a desktop application that lets you search for properties. However, these applications enable you to search across the internet; one search has you searching thousands of MLS sites, realtor sites, rental sites, foreclosure sites, classified sites, and more. With a desktop application, one search does it all. If you weren’t to use a property finder installed on your computer, you would need to visit each site one at a time and perform the same search over and over and over again!
Great Features: Before we focus on features, it is important to note that you will find a number of applications that qualify as property finders. What this means is that you might find a variance on the features offered. With that said, it is common to find extra search filters to deliver targeted results, editable and sortable search results lists, in-program or email alerts of new properties, easy email replies, customizable notes, and more. If you are someone looking for a place to live or a location to rent, these extra features can save you time and money. If you are looking for clients for your rental business or real estate business, these extra features can save you time and increase your earnings.
The Costs: Wait a minute! The cost is a plus side? Yes, it is in most cases. Despite the fact that most desktop program do cost money, you’ll find the cost to be very affordable. Moreover, it is important to focus on the time saved and the results produced. You get the same results you would if you search all the hundreds of property sites individually; you just get those results in minutes instead of hours or days! So lets say you are interested in buying your dream home, the ability to quickly search and setup email alerts, might mean you get an offer in before someone else! This makes the cost, well worth it.
The Cons
Which One: Honestly, the main downside to opting for desktop property finders is that you have a number of programs to choose from. You might sit there for a few minutes wondering “which one is best?” This will be the hardest decision you need to make, the rest is easy from here on out. Luckily, all good desktop property finders come with a free trial. This enables you to try before you buy.