How do you optimise your search on realestate.com.au

Hi,

As the title suggests. How do you optimise your search function on realestate sites.

I guess it depends what your strategy is.

Personally i optimise by suburb, lot size, and list new to old.

Also what realestate search site do you find most accurate?

 

Find it useful to use other websites as sometime what's on one isn't on the other - I use Domain, Realestate.com.au and homesales.com.au - homesales has the number of days the property has been on the market.

 

For the Perth market I watch realestate.com.au and the REIWA site.

I find that REAs (or their assistants) are pretty bad at putting lot sizes in so I don't use that.

My 2 ways of searching are:
1. By postcode and then just looking at what is new (sometimes I turn off some property types, ie apartments)
2. Using Perth - Greater Region (WA) which is supposed to trawl all of the Perth metro area (somewhat accurate) then I turn on keyword searches and see what pops up for keywords R30, R40, R50 etc. Again only works if the inputter has put them in,

 

It depends where I'm looking, sometimes I sort by old to new.

 

That can be handy for finding old and stale listings with desperate sellers

 

A few things I use to optimise my realestate.com.au searches

- Search by postcodes. Find lots of smaller suburbs with the same postcode get neglected
- Sort by new. I view the listings sevearl times a day that usually just need to browse the first page. If it's a good deal, move on it. Early bird usually gets the worm.
- Search using 'Crash' keyword. Look for contracts which have crashed. This has worked a few times to good effect. Usually desperate sellers, with previous contracts not working out, eager to sell
- Search using 'Reduction' keyword. Prices updates, so the numbers may have previously not worked but do work now

Hope this helps,
Michael

 

I use the map function, set max price to 800k, select house only and then start looking outwards from Dandenong

I think the map function leaves out some properties that are usually shown in the list function. I found the map function to be way more convenient, but found in the list function many new homes around Cranbourne that weren't on the map? Makes me think I'm missing out on some goodies not spending more time sorting through the list function.

But I think the Cranbourne homes have yet to be built hence them not appearing on the map function.

 

I enjoy the map function at times, especially useful for locating corner blocks for sale.

 

Lots of great tips already covered.

One related point is to set up email alerts based on specific search criteria then select to be notified by email not daily, but IMMEDIATELY.

As @Michael_X said, early bird usually gets the worm.

 

As mentioned above, I set up email alerts with my IP purchasing criteria as my search parameters...setting systems in place for areas of portfolio acquisition, management and record keeping.. working smart, not hard.

 

What systems do you set up, Rixter?

 

The problem with the map function is you're unable to filter it by new listings only (as with Michael_X, this is the most important thing for me as I like to be fast). If you could use the map function + filter by new, that would be the best of both worlds but unfortunately it's not possible.

 

I haven't tried realestate.com.au's version of this, but Domain's one is REALLY bad. Every time I get the notification the properties have been listed for ages already.

 

Many excellent suggestions above, to add one more I set up targeted Google Alerts for suburbs, streets, houses, local news, council specific data etc the list goes on, considering google indexes fast you get the email updates not long after when it breaks.

 

Great tip Investig8. Thanks.

 

Systems for allowing things to pretty much run on auto-pilot with a little of my own time into running of the portfolio. Freeing up time by working on it rather than in it. The last thing I wanted to do is become a slave to it as that defeats the purpose for me investing in the first instance. I'll leave it to another thread topic so as not to hijack this one.