#DigitalHouseSearch

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Digital House Search Experience

Last September I shifted to Hyderabad, Telangana. Like everyone I searched for a flat online on property sites. Here is my experience with different top sites which I would like to share. Hope might help anyone in need.

 v  Magicbricks.com: Mother of all Indian Real Estate sites with respect to data. Better to first choose this site & precisely get Broker’s phone numbers. Broker always have more than one property option. It has huge collection of Owners & Brokers data.  Website’s speed should be improved & there should be a way to remove absolute & out-dated (Sold / Rented) property data. Site is suitable for all types of properties.

 v  99acress.com: This site gives both Owner’s & Broker’s phone numbers. Interestingly, it even has phone numbers from few extension areas. That means, it is even a first time seller’s destination. Very pleasing UI & UX. Can be said to the best in performance role. Due to which site works fast.

 v  Housing: Since destinations are shown on a map it is easy to get a look of locality. It has a very good interface to check locality photos. They even respond quickly when contacted through Facebook. But per account there is a limit to see phone numbers. You can re-activate by contacting them on Facebook.

 v  Nestaway: Very good site for new home search. One plus point here is that their package even includes cleaning of new house before shifting. One drawback is that agents meet only after 4 P.M. They frustrate a lot by calling. If you are really interested then schedule a meet with them.  

 v  JustDial: As Bachaan sahabh calls JD. This cool app or website is a destination for property agents based on location. Say, “Real Estate Agents in Banjara Hills”. This site replies you in the very right way. You can even do a phone call to their toll free phone number & get in reply phone numbers via SMS. But, just getting numbers is not enough. You need to meet them in person & pay their charges to see the property. It has some professional people doing damn good business.

 v  Quickr Homes: This website fails with both UI & UX. Data on this website is very old & of very expensive houses. Beware of frauds on this website. They take money & don’t show you a house. Don’t give any advance. Don’t transfer e-cash; pay money in personal meets, that too at a public place with a companion. We were lucky for losing just Rs. 500.

 v  OLX: Basically. It’s buying & selling website. There are even some people who sell houses for rent. Say for example any old man not knowing about other sites or people who have some kind of problem with their property, can be found here too. Good site particularly for people looking for sharing rooms or hostels.

 v  Sulekha: It is in actual a Local Search Engine, just like Just Dial & Urban Clap. A digital platform for local businesses. But it’s been there since a long time now. You can get things like house for rent, maid servant, etc. If you are lucky enough you can find some property being posted by Owner himself or any Broker. Sulekha according to me lacks marketing tactics, when comes to Real Estate.

 v  Propertywala: Even this is a budding website, But, I doubt on them! As I created my account on other websites, Propertywala they themselves saw my listing & called me over my phone. Later, I was feed-up with calls for new furniture, furniture on rent, etc calls.

 Once you done collecting phone numbers, you can try calling them. Many houses will be sold / rented. But, brokers many a times have more than one choice. They travel with you on two wheeler. So, do take care of them & pay them. As, their living depends of commission. After all this, you have to travel to see the property locally as none of these sites have video facility option. May be with 5G coming, we can wait to see what happens.  

Even we can get property from certain Facebook Groups. People have created Buy & Sell groups using Facebook’s feature.

Happy Hunting.

Thanks for your patience.

Shailendra Singh Bais