Our world is becoming smaller via the internet. There are so many resources out there to help us get through our daily lives that I have a hard time remembering what it was like 15-20 years ago. The transparancy of information is certainly staggering. For example we have been interviewing several candidates to join us as new agents and one of the first thing we do is visit their Facebook.com page. It can be revealing... And there are some other sites that can be useful to you as home hunters.
This week I have spent some time on Apartmentratings.com. This website, if it catches on could serve as a background check on landlords. Personally, I think it is great. Tenants go through a vigorous screening process and it seems silly that they do not get the same opportunity to screen their future landlords. Afterall, this is someone that has a key to your home.
In the past I have also visited Rottenneighbor.com. This site isn't quite up and running yet (I had some issues loading pages) but it promises to provide information that isn't public record and an ethical real estate agent wouldn't touch with a 30 foot pole. I'm not saying that the information is illegal or anything, just that it gets us agents/brokers into a grey area that laywers and lawmakers would rather have us avoid.
Of course, I am sure there will be lawsuits regarding how this information is used and probably a few libel/slander suits. But I think if people are responsible and ethical, it can be a tremendous resource.
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