Back in the day, people would search for houses by scanning the newspapers or getting into the car and driving around their favorite neighborhoods to see if there were any “for sale” or “open house” signs being popped up. The Internet, the entrepreneurial spirit and the latest concepts have changed all of that.
Not only can interested homebuyers peruse online advertisements for the latest property for sale, they can also find the right real estate agent, a qualified mortgage broker, the best rates and anything else important to acquiring a residence to call your own through the proper channels on an array of websites.
Of course, if you’re a romanticist, both scenarios can be completed. A family can go for a drive, grab coffees and snacks and utilize the power of their smartphone to locate a dream property in a neighborhood of their choosing – ah, the beauty of the Internet and technology!
Indeed, purchasing a house, a condominium or any other type of residential property is extremely difficult and intimidating. This is why Drew Uher co-founded HomeLight in 2012 after he underwent the entire real estate ordeal with his wife.
After not being able to locate an experienced real estate agent and essentially entering the whole thing blindfolded, he and his team of investors decided to launch the San Francisco, California-based website to list more than two million dependable, knowledgeable and unbiased real estate agents in 34 markets across the United States.
HomeLight visitors simply head on over to the firm’s website and search for a real estate in their neighborhood and peruse the industry professionals’ resumes, sales data, skills and expertise. Agents can also read about a client’s needs and wants regarding buying a home.
This platform was developed by the small team of experts, including Jonathan Hester, founding engineer, and Mike Abner, senior software engineer. With a large number of users, the information is comprehensive and extremely helpful for both parties (just read the testimonials).
Backed by Google Ventures and Crosslink Capital, Uher explains that the purpose of HomeLight is to give consumers in places like Florida, New Mexico, Washington, New York and Oregon a transparent understanding of the agent(s) they’re dealing with, while also providing the agent with important details and online leads.
“We’re committed to delivering objective recommendations to consumers, and at the same time empowering agents with an impartial way to showcase their expertise,” said Uher in a press release. “Overall, by forming stronger client-agent relationships, we believe we can make the home buying and selling experience better for everyone.”