If you have ever used Homesdatabase.com to browse for homes on the market, you’ll be excited to test out their newest version which is live in the beta phase right now, here. HomesDatabase is the consumer version of the multiple listing service for our area. I think the new version is much improved over the prior incarnation; you can search by keywords! Think “garage townhomes with sunroom” or “single family Leesburg home with golf course view.” This isn’t your typical home search site. Now, as a Realtor, listing agent, and buyers agent, I have my thoughts on what is nifty with the new site, but I’d love to get some consumer feedback on what is great and what is lacking, from the home buyer or home seller’s perspective.
Please stop by the site and give it a test drive, then come back and comment here on what you liked or disliked. Can’t wait for your feedback!
Cheers,
Heather
Update: So this post was written way back in 2008 when MRIS, our local MLS (multiple listing service) launched the new version of their consumer facing home search site. Since then, lots of changes have happened, including MRIS merging with another regional MLS to form Bright. The HomesDataBase website was retired in favor of BrightMLSHomes.com. However, you don’t need to go test out another website, because every home that would show up there is also right here at LoCoMusings- additions and changes posted in real time.Â
We could spend a lot of time writing about how MLS data works and how listings are shared over to our site, but we won’t bore you. Here are the most recent and popular homes to hit the market, instead. Let us know if you are ready to take a look at any of them!
View All Listings in Loudoun County
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Any other home search sites you might want to review?
😉
Frank
Written on
So I’ve got a question:
Does the Homesdatabase system send the listing office data on exactly what the buyer is looking for?
Our new map based system does and if I was a buyer I wouldn’t want that information to get into the hands of someone representing the seller in a negotiation.
As and example we helped a family buy a home this summer and they really wanted a 5 bedroom for their four young boys. There are only a few five bedroom homes in their area that come on the market each year. I wouldn’t wanted the seller to have known that during the negotiation.
I guess I think buyers should be told that information is being collected, just like buyers need to be told about agency relationships.
Congratulations on the new system and thanks for the post!
Jon
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So far I hate this new homesdatabase.
Very hard to follow and use, didn’t bring up listing in zip that I entered, I entered 20180 Lovettsville VA for search criteria, and listings came up from Louisa County. Very strange.
The original homesdatabase is much better.
Jeff
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HATE the new homesdatabase.com site!!!!! Please bring back the old one.
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Michelle..what don’t you like about it? I’d love to hear your thoughts!
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I just wrote about this myself. I never tried the old one but I find this very easy to use.
Jeff,
I just tried a zip code search 20180 and the area came right up.
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bring back the old website. the new homesdatabase.com is horrible.
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Jim, what don’t you like about it? I’d love to send recommendations back to them to let them know why users are complaining…
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i hate it they should put the old one back on.
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I don’t like this new version because it makes it difficult to search for specific neighborhoods in DC. For example, with the previous version, I could select to search for homes in Brookland, Shaw, American Univ., etc. Now, if you don’t know the zip code to these neighborhoods, it’s kind of difficult to do that.
Also, before, you could leave condos out of your search. I have no interest in condos, but now it seems like I’m forced to acknowledge them, which may be the ultimate intention.
If there is a way around the things I complained about and I wasn’t bright enough to figure it out, I apologize.
But, the layout is nice, and it’s nice to have the map built in. It’s also nice to be able to search based on heating/cooling preferences (this probably was an option before, but I forget). I was actually initially quite pleased, until I saw that the way I had searched was a bit hampered. It’s a mixed bag for me.
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The new site is inferior to the former site…which I used frequently.
I much prefer the former site because of ease of use and the shoices you could make. Some changes are a step backwards and discourage usage. Please return to the former layout.
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I absolutely LOVE the new website. It takes getting used to, but I think it’s way better than the old one. For those who liked the old layout, check out this link: http://www.homefinders.com/frameset.htm
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I HATE this website. Bring back the old one. You put in a city and zip code and it brings up houses in another state. I never look up houses anymore because the new website is soooooo bad.
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bring back the old website, this one is horrible and is way too hard to use!