Treat Your Agent Like Your Bestie

At the end of the day, property sites are like CliffsNotes for a neighborhood: They show you active listings, sold properties, home prices, and sales histories. All that data will give you a working knowledge, but it won't be exhaustive. To assess all of this information - and gather facts about any home you're eyeing, like how far the local elementary school is from the house or where the closest Soul Cycle is - talk to your real estate agent. An agent who can paint a picture of the neighborhood is an asset. An agent who can go beyond that and deliver the dish on specific properties is a true friend indeed, more likely to guide you away from homes with hidden problems, and more likely to save you the time of visiting a random listing.