Wilson and I started developing TheOpenLook.com, a free open house listing service, in early 2006 soon after we moved to the Research Triangle area of North Carolina.
Theopenlook.com is a website which is intended to provide a very local, but comprehensive, look at the real estate market in the Triangle area of North Carolina. We are not real estate agents, but instead, individuals who have owned and sold a number of homes and have learned an awful lot in the process. We understand the value of good information about local markets in order to make informed decisions. We also believe that the real estate market is changing as access to information about properties has opened up through the Internet. There is not, however, a single source in which this information is consolidated in one location or updated as conditions change. That’s where we come in.
We will be bridging the gap through providing free open house listings for both traditionally MLS-listed homes and for sale by owner homes. Home buyers can easily manage their open house itinerary by creating a mapped list of all the homes of interest. Buyers will also be able to specify search criteria for which they will receive email updates for any homes meeting that criteria that will have upcoming open houses.
Home buyers and sellers also need lots of support–we provide a searchable service provide directory of those services most needed by buyers or sellers (e.g., storage facilities, movers, attorneys, mortgage bankers, etc.). Instead of having to do multiple web-searches by type or search through the local yellow pages for each service, you can find it all here nicely organized.
Finally, homebuyers need access to information about the communities into which they are moving. We will provide a list of public Internet sites which provide information for buyers to make informed decisions about which communities provide the best match for them. There will be links to local town halls, property assessment sites, recreation and other community amenities. The only criteria for these links is that they must be public or quasi-public organizations.
This blog will feature my comments about the residential real estate market and starting a small business venture. I will also provide personal stories about my home buying and selling experiences. Wilson will also occasionally guest write from his perspective.
