People do a lot of things online these days. They pay bills, do their research, sometimes even buy groceries online. More people are becoming internet savvy and are learning to use the internet as a tool to help them with their needs as well as protec themselves while using the net.

Let's say that you want to buy Ann Arbor real estate. How can the internet help you out with the homebuying process? There are many ways, from looking at Ann Arbor homes for sale to getting in touch with contractors and agents online. Here are a few tips to help you out with your search.

1. Neighborhood reviews - There are many reputable neighborhood review sites that help people learn more about neighborhoods where they want to buy a property in or move into (if they are renting). Of course, like any other information on the internet, everything has to be taken with a grain of salt and some other form of research should go with the efforts you make on researching neighborhood review sites. Finding these reviews online should be a good place to start, though, and you can do some leg work to verify the information you get and narrow down your choices.

2. School locator - There are several reasons why people may want to live near good schools. These days, there are many websites that can help you with finding schools in an area, as well as details on how many students go on to college, the passing rate for the SATs, and more. For some people, this is important because real estate properties that are near good schools tend to retain their value. For some, it's a matter of being near good schools for their children's education.

3. Online listings - The most obvious (and probably one of the most helpful) tools for home searchers is online listings. For example, Ann Arbor MLS sites can provide you with information on price, the specifics, and photos of properties for sale. Although you can't buy a house online and nothing really replaces the process of going to the property to look at it, looking at online listings can save you some time, give you some perspective on house prices, and also put you in contact with real estate agents. It's a good place to start and could save you a lot of time (and gas money) by helping you narrow down your search while looking at properties from the comfort of your house or office.