CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – Finding a home can be a challenge these days with high home prices and high mortgage rates.
Technology can make your search a little easier.
According to AT&T's Laurie Starcher, you can start looking for your dream home with your smartphone.
"There are a lot of different programs you can use," Starcher said. "Zillow, Realtor.com is my favorite because not only does it give you 3D tours of homes so you can explore them from the comfort of your couch, but you can also see things like flood plains or estimated mortgage payments."
This program has many different tools that you can use.
"Make sure you don't waste your time looking around at those open doors and narrowing them down to what's really important to you, whether it's a school campus or a special large plot of land... whatever." “When everyone thinks about their dream home, something different happens,” he said.
According to Zillow, late spring is the best time of year to buy a home, with August being the best month to buy.
Fall and winter shoppers generally have fewer choices but are more flexible on prices, the site says. Unlike spring and summer, buyers have *more* options and less negotiating flexibility.
"As parents, many families want their children to change schools because they want their children to settle in and prepare for the new school year," Starcher said.
Starcher recommends always thinking about high-speed internet when looking for an apartment. Make sure you need it.
“My biggest tip is to find a date to set up your internet the day you move in, because when you move in, you'll be busy whether it's opening the garage door or ringing the doorbell. This is what you want.” Make sure you have the connections to set it up.
If you're moving to a new home and can't activate your high-speed internet connection right away, check if your phone has a suitable hotspot for you.
"Many smartphones offer hotspots," Starcher said. “So that can definitely help. Most carriers allow you to add it if it's not included in your current plan. I know AT&T, you can add a hotspot to your plan, maybe just for a certain amount of time, if you only need it for one month, two months, three months, that's fine.
According to Starcher, the hotspot can connect up to 10 different devices simultaneously, including your phone, tablet and TV for streaming services.
