How Can I Get Comps If I Don't Have Access To MLS?
Good evening everyone;
My question is how would you go about getting comparables on properties if you didn't have access to MLS? My local newspaper does provide properties sold on a weekly basis. This information is usually 6 months old. I was looking for something more current so that I can make a more accurate judgement as to what the value of the properties are that I'm considering. Thanks 
Quote:My question is how would you go about getting comparables on properties if you didn't have access to MLS?
It may just be my good fortune, but where I live the county property appraiser's website has a "similar sales" button you can click for any particular property you're looking at.
You might want to read my article on Due Diligence since that's covered in it.
If you have some relationship with an appraisor he/she can give you comps"at no cost" deppend on what level of relationship you got, anyway sooner of latter you want this relationship in your investing career.
You also can have a realtor again with kind of refference or relationship where you can base to ask them for a favor to run some comps and then combine this realtor comps with the data "sq. footage, year build" on the property records at the court house or assesor website and you'll have a good comps to work with.
We have also added some links to do Comps in the Web Links area.
Of course if you know of any more websites that you do not see there, please add them.
Thanks all for the great advice as usual. I'm learning so much here I'm just in awe of it all. I will put this info in my knowledge book. Work on building relationships with appraisers, etc. Also, I didn't know about the links. I'm still learning to navigate around this site & naturally I'm beginning to spend much, much time in the archives & reading the posts. Thanks again.
Try to develop a good relationship with an appraiser. Many of them will be willing to give you a preliminary idea of what a property is worth if you consistently work with them, and obviously you can trust the valuation that they give you. Good luck.
There are a couple of places I found on the net that will do comps without long registration process or charging. Will pm them to you.[ Edited by wpruett on Date 11/09/2003 ]