You’re probably looking for affordable property for your housing needs. Or perhaps you’re looking to venture into real estate.

But with the escalation of property prices all over the world, buying your dream property is looking impossible.  

Well, thanks to social media, you just might be the next lucky property owner.

In fact, with the power of social media, building or buying an affordable home could be easier than you think.  

If you’re looking to land your dream home on a budget using social media, then this article is for you. 

We’ve put together a guide full of actionable tips and tricks to make things a lot easier for you.  

Let’s take a walk: shall we?

1. Understand your budget

When you’re looking to buy a house, the excitement about the future can distract you from thinking clearly.

Yet, before deciding what type of property to buy, it’s critical to make a list of what you can afford.

Before you begin your search on social media, you need to note: 

How to create a realistic home buying budget

Here are 2 steps you can take to develop a realistic budget for your dream home.

1. Consider your goals

Establishing your goals is the first step to creating a realistic budget for your dream home.

If you are looking to buy a new home, there are some important questions you should ask yourself.

For example:

• What is your current financial situation?
• Do you have enough money saved up to purchase a new home to cover the move and the down payment?
• Are you looking to upgrade or downgrade? 
• What type of home do you desire?
• Do you want a house or apartment?

Identifying these questions will help you set realistic goals to achieve in the long run. 

2. Evaluate your financial situation

Assessing your financial situation will help you understand how much money you will need to put towards buying a home.

You should list all of your assets and debts to get a clear picture of where you stand financially. 

• Do you have enough money saved? 
• Are you hoping to get a mortgage? 
• If so, do you have valid collateral?
• Are you creditworthy? 

Depending on the answers you get from these questions, you can now determine whether to pursue your dreams; or abort the mission and give yourself more time.

Resources to help you manage your property budget

While these tools might not give you a straight answer on how much you should spend, they provide valuable information that can be of help in your property acquisition journey.

• BuildZoom

BuildZoom makes it easy for site owners to provide instant online estimates of the cost of building a home or fixing up their house, as well as the value of any commercial or residential property, depending on the current market rates.

• Estately

Estately provides up-to-date home listing data, real-time neighbourhood guides, free property searches, free tools to help you sell your home, and even advice on getting your offer accepted before submitting it to the seller.

• Zillow

Zillow is one of the leading real estate and rental marketplaces dedicated to empowering consumers with data, inspiration, and knowledge around the place they call home and connecting them with the best local professionals who can help.

• Redfin

Redfin helps users search for homes and receive information such as property value, local schools, and neighbourhood information.

2. Use social media to find property inspiration

The next step is to find your bespoke property on any of the social media platforms by looking for related hashtags, such as:

• #houses
•  #homesforsale
•  #properties
•  #realestate
•  #apartments.

With millions of posts being uploaded on social media daily, chances are that you’ll find something that suits your budget.

But that’s not all. You should also check out the accounts of celebrities and other social media influencers.

Some are brand ambassadors for real estate companies – they share tips, give discounts, as well as promote properties.

How to find property inspiration on social media

For those starting on the property ladder or looking for their next investment, it can be difficult to find inspiration.

However, with social media, you have your work cut out for you.

These 4 tips can help you find what you’re looking for: 

• Explore hashtags

Use hashtags to discover property inspirations from around the world by targeting specific keywords such as #realestate, #propertymarket, #affordablerealestate.

While you’re at it, follow these hashtags and property-related accounts that are posting the most interesting content.

• Join communities

Real estate and interior design communities are a great way to find budget-friendly properties on social media.

Look for groups of like-minded individuals who are in the house hunting business and interact with them.

• Browse property accounts on social media

Flipping through relevant real estate accounts is one of the best places to find property inspiration, tips, and insights into the property market.

• Connect with industry influencers

Another useful tip is to connect with industry influencers.

Look at their profile and connect with those who have a sizable number of followers and interactions, as this is a good indicator that they’re seen as a trusted source in the industry.

These personalities can also show you new places, houses and even provide useful tips.

3. Set notifications for properties that suit your budget

Many real estate brands and property owners post new properties for sale on their social media pages.

Check these accounts for new listings to see if they match your budget.

Once you’ve found handles that post properties that fit your budget, turn on their notification to get new updates.

With notifications turned on, you can make timely offers when the right property shows up.

3 reasons you should turn on notifications for properties

You can spend less time house-hunting by turning on notifications from reputable real estate brands and property owners.

Here’s how it works:

1. Notifications will keep you in the loop

With notifications, your property search will be at your fingertips.

Whether you’re looking for a small starter home or a larger space for your growing family, it’s easy to get timely information such as a drop in price or a new listing matching your taste.

2. Notifications can help you make offers faster

When you’re looking for a new apartment, timing is everything. If you’re not notified when a property that fits your budget and needs goes up for sale, then you might lose it.

Turning on notifications helps you act fast.

3. It helps you stay organized

Setting up notifications saves you the hassle of searching for property inspiration from one social media page to another.

When you turn on notifications, even without checking, you won’t miss out on juicy offers.

Recommended Reading: How to deal with upset customers on social media 

4. Get connected to reputable real estate brands

Most agents will have a social media presence, so there’s nothing to stop you from connecting directly with them.

You can see what houses they’re selling, which ones they think are good value for money, and when they’re holding open houses.

Similarly, if you have a certain location or property style in mind, connect with an agent or brand who fits that criteria.

How can you identify a reputable real estate brand?

If you are looking for a reputable real estate brand, here are some quick tips to help you identify the good guys:

• Registered agency with business number

All legitimate real estate brands have registered agencies with business numbers that can verify their authenticity.

• Licensed by at least one recognizable real estate board

Some boards will require licensed agents to pass certain competency exams before they can be recognized as an agent.

• Positive reviews from previous clients

Check out online reviews from your real estate agency. Make sure the reviews are authentic and provide positive feedback on their service.

• Presence of a functional website

This should be a sign that the real estate brand is well established and serious about its business.

• Active social media pages

A well established real estate agency has active social media pages that allow you to communicate with them easily and quickly.

• Easily identifiable business address

If you can visit an office, then that’s a prominent sign that the agency you’re checking up on exists. 

5. Reach out to brands through their posts to ask questions

It’s perfectly fine to reach out to a realtor via social media to ask questions about properties they’ve posted.

In fact, asking questions is key when looking for your dream home, and it’s often the best way to get answers quickly.

Letting agents know you’re looking for something specific will save you time and money.

Besides asking for information about specific properties, take advantage of the opportunity to build a relationship with the agent or brand.

You need all the connections you can get at this point.

6. Join relevant house hunting communities

Online communities today are what social media used to be before — they connect people with similar interests.

House hunting communities can help you find and connect with people who share your interests and goals, and who might help you find what you’re looking for.

However, you’ll need to do your due diligence by checking the reputation of the brand and conducting a thorough home/ property inspection.

5 reasons you need to join a house hunting community

• Real estate communities can help you by providing information on how to improve your credit score, and other financing options.
• Real estate communities can offer potential home buyers an objective view of the market.
• Online communities can help you find like-minded people who you can trust and rely on when house-hunting.
• Online communities offer an excellent source of information about the neighbourhood and the available properties.
• Joining communities can provide a support system that ensures you adjust smoothly to living in your new home.

Recommended Reading: Should your organisation develop a culture of appreciation? Here’s what you need to know

7. Play the long game

You’ve probably heard of the popular Black Friday promotions. Right? Or maybe not. 

Well, many realtors and developers run contests and sales on social media channels during holidays like Christmas, New Year, Ramadan, Black Friday etc. by posting discounts on properties for their followers and fans.

This could be a great opportunity for you to get your dream home for next to nothing if you know how to negotiate and play the long game.

This method takes patience and dedication, but it works like a charm.

Tips:

Some brands offer great discounts during their anniversary. Be on the lookout for this.

8. Be ready to negotiate

Once you’ve done your research and found your dream home — it’s time to pounce and make an offer!

One of the biggest mistakes people make when buying a new property is failing to negotiate.

This could be out of fear, or probably because the seller would think they’re not serious — this is not always true.

The truth is, you can get your dream property for next to nothing if you are savvy, patient and know how to cut a deal online.

As long as you’re not desperate to buy a home, you can play the long game and negotiate your way to a reasonable price.

Key Takeaways

Here are eight ways you can use social media to make your home buying experience even easier:

• Understand your budget and set a realistic target for yourself.

• Use social media to discover property inspiration that falls within your price range.

• Set notifications for these properties, so you’ll receive alerts when something that fits your budget pops up.

• Reach out to brands through their posts and ask clarifying questions about your needs.

• Take it one step ahead by connecting with brands and agents that match your criteria.

• Use the power of real estate communities to network and interact with fellow home buyers.

• Play the long game. Be the proverbial patient dog that eats the fattest bone.

• When you’re ready to buy, fold your sleeves and negotiate till you get something reasonable.