I get asked frequently by buyers which website to use for their online home search.

There are a lot of different features out there on a lot of different web sites and so, in part, this depends on which of those features are most important to you. There are special mapping features and mapping overlays and mashups. I would definitely try out several to see what fits the way you like to search.

That being said, I always assume that very high on the list of vital criteria is data accuracy. For that reason the two sites that I would recommend would be REALTOR.com and HomesDatabase.com

For myself, I like the functionality of HomesDatabase.com better. It does only cover the mid-Atlantic area which is fine for buyers looking in this area. If you're selling here and looking to move elsewhere in the country I'd start with REALTOR.com.

The other sites often have properties listed for sale that were sold long ago. It's very frustrating for buyers to get excited about a property only to find out that it hasn't actually been for sale for months. Stale data is infuriating!

There are also plenty of FSBO (For Sale By Owner) sites out there. Many owners are willing to work with you if you have an agent. They don't want to pay fees to both a buyer's agent and a listing agent, but will often pay the buyer's agent fee if it gets them the sale. If you're working with a buyer's agent (and you should be) tell them you're interested in FSBO properties and ask them how they can help.

With so many homes in some stage of foreclosure right now, if you're buying without an agent, be very careful that you know you're buying a home that you'll have clear title on. Even with agents involved there are plenty of sales that are falling apart right now!

If you've got specific questions about specific web sites and the accuracy of their data, I'd be happy to help answer questions.