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.

Every month in this space I give you the statistics on what the market is doing in Culpeper, Fauquier, Rappahannock and Prince William counties. (With Warren thrown in occasionally!)

What I haven't really talked about is where this data comes from and what inherent flaws there might be in this data. It now seems like I'm overdue for that discussion.

Each month the data I use as the basis for my analysis comes from the Multiple Listing Service (MLS). The MLS that serves our area is called MRIS. The data in this system comes from what the agents input. They input their listings and they input the information when it gets sold.

So, here's the first weakness in the system, the human factor. People forget, get lazy, get busy, etc. It's the same problem with every system, anywhere, run by people!

There are brokerages that still don't list properties in the MLS. They are few and far between, but a few of them still exist. (By the way, if you really don't want your house to get sold, just keep it out of the MLS!)

Builders generally don't list every house they have for sale in the MLS. They'll list, perhaps, one of each model they have. So the MLS always understates the total inventory and seriously understates new construction inventory.

While many For Sale By Owner (FSBO) properties are now in the MLS, many more are still not, relying on the handwritten sign in the yard. Again, this understates inventory.

But for whatever flaws there are, the MLS is the best system we've got. It's as close as I can get to getting a total snapshot of the market at any given time.

I wanted to devote at least one entry to that subject that no client ever asks me about, selling your house on your own.  This is commonly known as For Sale By Owner (FSBO) in the industry. And the reason no one ever asks me about this is because they believe they know my answer!

But the truth is always more complicated than is comfortable. It's heresy to say this in the real estate world, but I believe there are occasions where it can be perfectly sensible to sell your own home without the involvement of a licensed agent.  Furthermore, before I ever became a REALTOR or even thought about it, my husband and I sold our first home on our own. We had a ratified contract in less than 48 hours for more than asking price and, in fact, had a bidding war. So, I know it can be done!

Let me also say, that, generally, it's not for everyone. Most people who decide to sell their own homes do so without little or no knowledge or preparation. That's probably why statistics say that on average, FSBOs sell for 16% less than homes sold by a licensed agent.

One of the reasons our experience was good is because I chronically over-prepare! I bought just about every book there was about selling your own home and then did just about everything they recommended! We were also in a very hot sellers market in a very desirable neighborhood where there was no other inventory currently for sale. And we knew this going in because we did our homework. The odds were in our favor! Obviously, that's not always the case!

So, here are some questions to ask yourself if you're contemplating doing this on your own:

1. Are you willing to invest the time to research current market conditions so you can set the price properly?

2. Are you willing to educate yourself about the process and follow the advice of the experts?

3. Do you have a good real estate attorney to assist you with the settlement and perhaps help you review the contract?

4. Are you able to make your home available to potential buyers seven days a week, at least 10 hours/day?

5. Are you (and your spouse!) able to conduct negotiations in a calm, business-like manner and set aside your emotional attachment to your home?

6. Are you able to wait longer for your home to sell than one listed by a real estate agent?

7. Are you comfortable with a higher degree of legal risk?

8. Is the current market one where you will only need minimal market exposure in order to sell?

If all of the above are answered in the affirmative, it may be worth it to try the FSBO route! But don't tell any other agents I said that!!!