When it comes to buying a home, there are a lot of tools you can use to help make the searching and buying process easier. Whether you’re looking for your first home or if you were one of the 9.26 million people in the U.S. who owned a second home in 2017, it’s important to make the home-buying process as easy as possible. Fortunately, technology has evolved in ways to help potential home buyers. So if you’re in the market for a new home, keep reading to learn more about how you can benefit from using technology.

One of the best ways to use technology during the home-buying process is to view videos of potential homes online. Video technology has made big impacts over the past few years, especially with YouTube videos now reaching more 18-34 and 18-49 year-olds than other cable networks. People who are selling their homes are choosing to take videos of their houses and post them online for potential buyers to view. This can be a great way to see the home before checking it out in person.

Going off of videos, virtual reality is also making a big impact in the real estate world. Similarly to videos, potential buyers can now view 3D tours of homes using virtual reality technology. This can be a more immersive experience for potential buyers and can allow them to view the home from different angles and areas. VR can even allow people to stage or furnish a home so they can visualize what it may look like if they bought it.

Outside of viewing the home, those looking for a home can use online localized data to learn more about the area around the house. So instead of having to wait to talk to the real estate agent or seller, buyers can look at things like neighborhood and school information, walk scores, and local amenities all online. This can be beneficial because if buyers are looking for something specific in the neighborhood, they can know about it before they choose whether or not to go see the home.

And lastly, more and more home buyers are choosing to utilize social media during the buying process. Whether it’s connecting with potential real estate agents, sellers, or even people within the same neighborhood, social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter can help connect people. Social media can also help buyers stay up-to-date with current home listings.

As you can see, there are several ways buyers can utilize technology when looking for a home. So if you’re in the process of buying a house, consider using technology to help make it easier for you.