How to Search Like a Pro (Part 3): Map Mastery, Street View, and True Costs
Now that you've built a shortlist worth investigating, next comes the step that separates smart buyers from the rest—learning what the map can tell you that photos never will.
📋 TL;DR Part 3 — Maps, Street View, Costs
- •Open the map (satellite + flood). Eliminate for flood zones, noise/traffic, awkward adjacencies, and future development risks.
- •Use Street View to catch neighbor red flags.
- •Verify true monthly carry (taxes/HOA/insurance/utilities). Favorited homes now earn a deep photo review or a showing.
🗺️ Map Skills 101: The Satellite Shortcut
Step 7: What to Look For on the Map — Start with Satellite and Flood Layers
Next, we come to the step that, for Lisa and I, eliminates more prospective properties than anything else… open the map. Its location varies, but in the Zillow mobile app, it's typically the third picture at the top of the listing. I'll be releasing an entire article (and even a fun, instructional game) based on this step, so I won't be able to do it justice here. But, just to summarize, go into the map's settings and select two options: satellite view, and flood. Now's the time to get VERY persnickety with your evaluation of the property.
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Is it in a flood zone? (Although the FEMA flood maps are more authoritative on this subject, if we see the property underwater according to the real estate app's flood map, we generally move on.)
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What's around the house? (What does it "back up" to? Is it a junky mess? Do you have the room you need?)
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What about the neighbors' house(s)? (How do their properties look? Are they too close for comfort? Do they look well-maintained?)
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Take a look at the roads. (Are there busy highways close by? Will car headlights shine in your front windows from an intersection across from the home?)
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Are there railroad tracks/airports around?
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Are there any commercial/entertainment-related properties nearby? (Many commercial businesses can make lots of noise, but a church might be perfectly fine.)
Again, I'm scratching the surface here, and there's more to come on this subject, but hopefully you've got the general idea. Study the map carefully and eliminate the property as soon as you spot the first deal-breaker!
💡 Key Insight
Maps reveal what photos hide. Check satellite and flood layers first, use Street View to spot neighbor issues, then verify true monthly costs before diving into photos. The map eliminates more properties than any other tool.
🌍 More from the Map: Topography, Noise, and Sunlight
This really is the most underutilized yet supremely useful feature on the real estate portals. Here's just a few more things to consider:
- •Topography - slopes, drainage, or retaining walls.
- •Zoning clues - "vacant land" nearby may mean future development.
- •Sun orientation - satellite view shows shadows; check if backyard gets light or if it's north-facing and dark all winter.
- •Noise forecasting - proximity to railroad tracks, hospitals (sirens), schools (drop-off chaos).
- •Zoning/Development Risk - check the county's future land-use or zoning map; that lovely field might be a planned distribution center.
🎯 Wrapping Up Our Search Results Triage
Step 8: Street View: The Dealbreaker Detector You Already Have
If available, repeat step 7 using Google's Street View feature. Although not a substitute for visiting the neighborhood, it's amazing what you can discover doing a quick "drive" up and down the street in front of the property. Lisa and I were very close to making an offer on a brand new house in Tennessee last week. But then we noticed two giant dogs barking incessantly at the Google Maps car in Street View. They were clearly on an invisible fence (who puts those in their FRONT YARD???), and by the dirt path they had worn across the entire property, clearly bark at everyone and everything that passes by. TERRIBLE NEIGHBORS… NO THANK YOU!
Flood zones, noise, and neighbors will tell you more than the paint color ever will.
Step 9: When to Finally Look at the Photos
If you've gotten this far and still feel pretty good about the property, it's ok to take a look at the pictures. Just be aware that you're very likely to spend quite a bit of time once you start down this path, so you might consider "favoriting" the property for later review so that you can actually get through the rest of your search results.
Step 10: Taxes, Fees, and Hidden Costs: Look Beyond the Listing
As for everything else, there's still a ton you can learn about the property in the listing details. One of the most important of these is the approximate monthly cost of ownership. Pay special attention to any homeowner's association (HOA) fees and property taxes that might apply. And while we're on that subject, be aware that the property taxes displayed are merely an estimate. If the property is located within city limits, it's possible that the estimate does not include both county and city taxes, so it's important to confirm with all local taxing authorities before making an offer, but be sure to tell them what you're likely to pay for the house so they can give you an accurate estimate on next year's tax bill.
📊 Monthly Carrying Costs Formula
By the way, here's a quick formula for monthly carrying costs: CC = (P&I from your loan pre-approval) + property taxes/12 + insurance/12 + HOA + typical utilities.
🚗 How About a Quick Commute Check?
Plug the address into Google Maps at your typical rush-hour time. The difference between a 22-minute and a 42-minute drive can change how "perfect" that house feels.
✅ The Final Result: Searching Efficiently Means Buying Confidently
Well, I may have broken my promise to keep it short here (A 3-parter, Jack… really?), but I hope you've learned a few things that will help you find the property of your dreams as quickly as possible. Just keep in mind that the goal of your search is to eliminate prospective properties from your list as efficiently as possible. If you'll take the time to do so, you'll not only get better at homing in on the right properties, but you'll also boost the effectiveness of your real estate agent, allowing them to get you inside the right properties, through the offer process, and on to closing so that you can get on with your life.
🚀 Ready to take your search from "pretty pictures" to "perfect fit"?
Try combining your favorite portal with the Convenience Scanner at ConvenientHouse.com—and let data, not luck, lead you home.
💡 Pro Tips for Smarter Portal Searches
- ✓Keep filters minimal to avoid missing incomplete listings.
- ✓Save searches and check newest first.
- ✓Hide obvious "no" listings to declutter results.
- ✓Always check satellite + street view before photos.
- ✓Verify HOA fees and property taxes manually.
💭 Some Final Thoughts
- •Try AI-based, natural language search if available ("4-bed modern home near metro with yard") for better results.
- •Draw custom zones on maps — sometimes more effective than using cities, counties, or zip codes.
- •Save and label searches for instant alerts, and review only new/changed listings each day.
- •Remember: Many available filters get spotty data — search broadly, then filter manually.
- •Double check "exclusive" and new listings on more than one portal!
- •Make your agent's job easier by running your own eliminations and virtual tours before asking for in-person showings.
- •With the 2024 S.REC v. NAR Settlement, agents must now sign written agreements upfront, clarifying their role. Use this to your advantage. Don't hesitate to ask your agent to pull MLS data directly for unfiltered results (bypassing portal limitations) and confirm critical details like square footage. For listings of particular interest, ask them to pull seller disclosure documents, covenants/restrictions, and utility bill data. They're your partner, but you steer the ship — and you and/or the seller are paying plenty to expect good service.
🎯 You've mastered the search. Next comes the offer!
With a confident short list, you're ready to tour and write offers. Continue to Step 4: Taking the Plunge — How Do You Seal the Deal? to structure a buyer-friendly contract and negotiate from data, not hope.
✅ Bottom Line
Use satellite and flood maps to eliminate properties with deal-breakers before wasting time on photos. Street View reveals neighbor issues you can't see in listings. Verify true monthly costs (taxes/HOA/insurance) manually—portal estimates often miss city taxes. The map is your most powerful elimination tool—use it first, use it ruthlessly.