EVER HEARD OF REALTYTRAC ? YOUR CREDIT CARD HAS

Realtytrac is a huge, public, search & tracking website. If you've done any real estate searches over the last year (and let's be honest, who hasn't), you have probably used them. But like so many other "Search Now and Not Know You Pay Later" sites, RealtyTrac has a funny way of beefing up their bottom line at your expense. Below is a link from today's Los Angeles Times. After you're done reading it, check your credit card bill:
Real estate company's pitch leads to unexpected bill -- latimes.com

This article is another very real reason why information availability can be a good AND a bad thing. It also illustrates the value of having a good, local Realtor at your side. The list of homes and information you get from your Realtor.. let's just say Forefront Real Estate for instance... are truly free, and contain the most current and reliable information in the market. Pubic websites are great for initial research, but don't rely on them. As you have seen, there can be strings attached. And those strings are tied to your wallet.