Potential homebuyers turning to YouTube to shop for houses - New York News | NYC Breaking News

Buying a home can be a slow process. It's one of the biggest investments you'll ever make and you want to make sure you make the right choice.

There is another way to shop for a new home that is growing in popularity – YouTube.

"Now buyers can look on the internet and weed out so many homes before we go out and look for properties, and it saves a lot of time for them and myself," says Christine Espinoza of HomeSmart Realty.

Espinoza says buyers like Sandy Berry can now hunt for houses with just a click. It's a faster, easier way to sift through houses on the market.

"On YouTube you can look at the homes, put it to music, can do virtual tours, you can get in homes, yards and get a feel for how a home looks," says Berry.

Before ever stepping foot in a home, Berry has virtually toured the whole house and its neighborhood.

"I really like the map feature, and go above and see satellite view, you can look down the street."

Scrolling through houses on YouTube saves both buyers' and realtors' time.

"A lot of time you can look at pictures and say this is not the one," says Espinoza.

Espinoza says the market is heating up here in the valley and the number of homes on the market is small.

"It helps a lot because the information is immediate. The inventory is low, you have to jump on it right away," says Berry.

While YouTube is a huge asset -- Espinoza says there is no substitution for actually getting inside a home.