By no means do I consider myself an expert in real estate analysis, however, I do know enough to be dangerous. Over the past five years, I have discovered several tools that have given me more confidence in analyzing real estate deals. In my experience, there is no other online tool as valuable as Propertyradar.com. Here are 5 features within the Propertyradar.com software that I consistently utilize over any other real estate evaluation tool:

1. Explore Feature: This feature allows users to visually explore their desired buying neighborhood using customizable search features and “data overlays”. Want to get an idea of the number of preforeclosures in your neighborhood? Simply type in the name of the city or zip code, click the “Foreclosures” tap and you instantly have a color-coded map showing where every preforeclosure is in that specific neighborhood.

2. Interactive Property Profile: If you enter the subject property address in the  search bar, you can access a plethora of information on the property. Click the arrow in the top right hand corner to print out a one-page property overview to carry with you into your meeting with a homeowner.

3. Transaction History: Within the Interactive Property Profile (towards the bottom of the page) you can quickly view the transaction history of the property. In this section, you can see if there are any liens on the property, the priority of each lien, the type of loan, and much more. All of the information provided in the Interactive Property Profile can be invaluable when speaking with a homeowner or when you are looking to make a hard money loan.

4. Finding Comparables: For all visual learners like myself, this feature within Propertyradar.com is extremely useful. Once you have an Interactive Property Profile open on a property that you deem worthy as a flip, scroll down to the market value section of the page and you will see two blue arrows. Click the top arrow and it will bring you to the Comparables page. This page has a map feature that shows where each comparable sale (aka "Comp") is in proximity to your subject property. You can easily remove comps that you feel are lacking similar characteristics of your subject property by simply un-checking the box next to the property’s address. I suggest playing around on this page and learning the subtle ways you can tweak the data to come up with a more accurate estimation of your target after-repair-value (ARV).

5. Building/Customizing a FARM (Focused Area Real estate Marketing): This feature of the software allows you to customize your investment criteria. This tool is helpful to investors in defining their ideal investment property criteria based on desired location, property type, value, etc. These searches are completely customizable and can be saved so that the software continues its ongoing search of properties that fit these parameters. If you subscribe to the "Professional Package," you can receive push notifications on your iPhone or Android smartphone to update you as new properties meet your criteria.

These are just a few of my favorite features of the Propertyradar.com software. I use this tool on a daily basis to evaluate deals in my hard money lending business. Having this tool and knowing how to effectively use it gives investors and lenders a real advantage over the competition. I suggest signing up for a free trial and exploring for yourself some of these features using the instructions above. To learn more about additional features of the software, be sure to watch the myriad of tutorials available on Propertyradar.com.