Oh, let's just admit it, shall we? Browsing for homes online is a window shopper's Shangri-La. The elegantly decorated rooms, the sculpted gardens, the colorful front doors that just pop with those "come hither" hues. Browser beware, though: Those listings may be seductive, but they might not be giving you the complete picture.

That perfect split-level ranch? Might be too close to a loud, traffic-choked street. That handsome colonial with the light-filled photos? Might be hiding some super icky plumbing problems. That attractively priced condo? Might not actually be for sale. Imagine your despair when, after driving across town to see your dream home, you realize it was sold.

So let's practice some self-care, shall we, and set our expectations appropriately.

You keep current. Your property site should, too

First things first: You wouldn't read last month's Vanity Fair for the latest cafe society gossip, right? So you shouldn't browse property sites that show old listings.

In eastern Connecticut, Homesnap is an app you can use to search local listings straight from the Smart MLS where real estate agents post listings for sale statewide. Or you could search　Realtor.com®, which pulls its information from the same source every 15 minutes. Some brokerage firms have their own websites with listing feeds. Your real estate professional can confirm whether the listing information is accurate. The point is, you wouldn't want to get your heart a flutter for a house that's already off the market.

The best properties aren't always the best looking

A picture, they say, is worth a thousand words. But what they don't say is a picture can also hide a thousand cracked floorboards, busted boilers, and leaky pipes. So while it's natural to focus on photos while browsing, make sure to also consider the property description and other key features.

Each　realtor.com®　listing, for example, has a "property details" section that may specify important information such as the year the home was built, price per square foot, and how many days the property has been on the market.

Ultimately though, ask your real estate agent to help you interpret what you find. The best agents have hyper-local knowledge of the market and may even know details and histories of some properties. If a listing seems too good to be true, your agent will likely know why.

Treat your agent like your bestie

At the end of the day, property sites are like CliffsNotes for a neighborhood: They show you active listings, sold properties, home prices, and sales histories. All that data will give you a working knowledge, but it won't be exhaustive.

To assess all of this information—and gather facts about any home you're eyeing, like how far the local elementary school is from the house or where the closest Soul Cycle is—talk to your real estate agent. An agent who can paint a picture of the neighborhood is an asset.

An agent who can go beyond that and deliver the dish on specific properties is a true friend indeed, more likely to guide you away from homes with hidden problems, and more likely to save you the time of visiting a random listing (when you could otherwise be in the park playing with your canine bestie).

Want to go deeper?

Consider these sites and sources:

[naviga:ul]

[naviga:li]School ratings: Data from　GreatSchools.org　and the　National Center for Education Statistics, and the school district's website[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]Crime rates and statistics:　CrimeReports.com,　NeighborhoodScout.com,　SpotCrime.com, and the local police station[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]Walkability and public transportation:　WalkScore.com　and　APTA.com[/naviga:li]

[naviga:li]Hospital ratings:　HealthInsight.org,　LeapfrogGroup.org, and　U.S. News and World Report rankings[/naviga:li]

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Just remember: You're probably not going to find that "perfect home" while browsing listings on your smartphone. Instead, consider the online shopping experience to be an amuse bouche to the home-buying entree — a good way for you to get a taste of the different types of homes that are available and a general idea of what else is out there.

Once you've spent that time online, you'll be ready to share what you've learned with an agent.

Visit www.easternctrealtors.com to learn more about the buying and selling process in Eastern Connecticut.