Apps are everywhere, including the real estate industry. There truly is an “app for that”.  Apps on your smartphone can help you make grocery lists, check email on the go, and even get some Facetime with the family. So, can it also help you buy a home? Of course it can! Here are the top 5 apps for first time home buyers…

A mortgage calculator. We don’t recommend any one specific version (there are tons to choose from), but try a couple out (many are free), and it can help you make an educated decision on the mortgage you choose.

A real estate dictionary. Escrow? Deeds-in-lieu? Amortization? That’s like a different language to many people, so why not have a real estate dictionary on hand to help you translate the real estate lingo?

House Hunter. This is a personal favorite! This app has you pick out your needs and wants in a home and rate them on a 1-10 scale (you can even add photos for reference later!). Then, the app calculates a score for each home based on your input.

Walk Score. You can find this on many real estate sites, but it’s nice to have on hand. This app helps you determine how walkable a neighborhood is, and lets you know what’s within walking distance from your home. Good for pre-planners!

Home Search. There are a few apps that will help you search for homes on your own. Try downloading Realtor.com, Trulia, Zillow, Craigslist, Homes.com, and more. Although statistics and “zestimates” are not always correct, these apps will at least show you alot of the homes on the market today.