In this video we’ll discuss one of the most helpful tools when it comes to tax sale investing: Aerial Images. But which program is the best? Google or Bing? We use both and we’ll explain why.

Transcript:

Hey, everybody! It’s Casey Denman here with TaxSaleAcademy.com. And today, we got a quick little video for you and we’ll be discussing the importance of using and comparing both Google and Bing aerial images when doing your tax sale property research.

Now both Google and Bing have great mapping programs that are easy to learn and easy to use. As someone who buys and sells tax sale properties in just about every corner of the country, these two programs are an incredible tool that I use to help familiarize myself with the area and the property I’m researching. Of course, some people prefer one over the other. Some like Bing, some like Google. I prefer to use both. And let me explain why.

So right now you’re looking at a map. And this is actually the bird’s eye feature of Bing’s mapping tool. Now in the center of this map, you’ll see a three-wing looking building. And on the right hand side, you see a water feature. You’re actually looking at a map of Las Vegas, Nevada. That three-wing building is the Bellagio and the water feature on the right is the Bellagio Fountains.

Let’s scroll down a little bit here and you’ll see another three-wing building right here in the center of your page. And that is actually the Monte Carlo. And off to the bottom right of that, you’re looking at the New York-New York. What we skipped over, however, is a big construction area right here in the center of your page. And you think, it’s not that big a deal. It’s just a site under construction.

So let’s change programs now and look at a Google imaging map. On the left hand side will be your Google map, and on the right hand side we’ll keep the Bing map on the screen. In the center of your Google map on the left hand side, you’ll see the Bellagio again and the fountains at the Bellagio. We’ll scroll down and we’ll skip over the stuff in the middle for the time being. And on the bottom here, you’ll see the Monte Carlo, the three-wing building in the center. And off to the bottom right, you’ll see the New York-New York.

Now let’s scroll up. That area we skipped over, that is actually CityCenter at Las Vegas. It is a newer development. So on the right hand side, you see just a construction site. It looks like a normal construction site. It doesn’t really concern you a whole lot. But if you’re to compare both your Bing map and your Google map, you realize, something was developed in this area fairly recently. And of course, it was CityCenter, like I said.

Now, of course CityCenter probably won’t come up at a tax sale any time soon, but you can use these two programs to compare back and forth to each other. I have been researching properties before where it looks like a beautiful house is there on one program. And I go to use the other program, and that house is actually burnt down. There’s actually nothing on that lot anymore. Or I’ve seen areas that look like just rural farmland that I’ve been thinking about buying an acre or two here at tax sale properties. And then I look in another mapping program and realize, “Hey, there’s a development that just started going on right next to this property,” which, of course, will have a huge impact on the value of your property. So because the pictures in these programs are taken at different times, it is imperative that you use both of these programs when you research your tax sale properties.

For more information on how you can accurately and efficiently research thousands of tax sale properties, you need to go to TaxSaleAcademy.com. And while you’re there, download your free copy of The Tax Sale Blueprint.